‘He wants me?’
Peter nodded. ‘Was adamant. No one else would do.’
She swallowed. She’d kill Ben if this was an excuse to spend more time with her. They might have met through work but he needed to keep well away from her professional life. ‘Okay, I’ll give him a call – tee something up.’
Her boss stood. ‘Good. Let me know what he ends up needing, as far as your time’s concerned. And Eve, great job this morning with Miller, keep it up.’
She forced a smile and retreated from Peter’s office, checking her watch. It was already one fifteen. She wouldn’t have time to ring Ben before her next meeting. She’d leave her questions until she saw him at three.
Eve made a hasty departure from her one thirty. Luckily it’d been a straightforward contract signing and scheduling for open homes. The house, a small terrace in Port Melbourne, would sell easily. The land value alone would reach the price the client was hoping for.
She was due to meet Ben in twenty minutes, which gave her just enough time to drive from Port Melbourne to Collins Street and quickly freshen up. As she hurried towards her car, the second phone in her bag beeped.
Eve checked Ben’s message to discover a change of venue, to an address in South Melbourne. She frowned and messaged, Okay.
He wasn’t having her meet him at the new development, was he? She wasn’t planning to work this afternoon. She shook herself. No, the longing in his voice when they’d spoken earlier had assured her they were both looking forward to this.
She slid into the front seat of her Audi, excitement building within her. She hadn’t seen him for over a week. It felt like a month. She did a quick make-up check in the car’s mirror, fishing in her bag for her lipstick and reapplying it.
She’d taught herself to dismiss all feelings of guilt when she saw Ben. Technically she was cheating on Sean but it made her a happier person, more tolerant with the kids, more loving to her husband. Ben made her feel wanted and sexy, and her time with him gave her the chance to be the real Eve. Not Eve the mother, Eve the wife, or Eve the real estate agent.
The relationship had its rules. Ben was married too, happily he’d said, but he needed more. Like Eve, he wanted adoration, escapism. So they’d agreed that if they were discreet, no one need know, and no one would get hurt. They’d put their families first, and snatch whatever time they could for themselves.
Her phone rang as she pulled out into the traffic on Beaconsfield Parade. Irritation replaced her excitement. The number showing on the Audi’s navigation screen was St Roberta’s Primary. The girls were both booked in for after-school care that afternoon and she was tempted to not answer but then they’d ring Sean, who was in court and couldn’t be interrupted.
She pressed the receive button on her steering wheel reluctantly. ‘Hello.’
‘Mrs West?’
‘Yes.’
‘Mrs West, it’s Mary Steed from St Roberta’s. I’m afraid Ava isn’t feeling very well. We need you to come and collect her.’
‘But she’s booked in to after-school care.’
‘We’re aware of that, but since she feels ill and has a temperature of thirty-nine, we’re required to ask you to collect her.’
Eve wanted to pummel the steering wheel. This was not happening. She was only a few minutes from South Melbourne, a few minutes from Ben.
She did her best to compose herself. ‘And if I can’t?’
Mary cleared her throat. ‘I’m sorry, Mrs West,’ she said crisply, ‘that’s not really an option. If you are unavailable, could your husband or another family member or friend collect Ava? We did call your nanny, Kate Spencer, but her phone went straight to voicemail. We can call your emergency contacts if you aren’t able to.’
She sighed. If only Kate wasn’t still on holiday. ‘Fine, leave it with me. I’ll see if I can get someone to come and pick her up. If I can’t, I’ll be there within half an hour.’
Eve hung up. Of all days for Ava to be sick. Her parents always offered to do jobs like this but they were away for a few days. Leah?
God, she’d never rung her sister to postpone their three p.m. appointment. Would she dare ask her to pick up Ava? An image of Ben, bare-chested, filtered into her thoughts and she shivered.
Yes, she would dare to ask Leah.
Chapter Three
Leah pulled up to the O’Reilly residence in the company car at two forty-five p.m., fifteen minutes before her scheduled meeting time. She’d needed to get out of the office, clear her head a little before catching up with her sister. She’d tried to distract herself with an audiobook during the thirty-five-minute drive to Hampton but switched it off because her thoughts kept flitting back to Grant.
Leah sank back in her seat and closed her eyes just as her phone rang. Eve’s number was on the caller display. Instinct shouted her sister would cancel.
‘Thanks for the notice,’ Leah said, not bothering with a greeting. ‘I’m sitting out the front of this place in Hampton. I thought we’d get a coffee.’
‘I’m so sorry, Lee. I meant to call you hours ago. An opportunity has come up that Peter wants me to chase immediately. I’ve had to cancel my entire afternoon.’
She sighed. ‘Fine, I’ll go for a walk down the beach instead. I’m assuming I don’t actually need to see this property?’
‘No, I’ll send you enough info for your write-up.’ There was a brief pause. ‘If you aren’t already mad at me, you might be in a minute. I need to ask you a favour.’
‘What do you need?’
‘The school’s called and Ava’s sick. The twins were both booked in to after-school care, but she’s got a fever so they won’t let her go. Is there any possibility you could pick her up? If you’re in Hampton, you’re less than ten minutes away.’
‘What? Now?’ Leah had planned to go back to the office after she’d met with Eve. If her niece was sick, she could hardly take her back to the paper.
‘Yes, sorry.’
She didn’t respond. Leah had been looking forward to seeing Eve and talking to her about Grant. She needed to talk to someone. Jackie, her best friend, would know all the right things to say, but she couldn’t bring herself to ring her. Not yet. Not until she knew why he’d ended it.
‘You there, Lee?’
Leah pushed all thoughts of Grant from her mind and made a quick decision to call the office and say she’d be keeping the car overnight and would work from home for the rest of the afternoon. ‘Of course I’ll pick her up. Do you want me to take her to your place or mine?’
‘To mine if that’s okay? That way you can put her to bed. You might as well collect Harriet while you’re there too. No point us doing a separate trip to the school later. You’ve still got your key, haven’t you?’
‘Yes. What do I need to do? Does she need a doctor or medicine or anything?’
‘I’ve got no idea.’
‘You’re her mother. Surely you know what to do when she’s sick.’
‘Just take her home and put her to bed. Ask the school nurse, she’ll tell you what to do. Gotta run, thanks again.’
Leah stared at the phone. Eve had already hung up. Surely her sister should know what to do? The twins must have had fevers and illnesses before?