Free Cupid's Way by Joanne Phillips Page B

the back, and shook hands with Tim and the two renters.
    ‘Just because we’re only renting doesn’t mean we don’t care,’ Cissy said, before diving in for a full-blown hug. Bewildered, Evie patted the younger woman’s back, inhaling her scent of incense and some kind of flowery perfume.
    ‘Well done, love,’ Frank said when Evie finally retreated back into the gazebo. ‘You’ve really set their minds at ease.’
    ‘It doesn’t seem much of a plan of action, though,’ she said, running her hands through her hair to flatten it down. Someone had patted her on the head like a bloody dog, and ruffled her hair into a bird’s nest. She had a feeling it was Alun Peacock, and thought she was lucky to have escaped with only messed up hair.
    ‘It’s a start.’
    ‘It’s “Evie will sort it out”. Which isn’t fair, Gramps. They can’t put all their faith in me – they hardly know me. We need to be doing stuff, thinking of ways to fight the development plans.’
    ‘Exactly. And who better to do that than a beautiful young architect who just happens to be staying here for two weeks? I’m sure you’ll have plenty of volunteers if you need any help – Woolly has plenty of time on his hands.’
    ‘And I’m sure Zac will be happy to help,’ Mavis piped up. She’d recovered her colour, and by the looks of it had demolished half of the cupcakes while Evie had been giving her impromptu speech. ‘I think he really likes you, Evie.’
    Evie smiled and gave her gran a hug. She said nothing, confident that her gran’s clumsy attempts at matchmaking would come to nothing. Her phone vibrated in her pocket, and Evie made an excuse and walked to the other side of the gardens. It was a relief just to be away from them all, and she leant against a sturdy blossom tree and closed her eyes. Her phone vibrated again. She pulled it out with a sigh and looked at the screen.
    Two texts, both from Michael. Both begging her to meet him in town. Right now.
    “Only here for rest of day then got to fly to Edburg.” She assumed that meant Edinburgh. “Plse meet me in Bar Fortune this aftnoon. I’ll be waiting.”
    She looked at her phone, then looked back to where her grandparents were standing under the gazebo, holding each other tightly. They were holding each other up in more ways than one, and she had been tasked with helping in any way she could. Would talking to the enemy be helpful? Maybe if she could make him see that there were real people involved here, people who didn’t want what he seemed to think everyone in the world wanted: an anodyne existence in a modern box. Maybe then he would reconsider.
    It had to be worth a shot.
    And if – she pocketed her phone and walked across the cobbled path, already formulating her excuse in her head – if Evie was a little bit excited at the thought of seeing Michael again, it was only her heart playing tricks on her. She was fully in control, and these days her head made all the decisions. She would never be made a fool of again.

Chapter 8
    ‘I think this is about as close as I can get you, Evie. Bar Fortune is just down there.’
    ‘Thanks so much, Sarah. You’re a star.’
    Evie’s excuse that she needed to go into town to visit the pharmacy – the best she could come up with on the spot – had been more successful than she’d hoped, netting her a lift from Sarah Lowry who was just on her way out.
    Unfortunately, it also meant Evie had to come clean about the pharmacy and confide in Sarah her true reason for the clandestine trip to the city centre. Plus, she didn’t know the location of Bar Fortune, so she had no idea where she should be dropped off. But Sarah had listened without asking any questions, her eyes fixed on the road ahead, and when Evie got to the part about Michael appearing at the meeting yesterday she let out an unexpected guffaw of laughter.
    Why, thought Evie, did everyone find it so hysterically funny?
    ‘So you had no idea?’ Sarah said, shaking