Cupid's Contract

The Consort's Confidant

Eve hadn't been able to leave her phone since she left her mother. Any guilt she felt at abandoning Barbara with her quirky boss was slightly abating as more time passed and no angry phone calls came, but there was still something uncomfortable about setting her mother up in general, never mind lying and running away from her.

That hot chocolate would be quite soothing right now. From her failed iced coffee to her forgotten hot chocolate, she was doomed to dehydrate today.

She seemed to have failed with the Veronica and Luke scenario, but she had also escaped unscathed. Every hour that Veronica didn't rain fury down on her was a moment of glorious survival. The stakes were higher though when it was her own blood and potential step-dad she was messing with.

In this scenario, she felt like the parent, waiting for her daughter to call and say she was safe. Which was ludicrous because Dr. Carrell had been her mother's employer for longer than Eve could remember, and never had there been a complaint. But Eve was once bitten, twice shy, if you multiplied that by a thousand.

Well, not a thousand. Barbara had a full time job, as well as a man addiction.

But growing up Eve had witnessed all of her mother's dating failures, and seen her heart break too many times to count. It had resulted in walls around her own heart and a desperate need for validation that would probably never materialise, as she spent more time adjusting herself for men than she should. Adam was just the most recent example in a long line of unrealistic relationships.

At this rate, Eve felt determined to satisfy Cupid if only to guarantee her mother's happiness, since it was clear that she was doomed in that respect.

She was in the abandoned conference room, cleaning up the debris from their meeting, determined to keep herself busy and distracted. It wasn't working that well, and she was slowly getting more and more morose, when there was a tapping at the door.

"That's not your job really, is it?" It was Andrew, again. It was like she couldn't get away from him.

"I don't see any of the men stepping up to do it, do you?" It came out so much harsher than she meant it to, and she bit her lip. "Sorry, I'm in a mood. That's not aimed at you, not really."

"Not really?" He asked wryly.

Eve sighed. He was leaning casually against the frame of the door, no judgment on his face, and the words tumbled from her, "Do you ever wonder if you're destined to end up alone? I sometimes feel like the way I was raised means I'm determined to die alone, no matter the effort I make. My Knight in Shining Armour could be right in front of me, and I'd be too busy saving my mother to let him save me."

"You don't really strike me as the type of person who needs saving, if I'm honest. I reckon even dragons are a little bit afraid of you."

Eve kind of missed Andrew's small smile, because his face was much too serious and kind looking right now, and he was being very lovely about her silly feelings which she had no business spilling to him.

"You could help, you know..."

He looked taken aback. "I'm not really a sword and shield kind of bloke."

Eve laughed. "I'll remember that, thanks, but I actually meant with the cleaning up? I have no idea why people refuse to clean up after themselves." She sighed as she looked down at the abandoned tea cups and splashes of milk on the table.

Andrew moved closer, reaching for the saucer closest to him. "Funny, I believe this is your lipstick on this one? Were you raised in a barn?"

She scowled. "No, I was not, and if you aren't going to let me moan and complain then I'm not sure I need your help after all."