Page 40 of Bracing The Storm

Call me delusional, but at some point I thought he did too.

Whatever this was, I don’t want it to end.

I clear my throat. “Thanks for driving me, Patrick. I really appreciate it. I’d like to repay you.” I cringe at my weak attempt at a double entendre. I hope he can see the invitation and ask for something in return, like dinner or a repeat of that kiss.

Actually, forget dinner.

Who needs food anyway? I’d settle for a bit of fondling any time.

Our eyes connect and a soft smile appears on his lips. “No need. You owe me nothing. And I’ll throw in your free departure as well. I could take you to the airport right now, if you want. Have the rest of your belongings FedExed to you. Or even better, I’ll write you a check and you can buy yourself a completely new wardrobe.”

I laugh, realizing Patrick Walsh can be quite funny. Maybe he didn’t deserve to be called the Grump after all. “Look at you. Seems like you’re not as bitter and grumpy as I thought you were.”

His eyes bore into me, holding me pinned to the spot, while his gaze seems to freeze over. It’s so cold, I wouldn’t be surprised to find the nearby ocean covered in a thick layer of ice.

My laughter dies in my throat and my heart takes a nosedive. “Oh, you weren’t joking.”

“You thought I’m bitter? I’m not bitter. I’m not a mug of badly-brewed ale.”

A what?

“Sorry, I’m not familiar with your terminology. Whatever that means, you could have fooled me though.”

I struggle to open the truck door, and curse under my breath when I realize it’s still stuck and I can’t pry it open no matter how hard I push. Patrick leans over to open it, trying his damnedest not to touch me in the process.

I’m relieved when I can finally step out and slam the door with as much force as I can. His gaze is on me, burning a hole in my back, as I head for my lawyer, ignoring Patrick’s gaze burning a hole in my back.

Chapter Thirteen

“Good news. My assistant’s finally got a hold of Judge Morris. He’s promised to look at the documents within a week, two tops, and schedule an appointment with me. The ball’s finally rolling. Don’t forget our plans for Saturday next week. I look forward to showing you the biggest attraction here.”

Duncan’s words keep echoing in my mind as I rush around Sinead’s café, selling freshly baked hot cross buns and other mouthwatering goods while keeping a vacant smile plastered to my face.

The ball’s finally rolling.

Does that mean I’ll be gone sooner than I thought?

I can’t dwell on that, not when I don’t know how I feel about it.

Luckily for me, it’s a busy day with customers hurrying in and out every few minutes so no one notices my tension.

People seem on edge today. No one’s keen on lingering more than necessary and the box of bestselling books I unpacked this morning stays untouched for the best part of the day.

“It’s the weather.” Sinead points at the window and the overcast sky outside, as though reading my mind. “It makespeople want to stay at home, tucked in with a hot cuppa and a nice piece of cake. I can’t blame them; I’d do the same if I didn’t have a business to run. Storms around here can be quite nasty. We’ve even had roofs flying off houses. People don’t feel like immersing themselves in a good book when they have other things to worry about.” She catches my anxious glance and pats my hand reassuringly. “Oh, no. You’ll be fine. It’s not going to be so bad this time.”

I return her smile even though I’m not convinced she’s not playing it all down.

The heavy, dark clouds have been there for the last few days, sincethatkiss, to be more precise. If I were superstitious I’d say it’s a sign telling me that I made a complete fool of myself and I’m officially an idiot.

I have no other words to describe myself other than that my brain must have deserted me when I put myself in that situation in the first place. Patrick’s dislike of me has been evident on more than one occasion. The kiss meant nothing. He got caught up in the moment while I almost threw myself at him, reading too much into the whole situation.

It was just a kiss, Lori! Albeit an earth-shattering one.

As I greeted my lawyer, Patrick’s truck dashed past, and I haven’t seen him since. It’s been a few days. Yes, I’ve been counting, getting more irritated by the hour that he would so blatantly avoid me. It’s none of my business where he’s spending his time. I shouldn’t be keeping track of his comings and goings. He owes me no explanation just because we live in the same house and kissedonce.

I know that and yet?—

Seriously, where the heck is he?

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