Unexpected Eva (Triple Trouble #3)(111)

Ella whistles. “Wow.”

“You will not sell the campervan to pay those off. As an act of goodwill for you. Not for Ewan. Hunter is going to pay off those credit card bills.”

I open my mouth to say that’s not happening, but Eden pushes on. “He won five hundred thousand pounds the other week in Hawaii at his last golf championship. He can afford it. He offered. It’s happening. I love my husband. He loves us all.” She does a little squee.

“And another thing.” She continues, “The reason we didn’t tell dad about all the incredible things Knox did for you is because it was not our story to tell. And every time we did try to speak to him about you and Knox, he wouldn’t listen. But you did a great job earlier of laying it all out for him. He feels terrible Eva. We do too. From this moment on we will do better.”

“We promise.” Ella says from above me.

Eden clears her throat. “Now the dance studio. Ella and I went back to the studio after you left our house and we are upping the cost of classes. We aren’t charging enough. Then we can afford to increase our own wages too. You are not leaving us. You love teaching dance. You love the business. You are so freakin’ good at the social media side of it. So you’re staying? Great. Okay. Sorted. Now get your ass out here now.”

What just happened?

“Ella Farmer, get your pregnant backside down from there right this very minute.”

Mom.

“And what are you doing on the floor? That’s disgusting, Eden.”

Eden smiles at me and mouths, “We’re in trouble.”

Always triple trouble.

“And you, Eva Wallace. Open this door. We need to talk.”

Told you. Triple doses of trouble.

I take my time to unlock the door, revealing my mom and both my sisters standing on either side of her.

“Eva, darling. My beautiful girl.” She wraps me in a strong embrace. “I have let you down. Your father and I have been busy at the retreat. Then Ella’s wedding, the triplet juggling, planning and building the new cabin installations at the retreat. And you’re right, we are all busy, but you are the only one that makes time for us all. I will make this up to you. Your father and I have barely spoken since the ball. I am mad at him for the things he has said and done.”

She leans back to face me.

“Your dad and I, we love you. I thought you were okay. I thought you were doing fine. I made assumptions. You’ve always been this level headed happy girl. But you’ve been hiding from us. Hiding your pain and the truth about Ewan. I trusted him to look after you. He didn’t just fail you and the boys; he failed us too. You are our prized possession; all three of you are.” She pulls me into another hug. “My precious cargo. Since you were a little girl, you were always so strong and annoyingly independent—Archie gets that from you too. And you still are. And I am so sorry that I haven’t been paying attention. I feel terrible. Your father and I had a one-sided conversation after you left Eden’s and I told him some home truths, but he didn’t just fail you; so did I and I’m sorry, Eva. But I am here for you now; however, you have got to let us in. Tell us, share with us, or how do we know? Your dad actually couldn’t give a rat’s ass about the age difference between you and Knox. It’s because you kept you two a secret.”

She cradles my face. “He’s a proud man. You dented his trust and violated his relationship with Knox. He feels betrayed and humiliated. The way Tabitha embarrassed us all.”

“I know. I feel awful, Mom.” My emotional cauldron bubbles over and I begin to cry again.

“But here’s the thing, Eva. We are family; that’s a bond that will never be broken, and you, me, and Dad will sort this out, okay?” Her hopeful eyes shine back at me. “Just not tonight because there is Ewan to focus on this evening. I hear he’s broken a few bones, but he’s going to be okay.”

I nod my head.

“Your father and I are leaving now. I don’t care what time it is, but we are going to your house. Frances tells me Charlotte is looking after the boys right now. So we will go back and relieve Charlotte of her duties. Bundle up the boys and we will take care of them for a few days. Dad will bring them back. You need to sleep, rest, have a day off. Until then, know that I love you. I have kicked your dad’s backside and my own too. We’ve been terrible parents. I should have kicked his ass on the night of the ball as well. I think I was in so much shock from it all; I don’t know what I was thinking either.” She clears her throat. “Also know this, I lost sight of you, but I see you.” Her eyes begin to swim. “I see you and I am here for you. We all are.”

My family is going to piece me back together again.

But there’s part of me that’s missing.

Him.





CHAPTER 30





Knox - Two days later

“I’ll be back in three weeks. You have my number if anything, and I mean it, Linc, if anything happens or goes wrong, you call me.”

“You’re supposed to be going on vacation, and not a working vacation.” He pulls my suitcase out of the back of my estate car. The last time I used this car was for our trip to the zoo.

It’s the perfect family car and I have no little family to put in it anymore.

It sucks.