Cupid's Contract

Culottes and Deep Thoughts

Once the relief squad had arrived, Eve handed over the key to the safe and signed off duty. As far as she was concerned, she was going to enjoy the next two hours before she was back on the stall. Moving through the crowd, she spotted Veronica's uber blonde head and headed that way.

"Food now, please," she greeted her friend, slinging an arm through hers.

"Where have you been?" Ron replied, holding out a cold red drink.

"What is this?"

"Fruit punch with a little bit of rum. Only a tiny bit though! Your grandmother is making an absolute fortune with it. I think every single parent in the vicinity has bought one."

Eve took a hesitant sip and was pleasantly surprised. "Oh, it's actually lovely! I didn't think Roxie was capable of making a drink without buckets of alcohol." She took a bigger gulp this time. "I was over at the company stall, by the way. You won't believe what happened!"

As Eve recounted the scene, Veronica's face was a picture. She would gasp and squeal, grabbing at Eve's arm. "She did not say that! In front of our boss?"

Eve nodded. "Literally. She called her a 'skank' and then Polly corrected her pronunciation of Juicy Couture."

"What did Harper say?"

"He sent Kevin after his wife. I think he was afraid she would get lost otherwise."

Ron rolled her eyes. "More likely he just didn't want to deal with all of those emotions any longer. Men hate dramatic outbursts."

"Well he'll be returning to the scene of the crime later anyway. He's down to supervise the booths with me at lunch time... with his son."

"Really? That'll be interesting."

"Interesting? More like painful. Spending an hour with Dumb and Dumber?" She felt guilty saying that. Drew really wasn't that bad.

"I don't know why you dislike Andrew so much. I think he's lovely. There are worse things to spend an hour looking at."

"I didn't think he was your type?" Eve sounded oddly shrill.

Veronica gave her a funny look. "He's not, calm down. I'm just not immune to a pair of cheekbones."

He did have nice cheekbones, Eve would agree to that, though she had no idea why Veronica was looking in the first place. Good Lord, was she jealous?

No, surely not.

Ew.

"Food now, please."

If Veronica found the change of topic sudden she didn't mention it. She let Eve steer her over to a stall where a little old lady was selling freshly baked apple lattices,

Armed with hot drinks and warm pastry, the two wandered from stall to stall, vaguely remarking on the different displays and dodging children who had already consumed too much sugar. Veronica had set up a quilt under the trees and the two settled down to lick their fingers and observe.

Eve's phone was delightfully silent, meaning Laura and Daniel had everything under control, and she was able to lie down and look up at the leafy roof above her, her racing heart finally slowing after a week of stress.

"I hope you don't mind, but I invited Carlos and Luke." Veronica's voice cut through her dreamy reverie.

"Hmm... No? Why would I? It's a public event." She pushed the hair from her face and adjusted her position on the ground, trying to get comfortable without flashing those around her. Her knickers were nice but that didn't mean the world needed to see them.