Between my step brother and his father II

Chapter 2

Eva's POV 

“Come on Eva it's already midnight”, Layla shouted. 

“Fuck I gotta go, my mum said I should be home by 12:00am” , I hurriedly picked up my costume and wore it without even tieing the lace of the corset.

"At least can I get your number?”

“Next time, I promise “, I said, running out of the room.

I felt really dizzy so Layla was the one who drove me home.

“We're here, come out!”. I heard Layla's voice interrupting my sleep.

She carried me through my front door at two in the morning.

The lights were still on.

My mother was sitting in the living room with her arms folded and a bitter look on her face. I knew immediately that I was in serious trouble.

"Layla, I've got it from here," I said quickly.

Layla looked between me and my mother, made a face that said good luck and disappeared back through the door faster than I had ever seen her move.

"Two in the morning Eva."

"Mum, I can explain…"

"I've been calling you since eleven." She stood up and the disappointment on her face was somehow worse than the anger. "Do you know how worried I was?"

"I'm sorry, I just lost track of time…"

"Sit down." I sat.

She paced for a moment .I watched her and noticed for the first time how tired she looked. Tired in a deep way.

"I need to talk to you about something," she said.

"Mum it's two in the morning, I just want to go to bed. We'll talk when I'm up"

"I know what time it is." She stopped pacing and looked at me directly. "We're behind on everything Eva. The rent, the bills, your school fees. Three months behind on the fees. I've been trying to manage it but I can't anymore."

The dizzy warm feeling from the party evaporated instantly.

"How bad?" I asked quietly.

"Bad." She exhaled. "I've been seeing someone for four months. I didn't tell you because I wasn't sure but he asked me to marry him and I said yes and before you say anything I need you to understand that I did this for us."

I stared at her. "You're getting married?"

"He's a good man. Wealthy, stable, kind. He'll cover everything. The fees, the debt, all of it."

"Mum, you don't even know him properly…"

"Four months Eva. He's coming tomorrow. Him and his son."

"You're serious."

"Dead serious." Her voice was firm but her eyes were soft. "I need you to be okay with this."

I didn't say anything for a long moment. My head was spinning from the drinks and the night and this conversation happening at two in the morning and the fact that apparently my entire life was changing while I was out at a party.

"You would've at least told me, I would've tried to…,"

“Eva…if I can't handle this, means you also can't”, she cut.

I said finally. "Whatever."

I went to bed without another word.

I called Layla before I even got out of bed the next morning.

“I have good news and bad …”.

“Start with the good one”, Layla said without allowing me to complete the sentence.

"He was incredible," I said the second she answered.

She screamed. I had to hold the phone away from my ear.

"I knew it. I knew from the second he walked over I knew…"

"Layla, every girl at that party wanted him and he chose me." 

I was grinning at the ceiling like an idiot and I didn't even care. "Like out of everyone there."

"Because you're that girl obviously. Details, now!."

"I'm not giving you details."

"Eva, I carried you home."

"His grip, the way he looks at me ," I said. "That's all I'm saying.”

Layla made a noise that was half scream, half wheeze. "And his dad apparently is just as fine. You know people talk about his family all the time. CEO of something massive. Nobody's really seen him but they say Logan looks exactly like him."

"Interesting genetics then," I said.

“Talking about dad, the bad news is my mum is remarrying to another man. My mum can't meet up with our needs”.

“That's nice, you'll have a rich dad to support you and your mum financially. Your mum made a wise decision “.

We talked for another twenty minutes about nothing and everything and by the time I hung up I was almost okay about last night. 

Almost okay about my mother's news. Layla said it was fine. The new stepfather was fine. A stepbrother I had never met was fine. Everything was fine.

I spent the day at school distracted and happy in a way you feel after a really good night. Logan found me between classes.

He fell into step beside me . "You disappeared."

"I had to get home."

"Hope you enjoyed last night?”, “yess”, I said without being able to control the way I smiled.

We walked in silence for a moment and then he touched my hand briefly as we reached my classroom door. 

"Later?" he said.

"Maybe." I pushed the door open. "I've got a thing tonight."

"What kind of thing?"

"Family thing." I shrugged. "My mum has a visitor coming."

Something unreadable crossed his face for a second. "Okay. Tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow," I agreed.

My mother had cooked enough food for ten people.

She was nervous. I could tell by the way she kept adjusting things that didn't need adjusting and checking her reflection in the kitchen window. She was wearing the blue dress she saved for important occasions and her hands wouldn't stay still.

"Mum, relax," I said.

"I am relaxed."

She was absolutely not relaxed. The knock came at six exactly.

I crossed the living room and turned the handle and pulled the door open with a smile ready and then every single thing in my brain came to a complete stop.

Logan was standing on my doorstep…with his father.