Page 35 of You Only Live Once
‘It can’t have been that long ago,’ he said smoothly, and I laughed.
‘I see the cheesy lines run in the family, although Jack’s travels have improved him on that front.’ Edward took a seat next to me, looking at me as if studying a specimen under a microscope.
‘I was sure I knew all the pretty women in the village, so how did you escape my notice?’
‘Just lucky, I guess.’ I grinned, thanking him for the juice and taking a sip. He paused for a moment before letting loose a hearty laugh.
‘And unlucky for me, it would appear. Perhaps, as I seem to be a disadvantage, you might tell me your name.’
‘But it’s so much more fun this way.’
He laughed again and made to step off the stool. ‘I will beg if I have to in front of all these people.’
‘Don’t think for a moment I won’t pour this drink over you if you even try.’
‘Oh, I don’t doubt it for a second, but please, tell me your name.’
‘Surely you recognise Lily Madison, little brother.’ Jack slung an arm loosely around his brother’s shoulder. ‘You had a big enough crush on her growing up.’
Edward’s eyes widened. ‘Lily Madison?’
‘The same. Although it’s actually Thomas now.’
‘Oh. You’re married.’
‘Yes. Well.’ I cleared my throat as I tried not to notice Jack nudge and frown at his brother. ‘Widowed, actually.’
‘Oh God, yes, of course. I remember hearing about it now. I’m so sorry. You must think I’m a completely insensitive idiot.’
I smiled and briefly touched his arm, reassuring him that I was fine. He gave me an awkward smile. ‘No wonder you weren’t impressed with my chat-up lines and the upper-crust accent.’
‘Yes, I’m afraid you’ll have to find someone who doesn’t know all the old Coulsdon-Hart tricks for that.’
‘The night is young, little brother.’
‘The trouble is most of the women around here have had their hearts broken by this oaf and no one wants anything to do with me purely because I have the same surname. Honestly, he ruined my life.’
‘If it makes you feel better, he didn’t break my heart.’
‘Really? That’s very interesting.’ Edward looked up towards Jack. Jack pulled a face.
‘Nope. I think we all had a little crush on him, but that was just par for the course. Teenage hormones and all that, but once you grow up, you want something a little more… substantial.’ I looked up at Jack, smiling sweetly.
He parried my look. ‘I’ve told you I can see straight through that sweet outer casing. There’s a hard, harsh woman hiding in there.’
‘I don’t believe a word of it,’ Edward defended me gallantly.
‘Did you really have a crush on me?’ I asked.
‘Oh God, yes. Huge.’
‘Why did you never come and say hello?’
‘I was quite shy back then, if you can believe it. And, of course, I had this one’s shadow looming over me like Rudolph Valentino most of the time. A couple of the girls I did ask out only went out with me so that they could get to Jack. I sort of gave up after that. I did plan to ask you out at the fête one year, but then I saw you going up to Jack.’
‘Oh God, did you really?’ A fresh wave of teenage humiliation washed over me.
He looked at me from under his lashes. ‘Yeah.’
