Fever by Amy Meredith Read Free Book Online Page A

bothering with the menu. I almost always get a salad and stuffed vine leaves,’ Eve said.
    ‘Creature of habit,’ Luke teased.
    ‘You probably order something different every time you eat out. I know you like variety,’ she teased back.
    ‘Luke has a reputation as a player,’ Jess explained to Seth. Since he was a senior, he probably wasn’t up on all the freshman gossip. ‘Me, I just think he’s just searching for the right girl.’ She gave Eve a significant look that Eve hoped neither of the guys picked up on. They probably didn’t. Guys were pretty unobservant a lot of the time.
    ‘I’m happy to see you here. Welcome,’ the waiter said as he stepped up to them. He wore a safety mask over his mouth, which was why it took Eve a moment to realize that their waiter was Nikolai, fourth generation from the Nikolai who had started the restaurant. ‘I wasn’t sure if anyone would come tonight,’ he continued. ‘But I find food comforting.’ He patted his round belly. ‘I thought others might too. I have masks for anyone who wants them. The cook is wearing one too.’ He ran his finger across his mask. Someone – maybe Nikolai himself – had used a marker to draw some big purple grapes on it.
    They gave Nikolai their order. ‘I’m glad you stayed open,’ Jess called after him as he headed back inside.
    He waved without turning round. ‘Enjoy the beautiful night,’ he called back.
    It really was beautiful – warm, but not brutally hot the way it had been earlier because in March the sun went down early. The sky was so clear that Eve felt like she could reach up and touch the stars. A faint breeze was coming up from the creek that led down to the beach, bringing that tangy ocean smell with it.
    The breeze flipped a lock of Jess’s blonde hair onto her cheek. Seth immediately reached over and tucked it behind her ear. Eve felt a wave of … not jealousy, but something more like longing. She didn’t begrudge Jess what she had with Seth, not at all. Eve was happy for her bestie. She just wished she had a guy who would look at her the way Seth looked at her friend, eyes all starry.
    No, that wasn’t it. Or it wasn’t completely it. Eve knew there were guys at school who liked her and who would give her the Seth-look if she gave them the opportunity. But she didn’t want the look from any of those guys. She wanted the look from a guy she could give the look back to. She wanted to find a guy she could all-out love who would all-out love her back.
    A few minutes later, Nikolai came back with their drinks. ‘I’m doing a little of everything tonight. My staff are—’ He shook his head. ‘That’s not talk for a meal, especially not for my love birds.’ He walked back inside again.
    Eve smiled, trying to hide her embarrassment. Obviously Nikolai thought she and Luke were a couple. And Jess was actively campaigning for Eve to get together with Luke. She insisted that they were in love – or at least luuuurve – with each other already. Which they totally weren’t. Although Eve had to admit, she’d been showing some symptoms of love sickness. Like the urgent desire for new pyjamas as soon as she knew Luke would be a house guest. And the way she was hyper-aware of every girl he so much as spoke to at school. If she reached over and put her hand on his arm right now, how would he react? Would he be glad she’d given him a signal? Would they become the couple they appeared to be, just like that?
    ‘You like the way I did Luke’s hair, don’t you, Evie?’ Jess asked. ‘You’ve been checking him out since we sat down.’ Very subtle, Jess , Eve thought. She knew her friend was doing what she could to make the couple thing happen because she thought Eve and Luke would be great together.
    She felt her face go warm. She’d been thinking about Luke, but she hadn’t realized she’d been staring. ‘Did you use wax or gel?’ she asked, trying to play it off as if she’d been deep in thought about