Unexpected Eva (Triple Trouble #3)(110)

My dad chuckles.

“You know, when you were born, right here in this very hospital, you three girls were like the most magical thing to have ever happened in Castleview.” He makes himself a coffee too. “Triplets. There had never been triplets born here until you three girls. You were special. You were even in the newspaper. Front page. I have a shoebox filled with all the little things you used to make me. Including the newspaper article. I treasure those.”

He blows the top of his coffee cup.

“You changed my life. For the better. And your mom. She changed me too. She hates me right now and isn’t talking to me. I’ve been a fool.” He lets out a big, heavy sigh. “But you four girls made my life complete. Although it was awful when you were all on your periods at the same time of the month together. That’s why I took up golf.”

I snort over my coffee. Yeah. Not so good.

“But you four girls complete me. And that is why you will not call me Charlie. I am your dad, then, now, and forever. And I love you, Eva. Please forgive me for being a hypocrite, a dumb fool, and an asshole.”

I’ve never heard my dad swear before. He’s a true gentleman.

Until he punched my boyfriend, that is.

“Can we please be friends again? I promise I will do better, be a better dad, and visit you more. Just please promise you will make better coffee than this. Christ, that is bitter.” He puckers his lips together, scrunching his nose.

“I never meant to hurt you.” He puts his cup on the chair. “But you are my baby. You will always be my baby. All three of you. I thought what I was doing was protecting you and I didn’t. I hurt you and that makes me one truly terrible father.” He cups my face. “I should never have said or done the things I did. Should never have made you choose. I feel awful. And I should have seen how badly you were hurting. I messed up. Not you. Me. Please forgive me?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner about me and Knox.”

“It doesn’t matter now. What’s done is done.” He pulls me into a hug. “I broke his nose.”

“You did.”

“It’s still bruised.”

I lean back. “You’ve seen him?”

He looks like he wants to say something, but he bites his cheek.

“Dad?”

“He was here. About ten minutes ago. Sergeant Taylor called him to inform him about Ewan. He came to make sure you were okay.”

He came to see me?

“He asked me to give you this. I was going to give it to you later.” My father gently places a tiny golden instrument into the palm of my hand.

Any hope I had of Knox and me evaporates into the air.

“Oh.” I don’t know what to say. I know what that means.

Unlock it. Break our bond.

Set him free.

“I need the bathroom.”

“Eva.”

“Nope.” I hold my finger in the air. “Don’t say anything. Just—” I shake my head urging him to stop. “Not now.”

“He said he—”

I run to the restroom.

I don’t want to hear.





I roll the beautiful little tool between my fingers. Back and forth and back and forth. The fluorescent restroom light above hits it every now and again, making it glint.

“She’s in here.”

Aw, crap. Eden. And where there is one, there are two.

“Eva?” Bingo. Ella.

“Open the door.”

“No.”

“C’mon. We’ve been shitty sisters, but I don’t want to be a shitty sister in a shithouse. This hospital bathroom stinks. Baby hormones are making me feel sick all the time. Come out.” She gags.

I silently chuckle at Ella.

“I don’t want to.” Or they will see I’ve been crying again.

“Okay, well, we will come to you.” Eden’s voice is full of determination.

A few clatters and bangs and Ella appears over the top of the bathroom stall on my right.

Then Eden appears underneath from my left and she shuffles into my stall on her back, her legs hidden from sight by my bathroom stall wall.

“Oh, my God. The floor is covered in germs. Get out. Or up or something. Please don’t lie on the floor. There will be pee on the floor. Geriatric lady pee.”

“I don’t care.” She smiles.

“And you should get down from there, too. You are pregnant.” I look up.

“It’s like two steps high. Get a grip.”

“Are you going to take it off?” Eden eyes the gold tool between my fingers.

I sigh.

“I can’t bring myself to. I love him.”

“Then leave it on. Give it to me.” Eden puts her hand out, and she takes it.

“Next decision. The house,” Ella says above me. “You are moving into Eden’s old place. It’s sitting empty. It has three bedrooms. Perfect for you, Hamish, and Archie. Modern. Beautiful. Sell your house. You have wanted a new house forever, anyway. You will live in Eden’s place rent free. Save some pennies and buy one you want. That is gonna be your fresh start.”

What?

Eden goes next. “The credit cards? How much is it?”

“Over thirty thousand pounds.”