Page 7 of The Vow We Made
Luke unsubtly nods towards the beautiful brunette now talking animatedly with her friends. “You know, if you got yourself a permanent girlfriend, it would give you a reason to come home at night.” If Luke had some authority on the subject, I’d listen, but his dating history is not the best and I laugh it off. Girlfriends never last long-term.
“What's the point? Half the time I work nights and that's a problem.”
“Alright then, let’s play devil’s advocate. What if the woman of your dreams walked through the door right now?”
What if she already has? Of course, I don’t say it out loud, and instead, cover my tracks. “It’s unlikely.” I smile while mopping up my egg yolk with a large slice of bread.
“I’m sure any woman in her right mind couldn’t resist your suave bedside manner.”
Now he’s definitely taking the piss. “You still talking?” I ask and Luke huffs out a laugh followed by a middle finger salute.
They’re joking but their points are good. Dedicating every minute to my career isn’t making me happy. Something has to give and joining the private sector is an option I might have to think about in the future, but for right now, something else has all my attention. The brunette. I’m constantly catching a sneaky look past Will’s shoulder just to get a quick glimpse of her fresh, beautiful face.
As if my prayers are answered, she glances over her shoulder as if she’s seeking me out. Our eyes link briefly, there’s a smile on her perfect pink lips, then she turns back to her conversation. That’s the only signal I need and as the boys said, I should be enjoying myself.Fuck it.I’ve made up my mind.
Will pipes up, “So come on, if it’s nothing to do with a woman, why are you blowing us out tonight?”
I take a mouthful of tea then answer, “Working, double shift. That’s the NHS for you. Too many patients, not enough staff.” Then I call over to the lad who was serving us, “Can I borrow a pen mate and some of that paper?” He takes a biro from behind his ear and rips a sheet of paper from his pad.
While I’m writing my number Will jabbers on. He’s still pissed off I’m not meeting them later. “I don’t understand why you do it, you don’t get paid enough as it is.”
I’m not talking about it until I know what I want, so I brush his comment under the carpet. “Sometimes Will, it’s not all about the money.” I finish off my breakfast and push my chair back from the table with a screech that goes right through my teeth and I’m not the only one.
“Mate!” Luke shouts, followed by Will’s not exactly quiet, “For fuck’s sake bruv.”
“Sorry boys.” I take a twenty out of my wallet and put it under my mug before slapping their heads as I pass.
“See you later!” Luke shouts while Will raises his hand and salutes, but both of them don’t realise what I’m about to do. I love these boys. They’re idiots, but they’re my family and sometimes, as much as I hate to admit it, they talk a lot of sense.
VICTORIA
“We’re waiting for the juice, sweetie,” Bronte says but Steph isn’t willing to give any details.
“Be patient. If I have something to tell, you will be the first.” Bronte and Faith don't notice her eyes flicker to the table behind, but I do and can sense there's more than a one-night stand involved.
“So tell me everything about that gorgeous looking man over there, are you going on a date or—” Steph says while waving at the waiter and doing a great job of deflecting from her own encounter.
“We had a bit of a collision outside which resulted in this happening.” I pout and hold up the broken remains of my phone as evidence. “I hate to shatter any hopes, but he was returning the twenty which devastatingly fell from inside my bra when I attempted to collect bits of my phone from the pavement. That’s it. There was no chatting up or anything out of the ordinary and I doubt I’ll ever see him again.”
“Oh I think you just might,” Faith sings, placing her tongue in her cheek and folding her arms. She’s seen the tall figure standing behind me.
The large hands are back and they’re offering me a note. “It’s been preying on my mind, so give me a call and I’ll pay for your phone.”
Slowly, my eyes drift towards that beautifully defined jaw of his. “I don’t expect you to pay anything. It wasn’t your fault.”
As if there were only the two of us here, I let myself drift towards his hypnotic pull, until whatever just happened between us, is bluntly lost. His two friends aren’t making it easy for him.
“Thought you were giving up women!” one shouts while the other coughs, “Bullshit.”
If they were out to embarrass him, it isn’t working. He firmly places the paper into my palm, wrapping his hand around mine. Our fingers crush together so we’re gripping the note between us; his other hand wraps over the top.
He leans forward and whispers in my ear, “Then call me anyway.” He smirks and I keep my eyes glued to his broad back when he heads to the exit but not before giving his friends the finger in reply to their wolf whistles.
I sneak a peek at the note in my hand. Along with his number, he’s left a message.
I’m sorry.Call when you’re ready. I’d like to make it up to you.
Aiden James
