Unexpected Eva (Triple Trouble #3)(98)

I knew he was up to something.

And she’s playing with me about the pool. I smile shyly.

“Knox built us a treehouse, Mom,” Archie shouts with glee as he bounds through the backdoor, bringing in the cold with him. Lincoln and Hamish trail behind.

“It has a huge slide.” Hamish is full of smiles.

“Christmas present.” Knox blushes.

Actually blushes.

I love this man.

Ella can’t hold her tongue any longer. “I knew it.” She bounces on her toes, looking between me and Knox. “That bangle. I saw it yesterday.” She points to my wrist, excited now. “I know what that is.”

“What is it?” Eden’s brows pull together.

“It’s a Love Bangle,” Ella confirms.

She knows everything.

Eden’s mouth drops open. Hunter closes it with his pointer finger under her chin.

“Those things cost thousands of—” Fraser covers Ella’s mouth with his hand.

Thousands?

Really?

“Welcome to the family.” Hunter holds his hand out for Knox to shake it.

This time he does.





CHAPTER 25





Knox - Three weeks later

“We are all set. Have a great night, everybody.” I clap and rub my hands together, dismissing our team of one hundred staff for this evening’s Winter Ball. “And George. Please keep your phone number to yourself this evening,” I shout across the room.

“Oh, very good,” my cousin from Greece counters. He joined our team two months ago and his lothario ways have not gone unnoticed by me.

“Does that go for me too?” Lincoln chuckles by my side.

“Yes. You even more so.”

I look at him dressed in his black tux.

“You look very dashing this evening, Linc.”

“Not so bad yourself, Dad.” He straightens my bow tie.

“Let’s have a run through the schedule, then you two are free to go for the night.” Our event coordinator, Sophia, lays the plan on the table at the side of the room.

An hour later, I’m happy with the schedule changes she made.

“You know where I am if you have any drama.” I button up my tuxedo jacket. “Our work here is done, Linc. Thank you, Sophia, for all your hard work. You can have tomorrow off.”

She gasps as if offended. “Tomorrow is my day off, anyway.”

Linc chuckles.

“The night shift cleanup team will be all over this place like an army of ants. It will be spick-and-span in no time. They know the drill,” she assures me.

“Right, Linc. Let’s do this.” I look at him.

“The giant light-up letters look incredible in the ballroom. I’m happy we went with THE SANCTUARY and not 60 YEARS,” he says as we walk across the staff room.

“Me too. Do you know if my mother and father have arrived yet?” I ask Sophia “Yes. Already mingling. Got a heads-up from the concierge.” She waves her phone side to side.

“Fantastic. C’mon. Let’s party, Linc.”

I’m excited about tonight. Months' worth of planning. Weeks and hours of fine details. Bar staff, waiters, menus, table plans, entertainers.

It all comes together tonight.

“Have fun, Dad.”

“You too.”

We walk into the lobby and Lincoln heads off in his own direction.

I hit the main event and make my way through the crowd in search of one person in particular.

Shaking hands with our guests congratulating us on our sixty-year milestone, I weave myself through the endless sea of black tuxedos and evening gowns.

What a magnificent turn out.

Laughter, chatter, and music cloud the air.

Cheers from the roulette tables increase the excitement and, all in all, I am so proud of tonight.

Since Christmas night, Eva has spent many nights and days at my house. She excused herself from the New Year events she had planned with her family. Hiding away from her parents, allowing her face to heal. Instead we spent it together snuggled up on the sofa together. It was perfect.

It made sense for her to take a two-week vacation from the dance studio too. Luckily her parents never heard about Ewan’s dreadful assault. They’ve been so busy installing new log cabins at the retreat I haven’t even golfed with Charlie either.

Eva has been religiously rubbing Arnica cream on her cheek to reduce the swelling and bruising. Something Corey suggested, and it’s worked wonders. She still has a touch of light bruising, but you really have to look for it.

I have every day.

Checking in, looking after her.

She’s started calling me Nurse Knox. I informed her I’m up for a little game of doctor and nurse if she is.

She said she is, once she’s healed. Naughty girl.

Luckily, her cheekbone wasn’t broken or it would have been a much longer healing time of six weeks.

Her sisters and their husbands took Archie to and from school.

Making life as easy as possible for her, she kept Hamish out of day care for a few weeks too.

I had a new front door installed at Eva’s house. The plasters and decorators finished this week, erasing any reminders of that dreadful evening.

I also ordered her a new kettle and toaster.