Change of Harte (Harte, #2) (Harte Series) by Brooke Harris

holding a young boy, maybe four or five, in her arms. His round, dark brown eyes and wavy, chestnut hair were an instant giveaway ‘…and you?’
    ‘I’d just started school, I think.’
    ‘I thought you said you didn’t think about them, but you have this picture in your wallet all the time?’
    ‘I don’t have the photo to remind me. I don’t need to have a photo to remember. I have it because it’s the only thing of theirs that was left after the fire. It’s the only piece of my parents that still exists.’
    Eva’s fingers began to tremble. The damaged Polaroid she held was possibly the most precious thing Julian had in his life, and he’d just shared it with her. That had to mean something. Actions speak louder than words , she told herself.
    ‘That’s not true,’ Eva said softly. ‘There’s you. You’re a piece of both of them.’
    Julian stood up and reached his arm out to Eva. ‘Let’s get out of here. I need a decent coffee.’
    Eva passed him back the photograph and watched as he carefully slid it back into his wallet. And despite how much she didn’t want the moment to end, she found herself nodding. ‘Yeah, me too, I know a quiet little place nearby.’

Chapter 12
    I’m so sorry Shell.
    Feel like such a b!*ch.
    How does coffee at 2pm sound?
    My treat. Call me xx
     
    Eva had barely hit send on the text when her phone rang.
    ‘Hi, honey,’ Shelly chirped.
    ‘Oh, my God, Shell, I feel awful. I don’t know what in the hell happened last night. Well, I do. But it’s a long story. Still pinching myself now. Where are you? I can meet you anywhere.”
    ‘Would that long story end with Harte and begin with Julian?’ Shelly snorted.
    ‘Do you even need to ask?’
    Shelly grunted into her end of the phone.
    ‘You knew he was coming, then?’
    ‘Yeah. But before you freak out, I didn’t get time to warn you. He had it all decided and sorted out within five minutes.’
    ‘It’s okay. Not your fault.’
    ‘Is everything okay with you two, anyway?’
    ‘Well, I thought it was. He said he had something really important to talk to me about this morning. We went out for breakfast and everything. But he was acting really weird, and as soon as we ordered, he got a phone call and was gone.’
    ‘He did the same thing when we landed last night.’
    ‘You flew over together?’
    ‘Yeah, on his jet. I thought I mentioned that. Sure, that’s how I ended up coming over early.’
    ‘No, you left that part out. You just said your flight was changed and you’d explain when you got here.’
    ‘Oh, okay. Well, sure suppose I better explain so.’
    ‘Erm, yeah, s’pose.’
    ‘Well, actually, that’s kind of it. Cancelled my flight ‘cause Julian was coming anyway and I came with him on his jet.’
    ‘His jet?’ Eva flicked her eyes to the ceiling. His jet? Of course, he had a plane, and of course, Shelly rode along… as you do. This was all edging down the familiar road of Fucked-Up and Eva was suspecting it was time to take a U-turn back to Knowing What The Hell Was Going On Avenue.
    ‘Did he say where he was going?’
    ‘Julian? Ha. Nope. Does he ever? But he offered to make it up to me tonight with dinner. Said he’d send someone for me, the usual. Made me feel like a bit of a consolation prize, to be honest.’
    ‘And you said?’
    ‘Well, I sort of agreed. I know, I know. But I said I wouldn’t join him in some fancy-ass restaurant.’
    ‘You didn’t, did you?’
    ‘Yeah, I did. He was suggesting this ridiculously posh place way outside the city. There isn’t even anything out there except a golf course and an old hospital.’
    ‘You sound annoyed.’
    ‘I don’t even know. Yeah, I suppose I am. Like why did he turn up last night and then at the drop of a hat run off again this morning? He always does this to me. He confuses the hell out of me.’
    Eva realised she wasn’t annoyed with Julian. She was annoyed with herself. He did this shit—never felt he owed her an