The Girl Before Eve by Lisa J Hobman (22)

“Are you okay, Adders?” Lily whispered when she glanced over at Adam, who sat staring into space in the dim light of the plane. Lily always hated flying but at least flying at night usually afforded a little sleep. Not tonight though.

Adam turned to her. “Sorry?”

“I just asked if you were okay. You’ve been quiet since we left the hotel, that’s all.”

He smiled but it was fleeting. “Yeah. I think this was always going to be difficult for me. I took the time to say goodbye whilst I was out yesterday. But coming home feels like I’m leaving her there…you know?”

Lily reached and squeezed his hand. “I know.”

“I just… I suppose I know that eight months isn’t such a long time and I’m wondering if maybe it’s too soon.”

“Too soon for what?”

“Too soon to let her go, Lil.”

“Adam, please don’t take this the wrong way…you know how much I loved Eve… But you’re young. You can’t live in the past. I can’t imagine how hard losing her was for you. I know how hard it was for me but… She was your wife, so it must have been a hundred times harder. But you have to look forward now. I’m not saying jump into a relationship with the first woman that comes your way. But at least give yourself the chance to be open to meeting someone, eventually. You know?”

He huffed and leaned his head back. He didn’t speak for a few moments as if processing her words.

Turning to her again with a sad expression he shrugged. “But she was one of a kind, Lil. And I have no clue how to meet someone else. I’ve been with Eve forever. I’m not sure what to do. And I’m not sure I actually want to do anything.”

“You don’t have to do anything. Maybe… I don’t know, maybe you’ll just meet someone naturally someday…you know? Maybe you’ll meet someone at school.”

His brow creased. “At school? Are you having a laugh, Lil? I work with those women. The last thing I want to do is date one of them.”

“It was just an idea. What about one of the student’s mums?”

He laughed, trying his best to do so quietly. “Er…no way, Lil. Don’t you think that would be a tad inappropriate? I can just imagine parents evening. ‘Oh yes Mrs. Johnson, little Simon is doing really great in English, but anyway, are we shagging at your house or mine tonight?’ Absolutely no way.” He shivered as if the idea made him feel dirty.

“Okay, yes, I get your point.” She sat back and pondered for a while. Suddenly, she sat up and blurted out, “I’ve got it!”

His eyes darted around. “Shhh!” he whispered, spraying her with saliva in his eagerness to quiet her. “People are sleeping and I’ve got it isn’t something you want to be announcing in the small confines of an aeroplane.”

“Eeeuw, Adders! Ever heard the phrase say it, don’t spray it? I had a shower before we left, okay? I don’t need another one.”

“Okay, sorry. What have you got then?”

“Eh?”

“You said I’ve got it remember?”

“Oh, yes right. Okay…what about…and keep an open mind, okay? What about online dating?” She held out her hands as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Clearly, he did not agree. His face contorted into something akin to disgust. “Not a fucking chance.”

“Come on, Adders! It makes sense. I can help you set up a profile if you like, you know, when you’re ready.”

“Nope.” He folded his arms, leaned his head back, and closed his eyes. “I’ll never be ready to do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because…and I don’t mean this to be offensive in any way…but I always imagine those websites to be filled with desperate people who can’t find someone anywhere else and have resorted to the last chance saloon, that’s why not.”

Lily huffed. “That is very offensive. And actually that’s where you’re wrong. I know several colleagues who met their partners that way.”

Evidently, Adam was not prepared to budge. “Don’t believe you.”

“Okay… Hannah, one of the editors at the channel. She spends so much time at work that she has no time to go out. She signed up two years ago and met Graham. He’s a really nice guy and they hit it off. They’re getting married next year.”

“Ha…then he’ll murder her and chop her up into little pieces and eat her remains or something.”

She shook her head at him and pulled her face into a look of incredulity. “Don’t be so bloody melodramatic.”

He peeped out from his half-closed eyelids. “Well…anyway. I’m not doing it.”

She persisted. “Jeff in the weather room… He met Sonya through online dating and they’re expecting their first child.”

“Then he’ll announce he’s gay and it’s all been a cover up.”

Ever determined to convince him she continued. “Stefano in the finances department—”

Adam snorted. “Green card.”

“Clara and Phil…married three years.”

Adam opened his eyes and turned to face her. “Look, Lil, I am not and I repeat…I. Am. Not. Signing. Up. For. Online. Dating.” He repeated the words slowly and clearly.

She was the one to get huffy now and turned in her seat so that she faced the window. “Whatever…I was just trying to help.”

“Yeah…I know…but just…I don’t know…don’t, okay?”

Lily couldn’t get to sleep. Plans were whirring around in her head. She had to show him online dating could work for him. It’d be a start anyway. If he was too scared to get out there…and if he didn’t want her—which he clearly didn’t—then she had to figure out a way to get his confidence up.

No, he definitely doesn’t see me that way. We shared a bed in New York, and I was half naked for God’s sake. He had a perfect opportunity then and didn’t bloody take it. More’s the pity.

She just had to come up with a plan. But she would have to be devious. Very devious. Make him think it was his idea. Yes that would work…wouldn’t it? Or she could just… Oh yes, that’s it. Operation Get Adam Laid was going to come into full force. Soon.

Very soon.

Arriving home in the early morning hours whilst it was still dark, Lily’s mind was still whirring. Adam had offered for her to stay at his house but she declined, preferring her own bed and surroundings in which to cogitate on her mischievous plan. She stripped and dressed in her comfy pyjamas and collapsed onto her bed.

Sleep eluded her for hours, and after dozing, she made her way downstairs. She fired up her laptop and did an Internet search for the website that Hannah had tried to get her to sign up for.

Made For Each Other was quoted as being the matchmaking experience of a lifetime for individuals whose lives are so hectic that love takes second place. She quickly scanned through a couple of profiles and decided that this was the one.

Very much aware that a) Adam was not ready for this, b) she was risking her friendship with him on account of ‘a’ and c) she had clearly descended into some kind of anarchistic insanity on the flight home.

Ultimately she had the desire for his happiness at heart and before she could stop herself she clicked on Build Profile and began to do her best to make Adam sound as appealing as possible.

Who am I kidding? He’s bloody gorgeous. And he’s funny, kind, caring… Hell, I wish he didn’t think of me as his damn relative or something.

She sighed and went to make coffee. Once she had shaken her self-destructive train of thought, she returned to her computer to continue with her mission. After completing the personal details of her best friend, she began to trawl through the photos she had of Adam in order to find a suitable one for his profile. There were so many, and if he ever saw them he would wonder why on earth she had them all. To say she was slightly obsessed would be an understatement.

Once the profile was complete, she flicked through it to make sure it was the best it could be. The photo she had chosen showed him with a beautiful smile on his face and his hair flopping onto his forehead. A line of stubble enhanced the strong square line of his jaw, and his eyes had a come hither glint to them. The photo alone would attract any female with a pulse.

Feeling herself getting tired, she decided to nap on the sofa. She awoke abruptly when someone sat at the end near her feet. Looking up, she realised it was Adam.

She pulled herself up. “Hey. I didn’t hear you come in.” She yawned.

“No…I was very quiet.” He smiled that smile that made her core clench and she stifled a moan.

“What’s up? What’re you doing here? I thought you’d be shattered after the flight.”

He leaned towards her. “I was, but I needed to see you.”

“Oh? Why? What’s up?”

He stood and gazed down at her. The look in his eyes was one she had never seen before. It looked like…like lust. She focused on his hooded eyes feeling more than a little confused. He dropped to his knees and without speaking he ran his hand down her cheek and to her breast. He moulded it in his hand and she gasped.

“Adam?” He stopped her mouth with a deep, wet, luscious kiss. This was really strange behaviour. She had no clue what was going on, but couldn’t bring herself to stop him. Especially when he reached up and removed his shirt. She lifted her hands to touch his sculpted abs and they trembled under her touch. He closed his eyes briefly, and when they opened, he bent again to kiss her. His hand began to slip lower…lower…lower until she arched her back and closed her eyes as he slipped his fingers inside her pyjamas and caressed her. The feeling was like nothing she had ever experienced, and she couldn’t help the whimper that escaped.

Somewhere she could hear music playing. She felt as though she were at the end of a tunnel as the sensations of Adam’s skilled touch washed over her body. On the verge of exploding, the music got louder…louder…louder.

Suddenly, she sat bolt upright. Shit. That had been one very vivid, very erotic dream. She reached for her phone.

“Hello?” She answered breathlessly.

“Good grief, Lil, what’ve you been doing?”

Adam.

Heat rose in her cheeks. “Erm…nothing, I was just…erm…sleeping and you woke me.”

He chuckled down the line. “Oh yeah? Did I wake you from a dirty dream or something?”

How the hell? “Don’t be ridiculous, Adders, I just had to hunt for my phone. I thought maybe it was an emergency or something and I panicked. That’s all. Good grief.”

His laugh got louder. “I think the lady doth protest too much.”

She huffed. “Okay…you got me…you and I were shagging, Adam. Is that better?”

He stopped laughing. “Alright, stroppy cow. So you weren’t having a dirty dream. I was only jesting.” He sounded sulky. He was even oblivious to the bloody truth!

She sighed in exasperation. “What do you want, Adders?”

“I was just sitting here feeling bored and wondered if you fancied getting a takeaway or something?”

“Yeah…okay. What time is it?”

“It’s…erm…six thirty.” Shit she had been asleep hours. And clearly looking through her Adam photos had not helped her current state of mind.

“Okay. Give me an hour to get a shower and change. You can pick something up on the way over. I’ll have my usual. I’ve got wine.” And with that she hung up, threw herself back onto the sofa, and blew out a long breath. Her thoughts flitted back to her dream and shivers traversed her spine. She smiled to herself. If only it had been real.