Eva hoped not.
Her skin itched with the feeling of being watched. Eva wondered, as Lily’s sister glanced over at her, what Lily was saying. Was she telling her all about the demon biology teacher at Greenfield? Was she trying to work out why someone so heartless would spend their weekend wheeling a woman around a grocery store?
“Eva!” Her mother sounded annoyed, and Eva suspected it wasn’t the first time she’d tried to get her attention.
“Not nice being ignored, is it?” Eva winced when her mother rolled over her foot in response. “What did you say?”
“I was asking if you would get me a pack of those caramel lattes.” Her mother pointed to one of the top shelves. “But you seemed too busy staring at that young lady over there to hear me.”
“Will you lower your voice?” Eva glanced toward Lily, but she appeared to be well out of earshot.
“I’m just saying. You seem awfully distracted.”
Eva ignored her in favor of leaning on her toes to reach for the coffee her mother wanted.
“She’s pretty.”
Eva nearly brought the whole display down on top of her. “What?”
Her mother blinked innocently at her as Eva dropped the coffee into the cart. “Don’t you think so?”
“I hadn’t noticed.”
“Looks a bit like Victoria.”
Eva sighed, because she’d been trying hard not to remember that. Though the more she saw of Lily, the less she saw the similarities. Physically, yes, but everything else? The bright-eyed innocence and boundless enthusiasm? They couldn’t be more different.
“If you squint, I suppose.” Eva glanced at her shopping list to avoid her mother’s probing gaze. “I think that’s everything, unless you thought of anything else?”
Eva was relieved when her mother shook her head. It meant they could go to the checkout, and her unexpected Saturday morning torture would come to an end.
Lily ended up on the checkout next to them.
Eva ground her teeth.
Was the cashier being purposefully slow? Were they aware Eva was in a hurry?
It felt like it took an age for them to scan everything, and Eva willed the worker packing their bags to go as fast as humanly possible. She relaxed once they were outside. It was a beautiful day, and Eva wasn’t going to let her mother get away with spending the rest of it indoors.
Chapter 4
On Monday morning, Lily arrivedat lunch duty with a cup of coffee in each hand.
She knew trying to win Eva over was more than likely an exercise in futility, but she was still going to try. Call it a character flaw, but Lily was a people-pleaser, and she hated knowing someone didn’t like her. Plus, wouldn’t things in her new job run smoother if she could get Eva on her side?
Lily sought Eva out in the crowded cafeteria. She patrolled the perimeter, eagle-eyes scanning the room, waiting to pounce on any poor unwitting soul that stepped out of line.
Eva didn’t acknowledge Lily until she was right in front of her.
She received a glare, and no greeting.
Lily’s first clue this was a bad idea.
“I, um, brought you a coffee.” She held the disposable cup toward her, and Eva looked at Lily’s outstretched hand with distaste. “It’s not poisoned.”
Eva didn’t crack a smile.
“Uh, do you not want it? It’s the same brand I saw you using the other day.”
