Behind A Twisted Smile (Dark Minds Book 2) Read Online Free

glass of water, as I needed to rehydrate after the race.
    After the salmon, she produced some delicious cold chicken with a rice salad, and I couldn’t hold back any longer.
    “So, you’ve said Mum and Darcy are okay, but what about you? You seem…different. Apart from all this,” I waved a hand over the food, “which is a delightful surprise and your new appearance, have you just been given a massive pay rise or something?”
    She glanced away with a tiny smile, dimples appearing in her cheeks and pointed to a squirrel scampering down from a nearby tree. “Cute. Um, I’m fine, but I do have something to tell you. It might shock you at first.”
    I flicked my gaze from the squirrel, which had ventured near enough to pinch a few crumbs, back to Evie. “Oh? Don’t tell me you’ve been offered a full sister post on your ward?”
    She laughed. “Silly, they don’t want a part-timer in charge. Nor would I want to be. I’m happy with my position as it is. No, I’ve got a new boyfriend.”
    “That’s great. What does he do? Does he live near you?”
    “Fairly near. And the amazing thing is he’s a nurse, too.”
    At that moment the sun went in behind a dark cloud, and I shivered as if someone had walked over my grave.
     
    Chapter 3
    My next first thought was why her, why Evie? And then I realised that if I had spoken out loud, she would have taken it the wrong way. But the coincidence was curious. Or was it? Was I drawing my own conclusions before I knew the facts? Everyone said how small the world had become, what with social media and flights to far-flung corners of the world, etcetera. No, perhaps it wasn’t that curious, as both were single and of a similar age. All the same, I did wonder if she had engineered that day for some reason. Evie could be devious at times—a throwback to when she was a child. I recalled taking the blame for quite a few of her foolhardy escapades.
    No, be serious. My thoughts were running away from me. There must be hundreds of male nurses working nearby.
    “Really?”
    “Moya, you might find this a bit strange, uncomfortable even.”
    I forced my eyes to meet hers, knowing I was right. Oh ye gods, spare us. “Uncomfortable? Why would I? I’m pleased you’ve met someone.”
    “Of course you are, as I would be if you met someone you really cared about. Only, the thing is…you know him.”
    I expressed surprise. Opening my eyes wide and raising my eyebrows, I could have won an Oscar for the effort. “I do?”
    She licked her bottom lip. “Well, to be accurate, you went out with him. It’s Martyn.”
    “Martyn,” I repeated to gain time.
    “Yes.” She nodded, and the rest of her words came out in a gabble. “Martyn Cousins. I know what you’re thinking…how odd this all is. But it just happened. We’ve been seeing each other for about three weeks now. The thing is he wants us all to meet later today. He says that he’s sure you won’t mind and that it’ll be a good thing for us to meet up.”
    “Mmm, but he and I parted and not on very good terms,” I said.
    “I know all about it.”
    This time, my eyes truly were as big as saucers. “You do?”
    She nodded eagerly. “Yes, but I know you’ll understand. You’ve had lots of boyfriends. I’m sure it was upsetting at the time when Martyn split up with you, but you’ve always got over it before. He said you were angry and said some nasty things, which he was sure you didn’t mean. It was just a bit of a shock for you, but he’s forgotten and forgiven you.”
    I was speechless. She hurried on.
    “Anyway, please for my sake. I want us all to be friends. One big happy family.”
    I took in a huge lungful of air. “Honestly, Evie, I really don’t care about him. I never did. What I mean is, you’re welcome to him.”
    She sat back and gazed at me with a slight frown. “Are you sure? You look a bit fierce.”
    I shook my head and managed a smile, although it might have come out a bit sickly looking. “No