| |
I fixed a bright smile on my face. “I feel a bit like celebrating tonight, too.”
Holly rejoined us and slid into the chair next to her brother. “Tell us.”
“My business picked up a last-minute order for a new client, and he liked what we did. We may get some more work through him.”
“Well done,” said Holly. “What kind of business?”
“I make celebration cakes. Specialty ones.”
Holly snapped her fingers, a beaming smile on her pretty face. “Caitlin’s Cakes? The cocktail cupcakes?” I nodded, and she clapped her hands. “They’re fabulous. You made them for a friend’s baby shower recently. Angie Harris. Lives in Kilbirnie.”
I remembered the heavily pregnant brunette. “Yes, we did.”
Jasper glanced at Holly. “You brought one home for me, and then ate half of it.”
She laughed. “Sue me. Such gratitude. Do you have brothers, Caitlin?”
“Yes, two of them.”
“Lordy, you poor thing. One is enough for me.”
“Hey, I’m sitting right here, y’know.” Jasper’s grumble looked good natured, and I fought to contain a giggle that wanted to escape. I wasn’t a giggler, but I couldn’t deny I was having fun with these relative strangers. They didn’t know about Bruce or have any expectations of me. It was liberating.
The pizzas were good. Light, thin crusts, with a spicy tomato sauce and an assortment of toppings. Holly insisted I have a glass of wine, since she was driving, and I relaxed further. We talked about everything under the sun, from the Council plans to build more houses nearby, to concerts and TV shows. Jasper didn’t say much, but Holly chattered enough to fill the gaps.
I admitted to a minor addiction to legal drama serials, and Jasper glanced up, amusement shining in his eyes. “I don’t think I even own a suit. You’d never catch me in a job where I had to dress smart every day. What is it about chicks liking guys in suits?”
My mind flew unbidden to Bruce. He could rock a business pinstripe.
“I think it’s the power-and-confidence thing,” replied Holly. She waved her glass at me. “Sexy. Don’t you agree, Caitlin?”
“It can be.” I meant to be guarded, but the alcohol had loosened my tongue. “My ex looked hot in a suit, but he was still a shit.” I clapped a hand over my mouth. “Oops. I didn’t mean to say that.”
“Why not, if he was?” Holly looked at her glass of soda, but her gaze was unfocused. “I’ve dated guys like that, and they were all assholes. Give me Zack any day.” She grinned. “Zack in his birthday suit... Hubba hubba.”
“Dear God.” Jasper rolled his eyes. “I feel like sticking my fingers in my ears and chanting shut up. I don’t want to think about your boyfriend nekkid. You’re my big sister. You’re not supposed to think about sex.”
Holly met my gaze, and I snorted with laughter at her impish expression. Yup. This was the most fun I’d had in ages.
A tall, bearded guy stopped at our table, to speak to Holly and Jasper. The wine had left me in a mellow mood, and I sat back in my chair and watched them. It was noisy in the bar, and I wouldn’t be able to join their conversation without leaning forward, even if I wanted to.
Jasper’s face was all angles and shadows, his longish hair gleaming in the reflected sparkle from the hundreds of fairylights strung across the ceiling. His shoulders were broad, his stomach flat, and he filled his black T-shirt to perfection. Dark ink snaked under his short sleeves. Tribal tattoos? They were popular. How old was he? Holly was older, but not by much. If I had to guess, I’d put Jasper somewhere between twenty-three and twenty-six. With his bone structure, he’d age gracefully.
As though he felt me looking at him, he glanced back and caught me staring. Busted. My cheeks heated, but he gave me a faint smile, before returning to their conversation.
What would it be like to live here? To have Jasper and Holly as neighbors and friends? To hang out with them and eat pizza?
Lost in a fuzzy daydream, I realized belatedly that the bearded guy was gone and was replaced by a girl. Slender and elegant, she had long blonde hair that cascaded down her back, and a multitude of colored bangles adorned her arms. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and silver hoops caught the light when she moved. She bent down and said something to Jasper, a smile dancing across her heart-shaped face.
I was struck with how pretty she was.
Jasper nodded and replied to whatever she said, and the girl laughed. Placing one of her graceful hands on his arm, she spoke into his ear, and they both chuckled.
Maybe they were friends? Or she was an ex? Her flirting skills were advanced. She played with the trailing ends of her hair, and then touched her lips, her gaze fixed on his face all the while.
“Hey,” said Holly, snagging my attention. “We have a bottle of Polish vodka back home if you’d like to join us after we leave here.”
Did I? Maybe half an hour ago I’d have said yes, but sanity prevailed. The blonde straightened and turned to Holly, clearly waiting for her invitation too.
It was supremely petty of me, but I didn’t want to be introduced. She was everything I could never be, and it just underlined what a mess I was.
“Thanks, but I’ll pass,” I said, with just the right amount of regret in my voice. “I need to get back, and I fancy the walk. It looks mild out there.”
“Huh? We can drive you back,” said Jasper. “Don’t go, Caitlin.”
I’d already scrambled out of my seat, a grizzly bear next to this perfect waif. I could walk back to my cottage in under half an hour, and God knew I needed the exercise. I left some cash on the table for my share, said a rapid goodnight, and fled
I felt like an idiot before I reached the end of the road. I was having fun, and yet I sabotaged what could have been a great night. I was my own worst enemy sometimes. I couldn’t stay, though. Jasper was Mr. Gorgeous. Holly was stacked and pretty, and the blonde—with her delicate, ethereal beauty—could have been a model. I couldn’t sit there, sucking in my stomach and pretending I didn’t notice how out of place I was. Their spur-of-the-moment invitation stemmed from a sense of guilt, over his dogs scaring me. Nothing more.
I stomped along, ignoring the drizzle, and told myself I didn’t care.