Page 8 of Love Me Ever After
She didn’t end up coming out for dinner with us.
When I rolled in something after one in the morning—Luke, Fraser and I had managed to persuade the landlord in our favourite pub to do a lock in to celebrate me coming back to Ealynn Sands—I went straight into the kitchen to get some water to temper my impending hangover.
Ems stood at the sink, running the tap.
My gaze swept over her.
She was dressed in a tight vest top which clung to her breasts, nipples clearly visible through the thin material, and lacy knickers. Her dark hair was wound up on top of her head in a messy ponytail-slash-bun. Her skin was fresh scrubbed, eyes puffed with sleepiness, her cheeks splotched with splashes of rose.
She still looked fucking amazing.
“Hey,” I slurred. “We missed you tonight.”
“Really? I doubt that very much.” Her tone was cold enough to make ice cubes for her water. She turned the tap off and stalked past me to go upstairs.
My booze-addled brain forgot to tell my dick not to react to the sight of her peach of an arse encased in bright pink lace.
Fuck. Living here was going to be hard.
4
Ems
It had beena long week since Mason had moved in.
Each night, I ended up working later or hanging around the hotel to get some food just to avoid him. Still cross with Sara for not discussing it with me first, I hadn’t spoken much to her either. But I was getting bored of going to my room each night and watching Netflix on my laptop. Lounging on the sofa seemed like a dim and distant memory.
I’d been working my arse off making sure everything for the Lane & Parks Recruitment event was ready. Every time an email from Barbara Smyth-Hall landed in my inbox, I held my breath wondering what she wanted to change or amend. Mostly it was names for the accommodation list, but I still harboured the fear they’d changed their minds and would be having it somewhere in London instead.
By the time Friday came around, I was ready for the weekend. Lunch with Georgie Cavanagh beckoned. We’d become close friends after she’d been involved with my last successful event—Fortunes for Favours—and she would be opening a restaurant soon with Marcus Goldstein, the former Head Chef here at the hotel. We’d also shared our dating woes and I’d given her advice on getting together with Alex Kane, Sonya’s son. The couple were now seriously loved up and I couldn’t help but get a little green-eyed when I was around them. Hopefully she’d be able to provide me with some words of wisdom on my situation with Mason.
Not that there was really any sort of situation.
He’d moved in and we hadn’t spoken, except for a brief meeting on his first night at the house.
My feelings about everything Mason-related were confused and I didn’t know how to handle them.
“I’m heading out for lunch soon,” I told Sonya. “Might be a little longer than an hour. I’m meeting Georgie.”
“How’s the restaurant coming along? I haven’t seen Alex in a while to ask him.”
“I’ll probably get an update now, so I’ll tell you when I get back.”
Sonya leaned back in her chair. “It’ll have to wait until Monday. I’ve got a meeting with a possible new supplier this afternoon.”
Convenient, I thought. A Friday afternoon meetingoffsitewhen it was a glorious late spring day. Pound to a pinch of shit it was at the pub. Still, it gave me the opportunity to skive off a bit too so I shouldn’t really complain. I pushed back my chair and stood up. “Okay, have a good one.”
“Can you also give me the latest update on the Lane & Parks event and brief me on Monday? I want to check everything’s on track.”
This event was so important to us, I’d tell her what she needed to know any time she asked. “Sure. I’ll pull something together this afternoon.” I leaned down and grabbed my bag, slipping my phone into it. “I’ll see you later.”
The blessed relief of escaping from the hotel, even if only for a short while, slid over me like a comfortable cloak. Honestly, most of the time I loved my job, but it did feel good to get out and about.
I took my time in walking to The Blue Goose, knowing I’d left a bit earlier than necessary. Seeing the people milling around on the embankment, pointing at boats on the river or feeding the seagulls always gave me an extra bounce in my step. It almost made me wish I was on holiday too so I could join in. I loved this time of year, just before peak tourist season and everything went crazy.
Georgie was already at the cafe when I got there. She’d secured one of the prime tables by the window and had the menu in her hand, scrutinising it like she planned to sit an exam on the contents.
“Hey, Ems.” She waved me forward to where she was already halfway through her drink. “Sorry, I had to get out of the restaurant. Marcus is driving me nuts with all his thoughts on menu choices.” She twirled her finger in the universal sign for crazy. “I thought we were meant to be keeping it simple, but he keeps thinking of alternatives. My mind is blown by how many different ways he wants to serve chicken.”
