blinked, caught off guard.
âI agree!â she fudged with a little laugh.
He looked a little confused. âI asked what you thought about graphic-novel heros needing a dark past.â
Oops. Eveâs eyes darted towards the tall figure in the billowing black cloak standing in the central panel Josh had been showing her. The guy did look pretty dark. Right?
âI meant, I agree they should have a dark past!â She threw in a pout, just in case.
Josh looked back at his sketchbook. âJust as well,â he said a little drily. âI donât think my guy has too many memories of kittens and snowballs.â
This wasnât going quite as smoothly as Eve had hoped. Time to ramp it up a little. Reaching over, she placed her hand lightly on his arm.
âYouâve caught the dark thing really well, Josh,â she said seriously. âI think you are brilliant at what you do. To be honest, Iâm a little dazzled. Do you have a publishing deal?â
He looked wistful. âAs if. Iâm only at the preliminary stages.â
Eve squeezed his arm through his sleeve. âDaddy knows heaps of people in publishing,â she said firmly. âWeâll get him to call someone to take a look. This deserves to be published.â
Joshâs eyes widened. âAre you serious?â
Daddy knows lots of people, Eve thought. Thereâs bound to be a few publishers in the mix. She was never one to let truth get in the way of a conquest. âIâve never been more serious in my life,â she said.
Josh looked even more handsome when he was happy. âThatâs amazing, Eve,â he stammered. âYou . . . youâre amazing.â
Eve gave him her sweetest smile, cocking her head. âItâs your talent, Josh,â she said honestly. âIâm just the facilitator.â
âStay still,â he said suddenly, scrabbling in his pocket. âIâm going to draw you. I can put you in the novel if you want.â
Eveâs heart jumped. âYou want to draw me?â
âDrawing you already. Keep your head still.â
Joshâs fingers were flying over the sketch pad, shading and sketching, outlining and cross-hatching, until a figure emerged on the page.
Josh flipped the pad round to show her. âYou like it?â
Eve wasnât sure she recognized herself. The girl Josh had drawn was strong and beautiful with lustrous hair and big eyes, in a kind of sleek body armour that hugged the curves of her body. She liked it. If she could just feel like that inside, she thought wistfully, she could conquer the world.
Josh flipped the sketch pad shut. âItâs just a sketch,â he said shyly. âIâll work it up into something better for next time.â
Eve stared into his green eyes. He was amazing. He was perfect for her in every way. How had she never seen it before? She had to snare him. Right now.
She cast her mind back to rule number three. Ask questions.
âSo Josh,â she said, keeping her expression as warm and inviting as she could. âWhere do you live?â
Josh slid his sketchbook into his bag. âIn the old town.â
Eve felt excited. Sheâd never met anyone who actually lived in the old town before, with its ancient, salt-stained buildings and dark, cobbled lanes. âHow cute!â she said warmly. âIn one of the old fishing cottages? I bet your mother has done the most amazing things to it. Those little places look so charming.â
Josh yanked his jacket from beneath her so quickly that Eve almost fell backwards.
âYou should try living in one,â he said, standing up. âBetter get back to school or weâll be late.â
âBut. . .â
He was striding up the beach already, his head tucked down into the collar of his jacket and his arms wrapped around his bag. Getting to her feet and hurrying after him, Eve felt as if more than a jacket had been pulled from