Chapter 21

I threw my phone on the bed, locking the screen without reading the messages. I turned my back on it, having no desire to hear what Sean had to say at the moment. Instead I went straight to the kitchen in search of coffee and food.

I rummaged through Evan's cupboards, collecting coffee, sugar and mugs, flicking on the kettle, I had just reached for the fridge when there was a knock on the door. I sighed and called up to Evan as I walked through the hall.

"I'm on it."

I pulled open the door to reveal a petite blonde in a mail uniform. She held a few letters and a small square package in her hand. When she saw me, her eyes narrowed into a scowl and her grip on her handheld device tightened.

"Morning," I tried a casual smile, which she didn't return.

"Mrs Roxanne Daniels I presume?"

I was taken aback by the name she addressed me with. Mrs Daniels.. Evan's wife?! She thrust the package at me, and sure enough the label read exactly that.

"Yep, that's me." I smiled, slightly amused and suddenly understanding the dagger eyes she was throwing at me.

Without another word, she turned away, walking back along the path with a displeased grunt. I closed the door, and flicked through the letters. One of which was a catalogue envelope, also addressed in the name. Evan's footsteps on the stairs drew my attention. He had pulled on a pair of jogging bottoms, but no shirt.

"The mail woman, seriously?" I held up the mail addressed to me.

Evan shrugged half-heartedly, a slight smugness to his attitude.

"She's hot." He shrugged.

I rolled my eyes at him.

"You ever heard the phrase, 'Don't crap where you eat?'"

He smirked in response, and I couldn't help the gruff of laughter, amusement at his attitude and lack of control was typical.

"So, got anything else you need to tell me... hubby? I winked

"Coffee first."

He swept past me on his way to the kitchen.

"Agreed."

Sitting at the kitchen island he told me the story of him and the angry mail woman.

"She was just too clingy. I think it was the whole, seeing each other every day thing. Just too tempting."

"You mean the whole two to three seconds that it takes to hand over the mail and then leave?"

He glared at me and took another sip of his coffee.

"Well it's kinda hard to break it off clearly with someone you still have to see all the Goddamn time. It was like she was expecting to move in any day. So I moved to plan b-"

"And marry your best friend?" I interrupted.

He shrugged his shoulders, replying with a cocky grin.

"Yep! I just order a few things off your girly shopping sites, set up a subscription at a few catalogues and vwalah."

"Of course, as you do. Would've been nice to have known about my own wedding though. I mean, where did we get married, what about the honeymoon?"

He laughed at my teasing and placed his mug on the bar, leaning forwards and speaking with clearly added flair.

"It was a wonderful wedding. We got married in a bar, all the guests wore sequin clubbing outfits, and we had a whiskey fountain. For the honeymoon, we hit Vegas, stopping at every casino, then consummating our marriage out in the desert, under the stars.

He winked at me and I let out a booming laugh. I twisted my mug between my hands and smirked at him.

"So, wanna show your wonderful wife what presents you got me?" I wiggled side to side in the seat biting my lip and smiling broadly. He laughed, rising from his stool and opening a nearby cupboard.

"Wow!" I breathed.

The cupboard was filled with a collection of packages, some gift wrapped, some not. A variety of sizes and shapes mixed together. I clapped my hands together and jumped up.

"Aww, gimme!"

I dove in, pulling the gifts out and laying them on the table, much to Evan's amusement as he refilled our mugs and pulled a tray of muffins from the bread bin. He sat back down on the stool and watched me begin to unwrap them, one after another.

"You're taking them all now? I thought they could do for christmas presents for the next five years or so."

I paused the unwrapping of one of my favourite perfumes to look up at him.

"I know you weren't really going to pass off avoidance gifts, for true presents."

"Well, I was at least thinking about you when I bought them."

"And I'm thinking of you whilst I unwrap them." I grinned, tearing the remainder of the sparkled black wrapping paper from the box.

Evan crossed around the table, stopping next to me. He wrapped his arms around me and gave me a tight hug, kissing the top of my head, then moving away.

"You deserve a little cheer up anyway, rough day and all yesterday."

My mouth went dry at the recollection of the dress shop.

"Yeah, you can say that again."

Evan produced my phone from his pocket, holding it up to show me, then sliding it across the table towards me.

"Wanna talk about the huge collection of texts and calls you have on there?"

"You saw them huh?"

I dropped onto the stool, brushing my fingers over the edges of my phone, not bothering to unlock it though.

"Yeah, it rang again after you came down. I didn't answer it, but saw it was him.

Temptation flitted through me. A part of me longed to hear his voice again, to speak to him and to see him. The knowledge of the unread messages on my phone bugged me. I hated ignoring them, but the memory of Mel's overjoyed face as she said her christmas date, was still like a knife being twisted through my chest.

"I don't even know what to say to him, he didn't tell me the date, he left me to find out from Mel."

"You want me to beat him up?"

Even though he said it casually, I could still detect the promise in there, I knew he meant it. There was never any question in what Evan would do to protect me.

"I don't think that's necessary, I don't even think I'm mad at him."

"No? Good thing I can be mad at him for both of us."

I laughed and pulled a chunk of chocolate chip muffin from the tray.

"Just think though, I mean, he knew that I knew the wedding was coming up, maybe he didn't think it would make a difference."

"He should have told you, no matter what. If he cares about you, he shouldn't let you get hurt."

I raked my fingers through my hair, letting my head fall into my hands.

"I don't want to think about it right now." I sighed.

Evan nodded, then leapt to his feet.

"Okay, let's not. We have the whole day off, what do you say to ordering take out, watching movies and ignoring the world?"

My smile was back and I stood up, ignoring my phone and walking to Evan's side.

"Why, you certainly do spoil me." I laughed.

"Well, you might as well get the full wife pampering treatment, you only get to be Mrs Daniels for a day. Make the most of it."

With a mischievous grin, I walked past him to the living room.

"In that case, I want chinese!"

I heard his responding laugh as I threw myself down onto the couch.

Like Evan suggested, we crashed on the couch watching movies, eating popcorn and shutting the world out. We ordered chinese and nothing about Sean, Mel, the wedding or families came up for the rest of the day, or night. By the time it got late, I collected my phone from the kitchen, and Evan drove me home.

I had just gotten out of the shower when there was a knock on the door. I glanced at the clock, just after nine. I figured it was probably Evan again, forgotten something or whatever. I wrapped my grey, silk robe around myself, tying the tie in place. The knock sounded again, harder this time.

"Okay, I'm coming!" I called out, reaching the hall, a note of irritation in my voice.

I swung the door open, and there he was, the man of the hour. Just as handsome as ever, his shirt loose around the neck and no tie. There was something off though, he looked worried, concerned even. The second he saw me, relief flooded through him, he stepped up to me, his hand cupped my face as his eyes drank me in.

"Thank God you're okay, I was worried."

I was torn on whether to push him away or to hold him close. Instead, I did neither, just standing there, looking at the man that I wanted to kiss deeply, yet punch at the same time.

"I'm fine." I said through gritted teeth.

"We both know that's not true. You haven't answered a single call or text I've sent you since yesterday morning."

I felt a little guilty seeing the concern he felt for me. I should have replied to something, to let him know I was okay. I sighed, moving aside to let him in.

"I found out about your christmas date."

He closed his eyes and sighed.

"I know."

He sounded defeated, sad even, and when his eyes met mine again I could tell there was more to the story.

"I promise you, I didn't mean for you to find it out that way. I was going to tell you last night, I didn't know she was going dress shopping with you, or that you would find out before I had the time to tell you."

There was definite sincerity in his voice. I looked into his eyes, those kind and sweet honey brown eyes, he was telling the truth, but there was no real consolation in it. He was still going to be hers in just a few months, in that moment, I just had to find another way to console myself. Being Mrs Daniels was over. Now, I wanted to be Roxy again, and the first way to be Roxy, to have fun, and there was one sure way to do that.