“You sent your PA to pick up the kids again?” Eve’s voice echoed through the empty house. “I don’t care about your meeting. You knew you had to come get them this evening. You agreed to pick them up personally. You’re lucky I let them go with her at all!”
Was Eve on the phone to Harrison? Faith tried her hardest not to eavesdrop, but it was impossible with Eve yelling as she was.
“You expect me to send my children off with some stranger?” There was a long pause. “That’s different. A nanny is a professional, not someone who’s barely qualified to get coffee, let alone work with children.” Eve paused again. “Is that what your mother thinks? Last time I checked, she wasn’t the one raising the twins.”
Eve strolled past the lounge room and spotted Faith inside. Judging by the look on her face, she’d forgotten Faith was there.
“I have to go,” Eve said. “Next time, pick them up yourself, or they’re not going anywhere.” She hung up the phone.
Faith made a show of busying herself putting away the kids’ books.
“I suppose you heard all that?” Eve said.
“Er, just a little,” Faith replied.
“I apologize for raising my voice. Things between Harrison and I can be strained at times.”
“Sorry to hear that. ”
“Don’t be. It’s better than being married to him.”
Silence hung over them. It was rare for the two of them to be alone in the house.
Eve looked at Faith’s face. Her eyes slid down toward Faith’s lips, her head tilting to the side. “Come here,” she said.
Faith’s heart began to race. She took a few steps forward, closer and closer to Eve. As soon as she was within reach, Eve lifted her hand toward Faith’s face.
Faith’s heart beat even faster. What was Eve doing?
Eve’s fingertips brushed Faith’s cheek. A shiver rolled down the back of Faith’s neck. She’d never been this close to Eve before. She smelled faintly of flowers with a hint of spice, and her lips had a reddish tinge and an inviting fullness.
Eve pulled away and held up a little gold star. “You shouldn’t let the kids treat you like a toy.”
Faith blinked. Right. The sticker. Leah had put it there. “I… It’s fine. I don’t mind.”
Eve gave her a slight smile. “They’re lucky to have a nanny like you.” She looked past Faith at the room beyond. “You’ve finished tidying up?”
“Yes,” Faith stammered.
“You can go home now. I’ll see you in a few days.”
Faith mumbled a goodbye, grabbed her things, and left the room without looking back.
When Faith got home, she jumped straight into the shower. She had a couple of hours before she was due to meet Lindsey for dinner. Faith was hoping to convince her to have drinks afterward. She needed to unwind.
She was looking forward to catching up with Lindsey. She was the closest thing Faith had to family these days. The two of them had been inseparable since their first day of art school when they met. They’d lived together for most of their time at college, and they’d stayed close even after they’d graduated a couple of years ago. But last year, Lindsey had moved in with her girlfriend Camilla, who lived just outside the city. Since then, she and Faith didn’t get to spend as much time together as they used to. Faith missed her.
As she got out of the shower and dried herself off, her phone rang. She darted into her bedroom. Her phone was on the dresser, Lindsey’s name flashing on the screen.
Faith picked it up. “Hi, Lindsey.”
“Faith,” Lindsey said. “I know we’re supposed to have dinner tonight, but I just remembered I have plans with Camilla. We made them a month ago. I completely forgot.”
“Oh. That’s okay.”
“I’m really sorry. I can’t get out of this. It’s with a bunch of Camilla’s friends, and it’s really rare that everyone is free at the same time.”
“It’s all right.” Faith tried her best to hide her disappointment. “We can reschedule.”