A/N Sorry at the delay. Been a hectic weekend. Hope you're all still eagerly waiting!

Evan avoided the issue of where she would move when her friends left for the next few days. The revelations had seemed to mellow her, but he knew that Cindy and Steve felt as hopeless as him about the whole thing. The resentment he felt for her family was immeasurable, he was torn between wanting to confront them, and wanting to take her away so she’d never miss them again. But still the issue of her moving in with him hung unsaid between them. Instead he threw himself into his work, avoiding talking of the future.

Ten days later he was overseeing the air-conditioning system being fitted into his new building when his sister came looking for him. Hugging Adele he gave her the guided tour, trying to detail his dreams, his vision, how everything would play out.

                “I’m amazed little bro, but then you never do anything by half.”

He laughed, “If a job’s worth doing it’s worth doing well.”

Shaking her head ruefully she couldn’t help but laugh, “you are so anal on times! Now come on, I want to buy you coffee, I haven’t come here in Jimmy Choo heels to walk around a building site!”

                “Let me change, I’ve got some clothes in my office.”

Nodding she looked him up and down, “was hoping you could change out of those work boots. I’ll be in the car.”

Adele was married to a high flying journalist who flew from one political crisis to the next, and was away from home a lot, but he worshipped her, and their three children, and whilst she was left alone for large chunks of time, she went without nothing, that was the compromise. They’d always been close, born a year apart, and when their father died when they were eight and seven they’d supported each other. Their mother struggled to cope when she lost her soul mate, and it was a difficult time, but she’d survived and ten years later met Malcolm, a widow with two boys, Mark and Simon, who were still only young. The family had merged and despite a few teething issues their mother and step father were happy, supportive and amazing role models to the four of them, a rarity in his social circle.

In his office Evan changed out of his steel toe capped boots into leather shoes, he figured his jeans and sweater would suffice, his hard hat hung on a hook behind the door. Emerging into the gloomy street he looked left and saw the sleek black car half mounted on the kerb, jogging across he opened the door and gave a wolf whistle.

                “Nice wheels! Now we find out exactly why you came a-calling.”

She had the decency to at least blush before patting the seat beside her and beaming, “jump in.”

Adele hit the gas and he was glad he was wearing a seatbelt. She didn’t stop until she parked outside her favourite coffee shop a few miles away. Dragging him she pushed him to a window seat and gestured to the girl behind the counter for two coffees, she was a regular there.

                “So spill darling bro!”

It was Evan’s turn to feign an expression - surprise, “what do you mean?”

She smiled at the waitress who deposited the coffees in front of them and ordered a couple of sandwiches, before finally turning back to her brother. “Four weeks ago we went for a run, you said you'd be my training buddy until the half marathon in three months, you promised. Instead, you chase a woman in hot pursuit and don’t answer your phone again. So I ask again, what’s going on bro?”

He sighed, where to start? He and Adele hadn’t really kept secrets, that was the nature of their relationship, he couldn’t remember the last time he hadn’t seen her for weeks, everything she said was right. And he also knew that was the exact reason he had avoided her, because she was the only person who could make him question things, the only who would challenge him.

                “Maddie.”

She nodded, “yup, Maddie!” When he was silent she added, “if you think I’m going to sit back and let you shut down like you did with Stephanie?” She spat the name out with the contempt she felt it deserved. "Then you're wrong."

                “One serious fucked up relationship, one! And I’ve got to explain myself forever more? Is that how it goes?”

His quick retort only served to make her raise her eyebrows, “still hurts?”           

                “No, Stephanie running off with my business manager does not still hurt, but the last thing I need is to start bowing to your amateur psychobabble at this early stage of the first decent relationship I’ve had since!”

                “Hah! I knew it. You’re serious about her, I KNEW it. So tell all!”

He shook his head, “life is complicated Adele, and I’m not here just to give your life excitement whilst Nick is off in the US.”

Adele smiled, “I love how sceptical you are little bro, surely you can share the details with little old me?”

He sighed, she was like a dog with a bone, “ok, she was a friend of Mark’s, we had a one night stand...not that it was one night to me...anyway, then it turned out after she’d run off that she was my new office manager. Started work with Eric a few days later.”

                “Yuck, I still cannot believe you still employ that chauvinist.”

He laughed, “at least with Eric what you see is what you get.”

                “Unlike Martin.”

Shaking his head he groaned, “let’s not roll back to him and Stephanie again!”

She laughed, “so you’re her employer...awkward! Or is she the reason you’ve pulled away from Club Tate?”

He groaned hating that things were so transparent, “she was the catalyst, made me wonder why I wasn’t going for my dream.”

                “Like we’ve all been telling you for years!” He looked at her and she put a finger over her lips, “ok, I’ll be quiet.”

                “Maddie is an enigma, I mean she got Eric’s number on day one and he knows not to overstep the mark, yet she’s flighty too. I found out recently her whole family are scum, and don’t deserve her.”

                “And you’re being all Protective Bear?”

Laughing he reached for his coffee, “I like her a lot, and I kind of feel that a lot of her anxieties are due to the ‘one night stand’ we had, she seems to think it’s cheapened her, like I’ve seen the wrong side of her. But frankly I couldn’t keep my hands off her...and it’s a long time since that has happened to me.”

Adele grimaced, “we’re bordering on TMI here bro, but all I’ll say whilst following your heart, is that no relationship can be built on guilt. Maybe if you feel that way you need to explain it to her tactfully. That you don’t judge her, not that you feel guilt.”

                “It’s not guilt, it’s responsibility, and I suppose I love that she needs me sometimes, that I can be important to her.”

Watching her brother for a few moments Adele smiled, “Wow, you’ve got it bad!”

She dropped him back to work an hour later begging him to come to Louie his nephew’s birthday party the following weekend, a casual way to introduce Madeline to his family...a daunting but yet important moment. He was reluctant to mention it to her; it was all still so fragile. So instead he worked late then headed home.

He’d barely crossed the doorstep when the phone rang. Answering he couldn’t help but smile, Maddie. She was always so reluctant to initiate things that the fact that she called him and asked him if he wanted to go to the cinema was like a huge step forward.

                “I’ll pick you up in an hour...give me time to change, ok?”

She giggled then, “cool, I didn’t think you’d want to come with me.”

Suddenly he groaned, “damn! What film are we watching?”

Giggling again she offered, “something funny, yet romantic starring Hugh Grant!”

                “Argh! Save me from romcoms someone, please.”

Two hours later Evan led her out into the dark night, her hand ensconced safely inside his. Maddie’s expression could only be described as wistful, like most women a soft spoken and rather awkward Hugh Grant had her musing over the film they’d watched.

                “Drink?” he asked, as they passed an American style diner at the exit of the complex.

Nodding, she followed him in to the bright room, and they ended up ordering greasy burgers and diet cokes, sat in a red booth.

                “So it’s my nephew’s birthday next weekend, Louie is six. Adele was over earlier, and she was asking if you’d like to come to his party next week? My family will be there, but it may be a little lower key than any other time.”

Maddie was quiet, picking at her skinny fries for a while. When she eventually looked up, Evan realised he was holding his breath. “It’s important to you?”

He nodded, “my family are very close.” He gave an apologetic smile.

Maddie reached for his hand, “just because I’m a basket case when it comes to relatives does not mean that I expect everyone else to give up their families to be with me. Of course I’ll come!”

Evan could barely control his beaming grin.

Saturday was a beautiful day, Evan woke to bright sunshine and Maddie wrapped around him.

                “Are you sure you don’t mind me playing golf? I feel a bit bad leaving you here alone.”

She rolled onto her stomach as he turned to sit on the edge of the bed, and watched his bare backside as he disappeared into the bathroom.

                “I’m sure I can find something to amuse myself...like finding something to wear! I mean meeting your parents?”

As the occasion had drawn closer Maddie had become increasingly more anxious regarding meeting his family. She knew his father had passed away, and that his step father Claude Smith was Mark her friend’s father. But other than that brief introduction to his sister, she had no idea what his family would be like, or how extravagant a six year old’s birthday would be.

In the end she settled on a dress, her favourite one, mid thigh knitted, it was the sort that you could both dress up and dress down. It was autumn, but still mild, so she accompanied it with thick knit tights and her boots, the ones with a slight heel, plain jewellery and a sliver edged dress scarf made her feel special. And as the door to the house opened and Evan strode in, his warm, bordering on hot look only confirmed that.

                “You all set?”

There was no going back.

Denise Smith was a beautiful woman in a kind of relaxed grandmotherly way. She wore a twin set with the proverbial set of pearls, that was the perfect apple green. Her greying hair was styled elegantly, and she had a smile that welcomed. She seemed to sense how difficult this was for Maddie, being thrust into such a chaotic family filled day. Once Evan had introduced them, she smiled at the younger woman then led her to the adjacent as yet undisturbed conservatory.

                “These parties are notoriously hectic, the Tate/Smith’s are used to it, but to the casual observer they are more than daunting. My word of advice is to follow the party...” She leaned closer to whisper, “if the kids are eating, the pre eating room will be empty. That way you’ll keep your head. Ok? I’m annoyed at Evan for landing you in the middle of this.”

Maddie grinned she wouldn’t let Evan get into trouble, “oh no, this is far easier, I can kind of sink in to the melee...it’s so much easier than something more formal.”

The older woman smiled and took her hand, “I can see that.” She studied the younger woman for a moment, and nodded, “yep, you’re good for him, he’s brave and strong, but he needs someone who is equally as strong, independent.” She shuddered for a moment, “I have great hopes that this is better than before.”

His mother didn’t expand on what ‘before’ constituted, and she wasn’t in a rush to find out. For Maddie, she was just glad that his mother liked her. It made things so much easier on her. With a smile she watched Adele play punch Evan’s shoulder, and laughing he leaned close to her ear to whisper something. As she started to laugh he looked up and met her eyes, and his smile, his interest...her knees felt weak. This was how it felt to be desired, to be cherished...to be loved. Then he was engulfed by the birthday boy and his three friends, allowing them all to hang on him as he roared comically. The sight hit her in the chest like a pain. She had to tell him the truth, all the truth, before they got too close, she’d only hurt him, and herself. With a sigh she dreaded it.