Page 6 of Coming Home to Wishington Bay
‘I’d like to see you strap that on the bike,’ I said, pointing towards where his surfboard was propped up in a corner.
He laughed again and I smiled at the sound. ‘Yeah, that’s the only issue. Mostly I just surf here when the sea’s right but sometimes a group of us go somewhere, in which case I just grab a lift with a mate.’
‘What about shopping?’ I was nothing if not practical.
He smiled, apparently amused by the interrogation. ‘I’m not exactly a whizz in the kitchen so ready meals fit pretty well in my backpack.’
‘Surely that’s not all you eat.’ Going by how he looked, I was thinking more along the lines of ‘my body is a temple’ sort of food. From where I was sat, it was abundantly clear that Gabe’s body would be pretty damn easy to worship. I suddenly realised he was saying something.
‘Sorry?’
‘I just said, pretty much. Well, fruit and stuff too, but in the main …’ He obviously caught the look on my face and misinterpreted it. ‘I know it’s not ideal and I do want to try and get better. I’m just not that great at cooking. I need to try and find some time to practise a bit more. Last time I tried, it didn’t work out too well.’ His face had taken on a bit of a sheepish look that, if possible, made him look even more attractive.
‘Oh dear. Well, why don’t you start with something really simple? Like boiling an egg?’
‘That’s what didn’t work out too well.’
‘Boiling an egg?’
He pulled a face and I couldn’t help the smile that teased the corners of my mouth.
‘I know! I can qualify as a doctor, but I can’t boil an egg.’
‘What happened exactly?’
‘It got left on for a little bit too long, I think. A colleague rang me and we got stuck into discussing a case. By the time I remembered the egg, you could have used it to play cricket with.’
‘Oh dear!’ I said again, laughing.
‘Pathetic, eh?’
‘No! Not at all. It happens to the best of us. And it wasn’t like you got distracted by something inane.’ Like watching videos of cute puppies on YouTube. Yep. I definitely wasn’t ready to share that deeply yet. I smiled up at him. He returned it and then shoved himself away from the banister.
‘I’d better get a move on.’
‘Hot date?’Please, please tell me I didn’t say that out loud.
‘Something like that.’ He grinned.
Oh God. It was out loud.
Avoiding his eyes and glancing down at my phone, I jumped up. ‘Is that the time?’ I said, quickly grabbing my stuff off the lounger. ‘Sorry. I’m running a bit late.’
‘Hot date?’ He returned the question and I felt myself blush from my bare feet upwards.
I paused and turned back briefly, rolling my eyes. ‘Oh, I really hope not,’ I said, before dashing back into the house and running upstairs to the shower.
Chapter 3
In the past, my brother and his wife had made a variety of attempts to set me up on dates. Clearly, they considered my ability to choose men with about the same level of disillusionment as I did myself. Unfortunately, their choices for me also often left something to be desired, so perhaps it was a family trait. Although, thinking about it, Gigi had managed to choose a pretty wonderful man for herself, and Mum couldn’t have picked anyone who would have worshipped her more. Then there was Ned, my brother, who had a gorgeous, funny and very loving wife whom I adored. OK then, so it was just me with the crappy taste. Good to know.
They hadn’t specifically said they were setting me up with anyone this time. They never did. A friend just always ‘happened’ to be free so they’d ‘invited him along’. I’m pretty sure they knew I didn’t believe a word of it but they continued to try. Which was sweet of them but I really had no interest in meeting anyone. By now I was completely fed up with my inability to find a decent man so it just seemed like the best plan was not to bother even attempting it.
I’d come to this decision when my last relationship had ended spectacularly badly around eighteen months ago after I’d found out my boyfriend was ‘technically’ still seeing someone else. This revelation came about when his ‘technical’ other girlfriend walked in to the restaurant where the company Christmas do was being held. It wasn’t pretty. I’d walked out, head held high, and hadn’t crumpled until I was safe within the walls of my own flat.
But the whole thing had hurt like hell because he’d been so wonderfully handsome and charming, and I’d really, really liked him. I’d trusted him and let him into my heart. It was something I’d been so careful about before but Paul had said all the right words, done all the right things, and I’d believed him. The error of that particular judgement had been painful in its proving and I had absolutely no intention of making a similar mistake ever again.
‘Four place settings,’ I said, unable to keep the sigh out of my voice as I picked up a fork from the table and began twirling it in my fingers.
