She pulled the ticket from her purse and jabbed it into the machine, loosening her grip on the steering wheel a little as she turned out of the car park.
Chapter Seven
And send. That wasit. The email to Melissa was sent. She couldn’t change it now. Not that she thought she needed to. Her email had been quite calm, considering the circumstances. She’d kept to the facts. Not that it’d change anything. Not now. Steven was partner, and she wasn’t. Melissa wasn’t about to go back on her decision, but Evie felt better for it.
‘Finished, love?’ Walking into the living room, Evie placed a mug of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles on the small computer desk.
‘Yes, all finished. Thanks for this.’ She shut the computer down before picking up the mug.
‘That’s okay. Why don’t you come and sit down for a bit? You look as though you could do with a quiet evening.’ Elsie sat on the armchair and indicated the sofa.
‘It’s been quite a day. Sorry I haven’t been much help today.’ Curling her legs beneath her, Evie sunk back into the sofa cushions. She could do with a rest.
‘No need to apologise, love. Everyone has their own lives to get on with. Different things going on.’
‘I know, but I should be leaving it all behind and focusing on volunteering here. I’d planned to.’ She wiped whipped cream from her lips.
‘Ah, even the best-laid plans don’t always work out. Is everything sorted now?’
‘Not really. I came here to use up my holiday at the insistence of my boss. She’d suggested I should take the time to rest because when I got back, I’d be made partner in the firm.’ Evie swapped her mug to the other hand. ‘Turns out the real reason she wanted me out of the way was to give the partnership to someone else. Someone who has only been at the firm for a year.’
‘Oh.’ Leaning over, Elsie patted Evie’s forearm.
‘It just doesn’t make any sense. She’d hinted to everyone that I would get the promotion. Not just me.’ Evie watched as the remaining cream on top of her hot chocolate dispersed.
‘And that’s who you were emailing?’
‘Yep. She’s been ignoring my calls.’
‘Oh, love. That’s tough.’
‘Anyway, enough of my rubbish day. How are the wedding plans coming along?’
‘Well, I have my magazines.’ Leaning across, Elsie picked up a pile of wedding magazines from the coffee table. ‘I’ve waited decades to marry Ian. In fact, I’d given up the very idea of ever having a relationship with him, so all of this...’ She patted the magazines. ‘It’s all new to me. All very overwhelming.’
‘How long have you been with Ian?’