Addicted to Mr Parks (The Parks Series #2)(65)

Nia’s phone buzzed, and by the frown that filled her forehead as she looked at the screen, I could tell it was urgent. “Evey, I’m so sorry, I have to take this. But call me.”

“Thank you. I will,” I called after her as she made her way out of the coffee shop with her phone glued to her ear. I remained seated, trying to gather my bearings, but Tabby’s voice startled me as she sank down into the seat Nia previously occupied.


“Who was that?” she asked, frowning.

“Um, just a friend. Tabby—”

“I know!” she butted in. “I am so sorry about last night. I literally got talking to some guy outside and went home with him. I was too embarrassed to tell you. I’m such a shit friend.”

She seemed generally concerned and guilty, and I felt sorry for the way she was trying to apologise like it was all her fault. “Don’t apologise, Tabby. Something happened, and I’m glad you weren’t there. I tried to call you this morning, but your phone was switched off.”

“I’ve lost it,” she quickly explained.

“Honestly.” I chuckled lightly. “It’s not a problem. But Wade knew about the champagne you bought. He went crazy.”

“Shit.” She made a “yikes” expression. “I heard whatever you purchase on those multimillion card things gets sent straight to your phone. If you require it. In case of theft.”

My head recoiled sharply. “You knew that and you still bought the stuff?”

Her face paled quickly, and she pushed an invisible tress behind her ear. “It just came to me. If I realised last night, I wouldn’t have done it.”

“He also knew where I was because you hit the Call button on my phone.” My brow automatically arched, and she became a little flustered.

“Sorry. I feel shit. I wanted us to have a good night, and it was ruined.” Her glum expression suddenly turned to a bubbly one. “Why don’t we have a sleepover at my place?”

My laugh came out awkwardly. “I don’t do girly sleepovers.”

“A movie, then?” she pushed. “I could do with a friend right now. Truth is, I have nobody. The girls here think I’m weird. I was bullied at school, so I never made any friends there, either.”

I didn’t want to go to a bloody sleepover, but somehow she made me feel sorry for her every time she told me about how lonely she was. She was the only woman that ever made feel the way she wanted me to feel.

“Okay.” I sagged. I was even surprised at my own behaviour.

“Yay.” She bounced up and down. “Tonight?”

“Oh, not tonight. Maybe one day in the week? Or,” I offered a substitute, “you could come to ours. I’m sure Wade would—”

“No.” Her objection was hasty. “I’d rather my place.”

Her answer made me feel a little uneasy, but I put it down to her just feeling safer in her own space, which was understandable.

“I’ll call you in the week with the deets yes?”

“‘Deets’?” What the hell did that mean?

“Details,” she sang, like I was stupid for not understanding her slang.

“Right.” I smirked. “See you later.” Pushing the chair back, I rose to my feet and pulled my handbag onto my arm. Tabby got up and went to hug me good-bye, but I put an instant stop to that. “Tabby, I do not do hugs.”

“Sorry.” She giggled and skipped back to where she came from.

I made my way over the counter to check in with Mindy. “Hey, Evey.” She waved quickly, then finished serving a customer and came to greet me. Her gaze wandered over to Tabby, who was flirting with a male customer. “That’s all she does,” she complained. “She flirts with everyone and has constantly been on her phone today.”

A frown appeared on my forehead in an instant. “I thought she lost it?”

“I wish she did,” she scoffed.

“Hey.” I pulled her back before she left to tend to a customer. “How come you couldn’t make it last night?”

Her expression told me she hadn’t a clue what I was talking about. “Last night?”

“Yeah, Tabby said she asked you girls to come out with us.”

“She never asked me.” Mindy shrugged, then Keira pulled her away to help out. My frown remained etched on my forehead even when I’d left the coffee shop. Something seemed off. Why would Tabby lie?

Forget it, Evey, I told myself. Paranoia is not something I need right now.



***



Just like I asked, Cleaver was waiting outside the building for me at five thirty. He drove me to Brighton in silence, not because he didn’t know what to say, but because he hated working behind Parks’ back. Tough.

“Cleaver, thank you. I do appreciate it,” I said when we arrived at my auntie’s house.

He opened the door for me and stiffly nodded at my statement. “No problem, Evey.”

Making my way up Cheryl’s drive with my overnight bag, I got overwhelmed with happiness and contentment. The house always made me feel that way, and the memories in Brighton that resurfaced when I visited were ones I cherished.


“Evey, where’s that handsome man of yours?” Cheryl kept bobbing her head past my shoulders when she opened the door for me. I dropped my bag off my shoulder as I entered the house, and I was glad to get rid of the weight.