Page 34 of Unbreak My Heart

“And you’re single?”

Eva spun, her dark eyes wide in horror. “Mum!”

Simon couldn’t help the amusement winding in his veins leaving as a chuckle. This lady was so like his own mother in that respect. Always on the lookout for a partner for whichever child was single.

“Oh,pfft. The boy’s old enough to answer a few questions.”

Simon rubbed the back of his neck. “Not a boy, Mrs Adams. I’m nearly thirty-nine. It’s fine, Eva. And no”—his eyes flicked from Emilia to Eva—“I’m not dating anyone.”

“See?” Emilia placed her hands on her hips and smiled smugly at her daughter. “A simple question, and he gave me an honest, simple answer. It’s not that hard, Evie.”

Closing her eyes in apparent resignation, Eva muttered under her breath and shook her head as she said goodbye to her son and placed him on the floor, still clutching his Narnas, only for him to run toward the stack of toys spread near the wooden toy chest near the TV unit against the far wall.

Emilia studied Simon, making the hair on the back of his neck stick up. “You must be a special fellow.” She motioned to her grandson. “He never shares Narnas with anyone other than us.”

“Mum? Matty looks fine and his temperature is still normal. I think it’ll be all right to leave him here. I have to run back to the Crossing. Do you need me to grab anything for you?” Eva said, her interruption obvious even to him.

Emilia’s eyes flicked to him, then thankfully away; a cheeky light echoing deep inside them. “No. It’s fine, honey. If I need anything, I’ll get Dad to get it.”

Had she been going to invite him to dinner?

Part of him laughed at the thought; the other part was almost struck dumb with horror.

It was confusing as hell.

Eva hustled toward him, her face all twisted up in what he assumed was contrition. She grabbed his shoulder and spun him, pushing him in front of her toward the door.

He couldn’t help it. He started grinning as he yanked his shoes on.

“Goodbye, Simon. It was lovely to meet you!” Emilia called.

Without looking directly at her, he nodded in her direction. “’Bye. You, too.”

He made it out the door, Eva’s hand tight on his bicep propelling him along, then burst out laughing as the door shut behind them, Eva scrambling into the ute and laying her head on the steering wheel.

Still laughing, Simon hauled himself up into the ute and clicked in his seatbelt. “Come on. It wasn’tthatbad.”

“Yes, it was. I’m so,sosorry!”

He leaned back into the seat and rested his arm on the centre armrest. “She’s just scoping for talent. Can’t blame her for adding two and two and getting five. It’s obvious she wants a guy for you.”

She turned her head and glared at him. “Oh? It was that obvious, was it?”

His laughter echoed in the cabin. He relaxed further into the seat and shrugged. “Sarcasm isn’t your strong suit, shortcake. You should stick to charming honesty.”

One brow raised. “Charming? And if you keep it up with the shortcake biz, you’re going to see what it’s like down here at this height.”

That just made his grin bigger. “Threatening to physically maim a guy for observing a naturally occurring phenomenon isn’t in your firm’s prospectus.”

That made her sit up. “And how would you know what’s in our prospectus? I don’t even think wehaveone. You, Jameson, are a fraud.”

He closed his eyes and shrugged. “You can’t prove anything. I’ll deny it all.”

The car started with a low rumble, the diesel engine growling to life as she muttered to herself.

He felt the motion of the moving car. After a few minutes, he spoke again. “Seriously, though. Your mum is nice.” He breathed deeply and plunged in. “And your son seems a good kid.”

Opening one eye when she didn’t respond, he caught her glancing at him. “I mean it. He’s friendly. He and Finn would probably get on like a house on fire.”

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