The Mills & Boon Sparkling Christmas Collection. Kate Hardy

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СКАЧАТЬ her head in dismay. ‘Please tell me it gets easier.’

      Heather let out a little puff of air. ‘I wish. They seem to go from happy to snappy in the blink of an eye, don’t they?’

      ‘Jamie refused to take any responsibility whatsoever. No matter what I said, all I got were eye-rolls and smart comebacks,’ Eva said indignantly.

      ‘Ah yes, I know it well. Arguing with kids is a losing battle believe me, I have the scars to prove it.’

      ‘The days of playdough and jigsaws seem a lot simpler now,’ Eva sighed despondently. This morning Jamie had seemed to resent her very being, making her feel like the most annoying human on the planet. Heather tried to reassure Eva and make her feel better.

      ‘This is an awkward age; they’re just figuring out who they are. There’s a lot more outside influences now. But don’t worry, it’s all perfectly normal.’

      ‘I certainly hope so,’ Eva muttered. ‘I wasn’t even sure football would be on with all this rain.’

      ‘There was a pitch inspection earlier and the referee decided to go ahead. They’re lucky to get their game though; the forecast isn’t looking good.’

      ‘You see, that’s why I love you. You know everything.’ Eva grinned at her friend.

      ‘Only the stuff that matters to mothers who have a vested interest in having their sons run around for ninety minutes.’

      Eva chuckled. ‘That’s true. Jamie’s definitely a happier boy after a game of football even if the weather is terrible.’

      ‘Playing football in Scotland’s not for the faint-hearted that’s for sure.’ Heather put her mug down, raising her eyebrows at Eva. ‘So?’

      ‘So?’ repeated Eva innocently.

      ‘Who was he?’

      Eva rolled her eyes. She hadn’t seen Heather since the morning she’d driven past her standing with Ben and had known she’d never escape the inevitable inquisition.

      ‘My new neighbour, Ben Matthews. He’s working at the university, a physics lecturer.’

      ‘Really?’ Heather contemplated this information for a moment before taking a bite of a warm croissant. ‘Bit rugged for a physics lecturer, isn’t he?’

      ‘Um, he does seem quite well built I suppose,’ Eva said lightly. Heather put her cup down with a clatter, sudden comprehension dawning on her features.

      ‘Ah, so he’s the new hottie Professor!’

      ‘He’s the what?’ Eva chortled.

      ‘I heard Adam mention it. You know how he’s studying engineering at the university – well, his friend Amber is doing chemistry and she told him apparently a new Professor in the science faculty has caused quite a stir among the females. Bet his classes are popular then!’ Heather sat back, looking quite pleased with this turn of events. ‘What’s he like?’ she asked Eva, her voice full of interest.

      ‘Well, he wasn’t the easiest person to talk to, at least not at the beginning. But I’ve got to know him a bit better and when he came round for pizza –’

      ‘He came round for pizza?’ Heather exclaimed.

      ‘Don’t get excited. I was just being neighbourly.’

      ‘So what did you find out about him then?’

      ‘Um, he’s from London. He seems kind of quiet and recently split with his partner.’

      Heather’s eyes lit up. ‘He’s got a broken heart? That’s even better.’

      ‘How do you work that out?’

      ‘You can console him of course.’

      Despite herself Eva laughed, shaking her head. ‘How many times have I told you – I’m not on the lookout for a man. I’m happy the way things are.’ Eva had said the same thing to Heather countless times. She had Jamie and her business and that was enough; she didn’t need anything else. There were times she looked at her friends or other mums in the playground and envied their lives full of children, and husbands or partners. But that wasn’t the way her life had unfolded and there was no point in wishing for something that wasn’t going to happen.

      ‘Anyway, I’m not going to console him – at least not the way you’d like. But I am going to decorate his living room!’

      ‘Oh wow, that’s great –’

      ‘What’s great?’ Freya had bustled over carrying a tray laden with coffee cups and cakes. ‘Jack’s taking over for a bit so I can come for a natter.’ Freya cosied up on the sofa as she often did on a Saturday morning when Heather and Eva came in.

      ‘Thanks,’ Eva said, taking a mouthful of lemon drizzle cake and rolling her eyes to the heavens. ‘Delicious.’

      Heather happily filled Freya in. ‘Eva’s going to be decorating her new neighbour’s front room who just happens to be a hunky physicist.’

      ‘Is that the guy you had coffee with in here the other day?’ Freya asked innocently.

      ‘You had coffee with him as well?’ Heather’s eyes almost popped out of her head.

      ‘He was very handsome – had that whole smouldering thing going on.’ Freya made a dreamy face at Heather.

      ‘Some people might think he’s handsome,’ Eva said primly.

      ‘And you don’t?’

      ‘Technically he is, yes … I suppose …’ Eva lifted her coffee to hide her blush although she didn’t mind her friends’ gentle teasing. Being married and having Jamie so young she always felt she’d missed out on a chunk of growing up. She had gone from what was essentially her first big romance to becoming a wife, mother, and then widow. Men were just something that happened to other women – boyfriends, husbands, partners – they simply hadn’t been on her radar.

      ‘So you’re decorating his house?’ Freya broke into her musings.

      ‘I offered to decorate his front room. He had a leak in his living room –’ Eva ignored Heather snorting into her coffee ‘– which I helped him with, so it left some damage. We got talking and I found myself offering to decorate the whole room,’ Eva finished matter-of-factly.

      ‘You are pretty handy with a paintbrush – I can vouch for that.’ Heather’s head bobbed up and down.

      ‘So how’s it going then?’ Freya wanted to know.

      ‘That’s the thing. For some reason I’m struggling with ideas, almost like I’ve got a mental block.’

      ‘You’re usually so good with decorating.’

      ‘I know,’ Eva sighed. ‘I’ve haven’t used one before, but I was thinking of creating a mood board.’

      Heather’s eyebrows СКАЧАТЬ