Her New Worst Enemy by Christy McKellen Page A

Sweep game.”
    The cashier looked up and did a double-take at Gideon. She was young, probably only
     seventeen, and obviously attracted to him, if her flushed cheeks were anything to
     go by. Ellie glanced round to see Gideon giving the girl a killer smile and gritted
     her teeth. He was incorrigible. Her stomach clenched painfully and a wave of nausea
     hit her.
    “She seems intent on making shopping into an Olympic event,” he said to the cashier,
     who giggled in response.
    “Are you going to stand there flirting all day, or give me a hand here?” Ellie snapped
     at him, unable to keep her cool.
    Gideon’s face clouded over, but he didn’t reply, grabbing the baguettes instead and
     tossing them onto the conveyor belt.
    The atmosphere stayed tense between them as they packed up their purchases and wheeled
     the cart out of the supermarket.
    So much for her resolution to have fun and treat Gideon as a friend. Ellie could have
     kicked herself. They were having a good time until she messed it up by getting all
     emotional.
    She sighed and looked up at him. He stared determinedly ahead as they crossed the
     car park toward his car. She knew her reaction had been over the top. He was just
     being himself; there hadn’t been any good reason to snap at him like that.
    “I’m sorry for being such a bitch,” she said to the side of his head.
    “What was that about?” He turned to look at her now, the expression in his eyes hard
     and cold.
    “I don’t know, Gideon. I’m a messed up fool.” She gave a lopsided smile to try to
     lighten the lead-like atmosphere.
    Gideon turned away without responding and unlocked the car, pulling the boot open
     and lifting all the bags into it, before turning back to her. Her insides clenched
     as he stared calmly down at her.
    “Do you want to go and buy yourself some new clothes?” he said.
    “I’m sorry?” This was the last thing she’d expected him to say. She’d steeled herself
     for a proper telling-off, but it appeared he was letting her off the hook.
    “We could go into the town and get you some more stuff if you’re not happy with my
     sister’s clothes.” He nodded toward the saggy sweater she’d put on again to hide them.
    “Nah, that’s okay. I’m only here for another couple of days, I’ll be fine with these.”
     She gave him a friendly smile. “Thanks though.” She couldn’t, in all conscience, drag
     him clothes shopping now, not after behaving so badly.
    “Okay,” he said, slamming down the boot lid and going round to the driver’s door.
     “Stick the cart back in the cart-park and we’ll get going.
    Ellie did so, cursing herself. She had so little self-discipline it was ridiculous.
    • • •
    As they drove back to the house, Gideon mulled over what had happened at the supermarket.
     The change in Ellie had been sudden and shocking.
    It was after she’d made that child in the cart laugh, he realized. She’d gone all
     quiet and stiff. He could have sworn at one point she’d had tears in her eyes, but
     he’d dismissed the idea at the time. She’d been so full of energy and fun when they’d
     first got there. Yeah, it must have been the kid.
    He’d come across this reaction to kids before with a couple of his girlfriends. It
     always made him vaguely uncomfortable.
    He wasn’t sure if he wanted to have children, he certainly didn’t for a long while
     yet anyway. He liked his life the way it was: uncomplicated. Kids were hard work and
     they messed up your life.
    Just like he and his sister had messed up their parents’ lives when they came along.
     He knew this only too well because his grandmother had made no secret of it after
     they’d been killed and she was stuck looking after an eight-year-old and a teenager.
    Boarding school had been the get-out for her. Even though he’d eventually done well
     at school, he’d never been able to shake the knowledge that he’d been hidden there,
     out of his grandparent’s sight. He