Rules of Harte (Harte Series #1) (32 page)

             
‘You disappeared so suddenly; I was worried,’ he said, breaking the silence.

‘Sorry,’ Eva threw an insincere apology
out. ‘I needed fresh air.’

‘You shouldn’t be outside alone…it’s not safe.’

Eva shrugged her shoulders. Maybe she had strayed a little far from the rest of the party guests but unsafe was a slight exaggeration, wasn’t it? Eva suspected Nathan’s concern was less about where he’d found her and more about who he’d found her with. But she didn’t dwell on it, her head was filled with thoughts of Julian and her skin still tingled from his touch; there was no more room in her brain for thoughts of Nathan and his insecurities that only seemed to grow when another man entered the picture.

             
Eva picked up her pace, more comfortable to stay a couple of steps ahead of Nathan. She fought the urge to look back and held her head so high, the back of her neck twitched.

             
The bright lights and music drew her back inside like a moth to a flame. She was embarrassed by the tear in her dress, conscious of how it exposed the entire length of her thigh. Thankfully, the cape hid it from view but it didn’t do much to disguise her flushed cheeks. Heads turned as she crossed the noble dance floor. She tried to shake the feeling that those eyes were watching her, shocked at her behaviour in the garden moments before. It was nonsense, no one had seen her, she knew that. Not even Nathan. But she felt so self-conscious, she thought she might be sick. She grabbed a glass of champagne from a semi-naked waiter’s tray and scanned the scattered tables for signs of Shelly. She needed to tell someone what she’d done. Shelly would confirm she’d done the right thing and then maybe Eva could relax.

             
It was impossible to see anyone. One person looked exactly the same as the next. Dark shadows of different heights and shapes scattered across the room like dominoes. The only hint of colour was their soul bared across their face. The lights dimmed suddenly and loud excited shrieks rang in Eva’s ears as everyone became giddy and energetic. Eva was certain everyone knew something she didn’t. She looked behind her suddenly, sorry she’d walked so fast ahead of Nathan. She couldn’t find him. She was alone in a room full of familiar faces disguised as strangers. It was too weird. Her head was spinning. ‘Stupid champagne,’ she spoke to the glass in her hand before slamming it crossly on the table beside her. She pulled out a chair and sat down, not trusting her legs to support her much longer.

             
The atmosphere was wild and feral. People were acting so strange. All inhibitions were loosened. Maybe it was the confidence born from anonymity or the power of a free bar, but whatever it was; Eva didn’t want to be there anymore. She wanted to run back out into the garden and into the solace of Julian’s arms.

             
Her eyes darted around the room and she actually had to catch her head in her hands to steady herself. Her stare finally steady and fixed on the now closed glass doors behind her, hoping Julian would walk through any moment. She stared for a long time but he never appeared. Maybe he’d left? It wouldn’t surprise her. Nathan had been unintentionally supreme. But she couldn’t blame him. He couldn’t have known that she’d fucked Julian and then just walked away. She was becoming the type of girl she’d preached to Julian that she never would be. But why hadn’t Julian reacted? She didn’t understand. His pride must be hurting. She hadn’t chosen Nathan over him, she was just honouring the commitment of her date. But Julian couldn’t know that. Maybe it was better if he never knew, she thought. It was easier than a messy goodbye that she doubted she’d be strong enough to say. She knew she had to walk away from Julian but everything her head told her, her heart argued with. Her earlier confidence was unravelling faster than the stitching of her torn dress. Christ, what a mess.

‘There you are,’ Shelly shrieked, wrapping her arms so tight around Eva’s neck she almost pulled her backwards off her chair. ‘Where the fuck did you go?’

‘Sorry, I just needed some air; I didn’t mean to…’

Eva stopped mid-sentence. Shelly had company. Mia linked Shelly’s arm like a gaudy decoration on a beautiful Christmas tree. Eva wondered if Shelly recognised the office bitch beneath her ugly mask. She must have; no amount of sequence and glitter could disguise Mia’s ever imperious personality.

             
‘It’s so exciting, isn’t it?’ Mia said.

Eva sank down in her seat, steaming. Mia seemed to recycle the same sentence when talking about the ball. Had she nothing better to say? What was so exciting anyway? The free drink
? The weirdness of not having a clue who anyone was? Or the fact that she was enjoying some fucked up joke? Eva shuddered at the thought. She was certain Mia was waiting for the optimum moment to mortify her. Eva’s heart thundered in her chest as she looked back at the door and tried to ignore the niggles that Julian was in on it.

             
‘I thought you weren’t going to be back in time?’ Shelly said, pulling out the seat next to Eva and sitting down.

‘In time for what?’ Eva asked, briefly distracted from worrying about Mia’s fucked up sense of humour.

‘Don’t spoil the surprise, Shelly. It’s her first year.’ Mia cut across before Shelly had time to reply.

Eva gasped d
rily.
Surprise? What surprise.
The word jarred in her mind as panic built again. Oh Christ, maybe this joke was bigger than she thought. Shelly could be in on it too. Eva shook her head. No, she trusted her friend. Shelly wouldn’t hurt her. Eva closed her eyes. She couldn’t think straight, the bubbles of champagne danced around her head paralysing all reasoning.

             
She looked at Shelly. She was so drunk she danced in her chair to music that had stopped playing ages ago. And Mia was busy trying to take the perfect selfie, hindered by holding her phone upside down and not noticing. If Eva hadn’t been so on edge, she’d have laughed. Instead she snorted roughly and decided enough was enough…she was getting the hell out of there.

             
Like a perfectly timed scene from an old black and white film, just as Eva stood up complete darkness fell. Loud shrieks echoed around the room, followed by hushing sounds and clapping. Eva sat back down and waited for the generator to kick in. Seconds seemed to tick by in exaggerated slow motion and the room remained pitch black. A delicate tinkle sounded as someone, somewhere, tapped a spoon off the side of a glass. A bright spotlight illuminated the centre of the dance floor and Shelly reached for Eva’s hand and grasped it tightly.

             
‘This is it.’ Shelly whispered.

‘I know he never picks the same girl twice, but I really wish it could be me again,’ Mia said
, ending her sentence with a delicate hiccup.

‘Me too,’ Shelly said.

Shelly and Mia seemed to be talking in riddles. It was driving Eva crazy. ‘Who never picks the same girl?’

‘Shh,’ a man from across the table said angrily.

Shelly and Mia didn’t even notice. They were staring at the stage, enchanted. Eva blushed. She had no idea what the hell was going on and she resented Mia and Shelly drawing attention in their direction.             

‘Mr Doe…’ Shelly whispered into Eva’s e
ar. ‘…he’s about to choose his Number One. It’s the same every year. He invites her up on stage, blah, blah, blah.’ ‘Blah, blah, blah?’ Eva echoed.
What the hell?
That told her nothing. Mumbles weren’t helpful, she needed details. What happened on stage?

‘You know, she’s his thing. ’ Shelly was struggling to get the words out.

His thing, who?
Eva knew the drink wasn’t helping, but it was more than that. Shelly seemed upset just talking about it.

‘I dunno. His chosen one, I suppose. It’s all a bit weird. But he treats her like royalty all year then picks a new girl and it starts all over.’

‘And you were that girl?’ Eva said, her hands flying to her face, alleviated all the clues finally added up and made sense.

Shelly nodded. ‘Last year’s entertainment.’

‘And now?’

‘Well now
, he picks someone new.’

‘Mia?’ Eva said,
barely able to speak. She was baffled by the pattern she was seeing.

‘The year before.’

Christ, no wonder she’s such a bitch, Eva decided; suddenly feeling guilty for all the time spent hating her. Eva’s eyes were wide open to the point of uncomfortable and she was nodding rhythmically as her head struggled to catch up with the sudden information explosion. Who did Mr Doe think he was? Women weren’t toys available for his disposal. Yet Eva had a woman at each side of her crying at the thought of his rejection.             

             
A small lady shuffled into centre stage, using her hand to shield her eyes from the offensively bright light shining in her face. She tapped the microphone a couple of times and noise echoed around the room, like a giant, stomping his feet. Eva tried not to laugh, it was such an awkward contrast to the evening so far. The room was silent apart from the odd cough and someone taking it upon themself to whisper ‘shh,’ every so often.

             
The lady took a small sip of water from the low table beside her and finally spoke.

‘Ladies and Gentlemen, i
t is a pleasure to welcome you all tonight.’ She stopped and sipped more water. If she was trying to combat nerves, she wasn’t very successful.

‘I’m very excited about this evening
’s unveiling, as I’m sure you all are. So I won’t keep you waiting too long…’

Eva was an enraptured by her words as everyone else in the room. She hung on her every syllable
, not quite believing what she was hearing. ‘The total so far this year is a whopping fifty-five thousand, and we hope we can count on your generosity well into the evening.’

             
What?
Eva tugged Shelly’s sleeve. Shelly was in some sort of concentrating trance and Eva struggled to gain her attention.

‘Shelly, Shell…’

‘What, what, what?’ Shelly replied so speedily her words blurred.

‘This evening’s total?’ It was a question
, not a statement, Eva hoped Shelly realised.

‘Yeah, it’s great, isn’t it?’

Eva twitched nervously. ‘Yeah, yeah it’s fab…but is this…’ She stopped, too embarrassed to ask the question with such an obvious answer.

‘Hmm?’ Shelly said
, clearly only half listening.

Eva shook her head, ‘nothing, never mind.’

              Eva looked around for a waiter, but she could barely see her hand in front of her face. She needed to take advantage of the free booze, now, more than ever. She’d had no idea the event was a fund raiser, she hadn’t spent a penny. Tickets, you must have had to purchase tickets, she thought - a little bile burned its way up her throat. How come she didn’t have one? Oh God, maybe Nathan had bought hers and she’d not even thanked him. Or Julian. Had he organised her ticket along with everything else? She felt so out of place, so lost.

             
Eva’s chair squeaked loudly as she forced it back along the highly polished porcelain tiles. Subdued lighting came back and loud cheering and clapping erupted. For a second, Eva wondered what the lady on stage had said to provoke such a reaction, but really she didn’t care. Her only concern was getting the hell out of there, now, more than ever. Some people stood up and most were turning to stare at Eva. The cheering grew louder and before Eva had time to move, Shelly threw her arms around Eva’s shoulders and hugged her tight. Even Mia was joining in the celebration.

‘It’s you, Eva. It’s you.’ Shelly shouted over the noise of the excited crow
d.

Me. What?
No…No!

             
Eva looked around once more, the room was awash with colour. Everyone had thrown off their capes and elegant silks and satins in the colours of the rainbow were splashed around every table. The women were the picture of elegance in their stunning dresses and the men were dapper and classy in expensive tuxedos and bow ties. It was exactly as Eva had imagined the evening to be, pristine elegance without the cloak and dagger nonsense. She still didn’t understand the purpose of the cape. Especially now that everyone had discarded it. Everyone except her. She was embarrassed by the black silk still draped over her shoulders. She untied the ribbon at her neck but was quickly stopped by Shelly and Mia.

             
‘No, no, no. Not you, Eva,’ Shelly said, reaching across to retie the bow as if Eva were a small child struggling with a shoe lace.

‘Y
ou’re special,’ Mia explained. ‘It’s you. He’s chosen you.’

‘This is going to be the best year of your life,’ Shelly said
, hugging Eva yet again.

‘He’s waiting
,’ Mia added. ‘You need to go.’

‘Who’s waiting,’ Eva said
, searching for clues in Shelly or Mia’s face, but all she could see was huge smiles and over excitement.

‘Mr Doe, silly,
’ Shelly said. ‘He’s up on stage. Go. Go now.’