Page 182 of An Unholy Affair
‘Not on your nelly.’ She smiled at his forlorn expression. ‘I’ll let her in.’
Running her fingers through her hair, and smoothing her dress back into place, Eveline made her way to the front door, suddenly conscious that her pants were still in Jack’s pocket. Could she nip back for them?
‘Thank god it’s you,’ Estelle said through the letterbox.
Eveline opened the door and drew Estelle in for a hug. ‘It’s fine. We were just about to get the cake in the oven.’
Her friend drew back and raised an eyebrow. ‘Are you sure it wasn’t a bun?’ She glanced at Eveline’s stomach. ‘Inthatoven?’
Heat tore up Eveline’s neck into her cheeks. ‘I amquitesure,’ she said firmly, then lowered her voice. ‘Although, since the wedding we have been putting a lot of, er,effortinto that particular endeavour.’
Estelle snorted. ‘I can tell. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone so happy, or so well fuc—’
‘Estelle!’ Eveline dragged her friend into the house and propelled her into the front lounge, shutting the door behind them. ‘Behave!’
‘I can’t help it.’ Estelle giggled. ‘And I promise this will be the last time I ever mention it, however…’ She shook her head. ‘I still can’t get my head around what Jack used to do as ajob.’
‘Well, after he told Henry, Finn and Connor, he said it was only right that you also knew. But…’
‘Yeah, yeah, I know. Circle of trust and all that.’ Estelle sat on the sofa and let out a sigh. ‘To be honest, it’s going to be easy to forget, as it’s so surreal.’
Eveline sat next to her. ‘I know it might seem strange, but I don’t think about it at all anymore. It’s in the past and has no bearing on the present or our future.’
Estelle gave her the side eye. ‘Yeah, but…’
‘But what?’
‘He must have mad sex skills.’
Heat flushed through her face again, and she clenched her thighs as lurid thoughts tumbled through her mind.
‘Fuck me,’ Estelle murmured. ‘I’ll take that as a “yes” then…’
Eveline cleared her throat. ‘Anyway. Why are you early? Is everything alright?’
Her friend’s face fell, and she stood, turning towards the fireplace, her hands flexing in and out of fists.
‘Estelle?’
‘I went to Bath to meet the guy I’m going to be working with next year.’ Her voice was cold and brittle.
‘Oh yes! The new owner of the event management company. I’m so sorry, I totally forgot. How did it go?’
Estelle turned, her body vibrating with rage. ‘It was…’ She raised her head to the ceiling. ‘Fuck!’
Eveline stood, her heart thumping. ‘What’s happened? Whoishe?’
Estelle fixed her with a look, spitting out each word in turn. ‘James… Hunter… Savage…’
‘W—what? How? I don’t understand.’
‘That fucking cocksucking-bastard’s father bought the company and installed his obnoxious gobshite of a son as the CEO.’
‘But… How come you didn’t know?’
‘Because all our dealings were with the original company, then some minion emailed us to confirm the new owners were honouring the contract, just with a few “minor alterations”. How the fuck were we to know that “BDE Entertainment” was a front for that wanker?’
‘Oh. What does the “BDE” stand for?’
