Free Christmas Eva by Clare Revell Page B

rising from the cup. It had gotten decidedly chilly since they’d come out. “If you did write a letter, what would you ask for?”
    “Socks. Something I always need, but am never given.”
    He laughed. “Something I always get given plenty of and never need. What else?”
    “Book token, a red jumper that comes down to my knees and doubles as a tunic over leggings, one of those box sets of crayons with all one hundred and sixty-four colors in, and a yardstick of Jaffa cakes. As kids we always used to add a boyfriend to the list at the end, or our current favorite actor.”
    “Really?” He nudged her. “So I’m the last thing on your list then.” He grinned as her face went an attractive shade of red. “But if you could have anything in the world, what would it be?”
    She hesitated, looking down at her polystyrene cup. “To walk again,” she whispered. “But it’s pointless even wishing because it won’t happen.”
    “Let me make you that appointment with Darrell. At least then you’d know for sure.” He pushed her hair back from her face. “And maybe I can give you something from your list early.”
    “That’s cheating. We should probably head back to the theatre.”
    He checked his watch. “Not yet. We have time to eat first. Eva, would you go out with me?”
    “We are out.”
    “No, I mean out. Out.” He paused. He’d never been any good at this, for all the romantic leads he’d played in the past.
    Eva gripped his hand. “Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?”
    “Yes…yes, I am.”
    “I’d like that.” Her eyes twinkled. “And that’s two things on my list then. A boyfriend and my favorite actor.”
    “Two for the price of one.” Harry chuckled and kissed her cheek. “Then let’s go and eat before going to work. Our first proper date.”
     
    ~*~
     
    Eva glanced over her shoulder as Harry pushed her into the Chinese restaurant. “Harry, we can’t.”
    “Yes, we can. You agreed to dinner and this is dinner. You’re fine.”
    She shook her head, the familiar panic starting in the pit of her stomach and rising rapidly though her.
    “Eva, breathe. I’m right here, remember; so you’re not alone.” Harry put a hand on her shoulder. “Hi, can we have a table for two, please?”
    “Of course, if you come this way.”
    Harry squeezed her shoulder then moved his hand, pushing the chair again.
    “Harry, everyone’s watching,” she said.
    “No, they are not.”
    “Maybe you just don’t notice it anymore, being in the limelight all the time.”
    He leaned over her shoulder, his lips brushing her ear, as he tucked her chair into the table. “Oh, I notice it. I chose to ignore it.” He sat opposite her. “It’s part of who I am, but sometimes I wish it wasn’t. I’d like to be able to walk down the street without photographers taking pictures of me buying coffee or queuing for the gents.”
    Eva grinned, loving the way he put her at her ease all the time. “Men don’t have to queue for the gents. That’s something only ladies do.” She put a hand over her mouth. “Not that we queue for the gents…”
    “I know what you mean.” He winked over the menu and looked up at the waiter. “I’ll have the kung-po chicken and orange juice, please.”
    Eva tilted her head. “Chicken chow mein, no bean sprouts, and apple juice, please.”
    Harry reached over the table and took her hand. The candlelight lit his eyes even more than his smile did. “See, told you things would be all right.”
    “I can’t believe this is happening. Me, sitting here with you. It’s every fan girl’s dream. I’m probably the envy of every girl in the country right now.”
    “The world,” he corrected. “My fan base is huge, at least according to my agent. I don’t go online to find out.”
    “Seriously?”
    He nodded. “The social media pages are mine, website is run by someone who knows HTML, which I don’t, but fan sites? Nope.”
    “Scared of what you’ll find