Cupid's Way by Joanne Phillips Read Free Book Online Page A

just didn’t work out.’
    ‘He was a nice lad, though.’
    In fact, he wasn’t. But her gran didn’t need to know the details.
    Mavis shook her head and sighed. ‘I just want you to be happy, Evie. Like me and Frank.’
    ‘Ha! You two argue all the time.’
    ‘There’s the passion,’ Mavis said, elbowing Evie in the ribs. ‘It’s never left us.’
    ‘Ugh. I really don’t want to think about that.’ She paused for a moment, then said, ‘You know, I met a nice man yesterday.’
    ‘Really? Tell me more.’ Mavis sat up and leaned in.
    ‘Well, his name was Michael and he was at the conference.’
    ‘Ah, so that’s why you blew us out and stayed over.’
    ‘It was not. I couldn’t get here because of the weather.’
    ‘Yes, the weather,’ Mavis teased. ‘That old excuse.’
    ‘Gran, you should listen to the news. There were winds of over eighty miles an hour. South Wales was practically shut down.’
    ‘The news is too depressing. Tell me more about this Michael chap.’
    Evie smiled. ‘He was pretty gorgeous, actually. A proper knight in shining armour. We had dinner, and then he escorted me to my room – I’d had a bit too much to drink, to be honest.’
    ‘This is promising.’
    ‘And then he left me in my room – alone.’
    Mavis pulled a face. ‘Shame.’
    ‘Not at all. In fact, it proves he was a real gentleman. Anyway, I’ll probably never see him again, so it’s just as well nothing happened. But he was nice, and it was nice to be, you know, in a man’s company again.’
    ‘I know, sweetheart.’ Mavis smoothed her hand over Evie’s hair and cupped her cheek. ‘You are a lovely girl. And I only want the best for you. As I said to your mother just the other day–’
    ‘My mother? Oh, jeez. What’s she up to now?’
    Mavis nodded. ‘She’s having a bit of a problem with–’
    ‘They’re here.’ Frank appeared, his expression grim. He gestured towards a pair of double doors at the far end of the room. ‘The enemy has arrived.’
    ‘I’ll fill you in later,’ Mavis whispered. Evie didn’t answer – her mum was the last person she needed to think about right now. She linked arms with her grandparents, one on either side.
    ‘Now remember, this is only a preliminary meeting. It’s just to let local residents know what’s being planned. Whatever you do, stay calm and don’t panic. And don’t,’ she added, looking at her grandfather, ‘lose your temper. That won’t help anyone.’
    Hustled along by the crowd, they found themselves seated at the front of the room facing a long trestle table with four chairs placed behind it in a row. In front of each chair was an identical grey folder and a plastic goblet of water. Evie turned to the back of the room and craned her neck to get a look at the new arrivals.
    And saw Michael talking to Councillor Martin.
    Well, of course it wasn’t really Michael. Evie rubbed her eyes and shook her head. Talking about him to her gran, thinking about him all morning – she was getting obsessed. It was one thing to be wondering if he’d ever call, but imagining she was seeing him in the flesh was not healthy.
    She looked again. The party of four were making their way down the centre aisle now, among the whispers and accusing glares of the residents. The man by Councillor Martin’s side was so like Michael it made her heart race. She swallowed. It couldn’t be him, of course it couldn’t. He must have a double, that’s all. Michael-Michael. It was just a coincidence. And she had been so taken with her Michael she was imposing his image on the first man she saw who bore him the faintest resemblance. Which wasn’t a good sign, however you looked at it.
    Except, as the man passed by her row, Evie had to admit it was more than a passing resemblance.
    The man took a seat at the end of the table, next to the councillor and almost directly opposite Evie and her grandparents. The only woman in the party – blue suit, air-hostess scarf, bright