Page 171 of An Unholy Affair

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‘Nope. She needs it back now that her eye’s been given the all-clear. I’m going to need a car anyway, so I picked one up this morning.’

‘Really? Where is it?’

‘Outside. Drink your tea and I’ll drive us over.’

‘Jack…’Eveline clutched his arm.

‘Yes, love?’

‘It’s a Range Rover… And it looks brand new.’

He shook his head. ‘I couldn’t get a new one quickly enough. But this one’s less than a year old and a hybrid, so it should do us for a while.’ He opened the front passenger door. ‘Your chariot awaits, milady.’

Eveline climbed in, smoothing her hands over the leather seats, her eyes wide.

Easing away from the rectory towards the high street, he could feel her gaze on him.

‘Jack…’

‘Yes, fiancée?’

She smiled. ‘I really don’t mean to pry, and I don’t want—’ She broke off and shook her head. ‘Sorry. Please ignore me.’

‘I would never ignore you. It’s actually difficult to drive with you there because you’re far more interesting to look at than the road.’

‘Eyes ahead…’

‘Yes, ma’am.’

She laughed and his heart got a little bigger.

‘Eveline…’

‘Hmm?’

‘I know we haven’t talked about money, but I thought I’d tell you how I’d like things to be, and then you can choose what you want to do.’

‘Okay…’ she replied, fiddling with her engagement ring.

He cleared his throat. ‘When I said I was “all in”, I meant it in every way. You can keep your bank account separate if you want, but I want you to have joint access to mine. I know I don’t have a job yet, but if we’re not too extravagant, I have enough saved up to last us a couple of years—’

‘Years?’ she squeaked.

‘Er, yes… And if that runs out, then I can always sell my flats in London or Monaco.’

‘Youowna flat in LondonandMonaco?’

He pulled the collar of his shirt away from his neck, suddenly too hot.

‘Jack?’

He nodded. ‘And a car.’

Eveline shifted in her seat to face him. ‘I presume it isn’t a beat-up Fiat 500?’

He shook his head. Compared to her, he was a flash git with more money than sense.

‘Go on, what do you own? And does my dad know? He’s going to be beside himself with excitement.’

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