Chapter 21

In her head she’d been calling him the gardener but he had to be more of an odd-job man. From inside the shop, Evie watched as the blue van with Ellison’s Hotel on the side pulled up in the yard. Odd-job, wearing a holey gray T-shirt and muddy khaki combats, lifted the bags out of the back and carried them in.

“Hi there.” He greeted her with the kind of cheery attitude that suggested his brain had been wiped clean since their last encounter. “Bringing back everything the Mannings hired for their party. They had to leave early this morning but they said to say thanks and the costumes were great.”

“Good. OK, I just need to check them.” Evie emptied the first bag onto the counter and began giving the outfits a quick but thorough once-over.

“Making sure there’s no damage?” said Odd-job. “Does that often happen?”

“Not always accidentally. The other week a client tried to drop off a Marie Antoinette dress. All the buttons were missing.” Evie pulled a face. “She thought they were pretty so she cut them all off and hoped we wouldn’t notice.”

“Tell me about it. We once caught a couple of guests smuggling a chest of drawers down the staircase at three in the morning.”

Evie smiled slightly. “Chest of drawers beats buttons.”

“Annoying all the same.” He had a direct gaze and an easy manner as if they were old friends. “Don’t worry, I promise I haven’t snipped any rhinestones off the Elvis jumpsuit.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“I managed to figure out where I’d seen you before, by the way.”

“Oh?” Bugger. Evie kept her head down and concentrated on examining the nun’s habit; please don’t let him start asking questions.

“You were the one in the wedding dress. In the car that was parked where it shouldn’t have been.”

“Right.” She nodded. Don’t ask, don’t ask.

“That’s what fooled me, why I didn’t make the connection. That big white flouncy wedding dress. Didn’t recognize you in your normal clothes.”

“Mm.” Evie frowned at the left sleeve of the habit; subtlety clearly wasn’t his strong point.

“So, can I ask you something?”

“Depends what it is.”

“Tell me to mind my own business if you want, but you aren’t wearing any, you know, rings.” He nodded at her bare left hand. “Does that mean you’re single?”

Evie marveled at his powers of diplomacy. What a cheek. She raised her head and stared at him. “Yes, it means I’m single.” Was he trying to work out whether she’d run off and left her husband just before the wedding or immediately after it?

Odd-job looked pleased. “Good. In that case I’m going to just come out and say it. How about dinner one night?”

For a split second the question made no sense at all. “Who with?”

He didn’t falter. “With me.”

“But… why?” Honestly, some men were unbelievable. Evie was fairly sure she was gaping like a goldfish. The awkward silence was broken by Bonnie bursting into the shop carrying a tower of boxes and sporting a long black dangly mustache.

“Evie, look at these! They’re the Fu Manchus I ordered last week!” She wiggled her nose like a rabbit and beamed at them both. “And the Ozzy Osbourne glasses have arrived, thank goodness, just in time for the Taylors’ party.” She dumped the boxes on a chair and peeled off the Fu Manchu mustache. “These are very well made, you know. Only three pounds each!”

“I’ll buy one.” Odd-job playfully addressed Evie. “I could wear it when we go out on our date.”

“Yes, you must! How funny… oh…” Bonnie’s voice trailed away as she gazed at Evie. Mystified, she said, “Does he mean you? What’s going on here that I don’t know about?”

“I just asked Evie to have dinner with me. I’m hoping she’s going to say yes.” His smile was wry. “Fingers crossed. She hasn’t said anything yet.”

Bonnie was agog. “Goodness, I didn’t realize, I had no idea! So sorry, I shouldn’t have interrupted—”

“No, it’s fine,” Evie blurted out. “I’m not going.” She turned back to Odd-job. “Thanks, but I really couldn’t.”

“That’s a shame.” He rubbed the back of his head resignedly. “Well, never mind. Am I allowed to ask why not?”

“To be honest, I can’t believe you asked me. After the first time we met,” said Evie. “Considering the whole… you know, situation I was in.”

He looked baffled. So did Bonnie, who said, “Darling, call me a nosy old bat, but I’d love to know what you two are talking about.”

Evie hesitated, struggling to marshal her thoughts.

Odd-job stepped in. “It was a couple of weeks ago, there was a big photo shoot for an ad campaign over at the Ellison. Evie was one of the models and we chatted for a bit… oh God, have I said the wrong thing?” He glanced from Bonnie to Evie, taking in their stunned expressions. “I’m really sorry, I just assumed she’d know about the modeling job.”

Bonnie said in astonishment, “Evie? Modeling? I had no idea you’d been doing that!”

Odd-job was now shaking his head behind her, mouthing: I’m so sorry.

“But don’t worry,” Bonnie exclaimed, “there’s no reason to be shy! I think it’s fantastic, darling. Such a thrill! What kind of ad campaign is it?”

What indeed? Some clothing company, presumably, that sold the kind of glamorous dresses you’d wear on special occasions. Because it hadn’t been a real wedding, it had been a photo shoot. And Emily Morris, the acquaintance she’d assumed to be a guest, was forever boasting that she was on the books of a modeling agency and had once appeared in a TV ad for toilet paper.

Which went some way toward explaining why Odd-job didn’t think it was weird to invite someone out to dinner just a fortnight after seeing them in a wedding dress.

She still wasn’t going to go, though.

“These are all fine.” Evie opened the till and handed him back the deposit. “OK, there you go. Thanks very much. Bye.”

He flashed her yet another look of apology and left the shop, just as his phone started to ring.

“Tell me everything!” demanded Bonnie the moment the door had swung shut behind him.

Outside, through the window, Odd-job was now facing away from them, talking into his mobile.

“I wasn’t modeling. I was wearing my wedding dress. We just stopped off at the Ellison to pick up Lara’s things before heading up to Keswick.”

“Ah, that’s a shame. I did wonder why you hadn’t happened to mention this fantastic new career.” Bonnie dismissed the reply with a flick of the hand, then said eagerly, “But he invited you to dinner!”

“I know. How embarrassing.”

“Not embarrassing at all. I think you should go.”

Evie stared at her. “Why?”

“Because—oh no, he’s leaving, just say yes and I’ll tell you afterward! Hang on, I’ll bring him back…”

Oh God, this was typical Bonnie, acting on impulse whether you wanted her to or not. Outside, having finished his phone call, Odd-job was about to get into the van. Rocketing outside, Bonnie stopped him and launched into an earnest conversation; with a bit of luck he’d just shake his head, tell her that he wasn’t desperate, and drive off.

But he evidently was that desperate, because he was now coming back into the shop. This time Bonnie waited outside.

“Look, I’m sorry,” Evie blurted out, “she gets these mad ideas into her head, you don’t have to take any notice of her—”

“Hey, she insisted. And I always do as I’m told. Besides,” Odd-job sounded amused, “I like a challenge. Are you free tomorrow night?”

Bonnie was now watching her intently through the glass, nodding encouragement. Evie sighed and said, “Well…”

“That’ll be a yes, then. Your boss already told me tomorrow’s fine. Where would you like me to pick you up?”

“Nowhere. I mean, I’ll meet you in town.”

“OK. How about outside Brown’s at eight o’clock?”

“Fine.” She shrugged.

“Cheer up. You never know, you might end up enjoying yourself.”

“I might.” Evie didn’t hold out much hope; she already wanted to strangle Bonnie.

“Good. I’m Ethan, by the way.”

“Hello, Ethan. Can I just apologize in advance, because you probably won’t have much fun. It’s only fair to warn you.”

“Like I said, I’m up for the challenge.” As he headed for the door, Ethan added playfully, “Just don’t stand me up, will you?”

When he’d driven away, Evie said, “OK, now tell me why you made me do that.”

“Be-cause,” Bonnie launched into her therapist voice, “you know I want you and Joel to get back together. But he behaved like an idiot and cheated on you, and if you were to eventually forgive him and take him back, you’d always, deep down, resent what he did. But if you have a fling with someone else, you won’t have to feel resentful anymore. That would make you equal!”

Evie briefly closed her eyes; talk about moving the goalposts. “You didn’t say a fling, you said dinner. I really don’t want a fling.”

“Dinner’s a start. Honestly, it worked a treat for my friend Brenda. Her husband had an affair and she was in bits. She moved out of the house and they were heading for divorce. He was distraught and kicking himself, but she couldn’t get over what he’d done—she just wanted to punish him and didn’t know how. Then out of the blue she met this younger man at the gym and they had the most amazing affair… and it did the trick! She felt better, her husband felt worse, the balance was restored, and they saved their marriage!”

“Bonnie—”

“That was nine years ago, they’re still together, and they’re happy,” Bonnie emphasized. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. It just came to me in a flash when this one said he’d asked you out. It’s perfect!”

“But not very fair on him. What happened to the guy your friend met at the gym?”

“Darling, who knows? But he was a personal trainer with the body of a Greek god. I’m sure he didn’t pine for too long. Anyway, you’re going out on a date—wait till Joel gets to hear!” Evidently thrilled with her new plan, Bonnie said, “This is going to be just the kick up the backside he deserves.”

Evie frowned. “If that’s why I’m doing it, wouldn’t it be easier for me to just pretend I’m seeing someone else?” OK, this was crazy; she wasn’t at all sure she even wanted Joel back. Game playing had never been her forte.

“Ah, but that’s only a tiny bit of it.” Bonnie held her thumb and forefinger an inch apart. “The main point is that you’d know you were seeing someone else. If you’re just pretending, how can that make you feel equal? You have to give Joel a taste of his own medicine!”

“You mean you want me to sleep with this… stranger from the Ellison Hotel? Because that’s not going to happen.”

“You don’t have to sleep with him. It’s not compulsory. Just have a night out with another man.” Bonnie beamed encouragingly. “He seems nice enough. It could be fun, and it’ll definitely teach Joel a lesson. What could be better than that?”

Honestly? A lazy evening in front of the TV with a bag of Lindor truffles and a box set of The Wire would be a thousand times better.

But it was a bit late to say so now.