“Eve!” she says brightly. “I was thinking of taking the kids up tomorrow to see you.”
“Ah.” I hesitate. “That sounds lovely. Except… I’m not exactly home.”
There’s a pause. “What do you mean, not home? Don’t tell me you’ve gone off somewhere again.”
“I might have,” I say carefully.
“Eve,” she says in that drawn-out way that usually means she’s halfway between amusement and despair. “Where are you?”
“Yorkshire.”
“Yorkshire? Again?” she says, incredulous. “What is it with you and Yorkshire? I thought that trip was a one-off. What are you doing there this time?”
“Just a short break,” I say, moving towards the window. “I needed a change of scenery.”
“Right,” she says slowly. “Alone again?”
I pause, weighing my options. “No. With a… friend.”
There’s a short silence, the sort that usually means she’s raising an eyebrow on the other end of the line. “A friend,” she repeats. “I didn’t realise you’d started collecting those.”
“Very funny,” I say, trying not to smile.
She laughs softly. “I’m only saying, you don’t usually go gallivanting across the country with company. Who is this friend, then?”
“His name’s Aaron,” I admit. “I met him the last time I was up here. We’ve kept in touch since.”
“Ah.” She draws out the word, but her tone is gentler than I expect. “And how do you and this Aaron get on?”
I hesitate. “He’s easy to talk to. Funny, in that dry, slightly infuriating way. And he’s good with dogs.”
“Well, that covers the essentials,” she says, amused. “Sense of humour and a soft spot for animals. I approve.”
“It’s not like that,” I say quickly. “We’re just friends.”
“Of course,” she says lightly. “A friend who makes you sound about three degrees happier than you usually do. I’m not complaining.”
I sigh, but I can feel the smile tugging at my mouth. “You’re reading too much into it.”
“Probably,” she admits. “But that’s my job as your older sister. You worry, I pry, and then I pretend I know best.”
“Very comforting,” I say dryly.
She chuckles. “Just promise me you’ll actually enjoy yourself. Don’t spend the whole time thinking about work or talking yourself out of having fun.”
“I’ll try.”
“That’s my girl,” she says warmly. “And send me a picture when you can. I want to see what this mysterious ‘change of scenery’ looks like. Maybe even this Aaron, if he doesn’t mind sharing the frame.”
I laugh. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good. Enjoy yourself, Eve. You sound lighter already.”
When we hang up, I stay where I am for a moment, phone still in my hand, smiling at the screen. Then I tuck it away, take a steadying breath, and head downstairs—a little flustered, but definitely lighter.
Chapter 14
Aaron
