Amber sat up and swung her long legs off the deck chair where she’d been reclining. She placed both feet on the tiles and, leaning her elbows on her knees, commanded Harry’s attention. She shook her head and tsked. “Now Harry, I thought we were friends—”
“We are!” Harry hurried to put his drink down and sat up to face Amber.Jesus!The last thing he wanted was to upset her. She was justsonice.
“Good.” Amber said. “Now, here’s the thing…” She looked around before focusing back on Harry and leaning even closer. “I probably shouldn’t be saying any of this but… but I know that Evan likes you back.”
“Of course he does,” Harry hurried to say. “We’ve been friendly since working together. Colleagues, friends—”
“No, I don’t mean as friends, Harry.”
Harry stiffened at her words. “What? No! I’m sure you’re misreading the situation. I mean… you… Evan…”
“It’s okay, Harry.” She placed a hand on his knee. “I want to tell you something.”
“Oh?”Oh, God. What does she want to say?Scenarios flew through his mind, all of them ending with him being tossed off the show. Not that he minded about the damn show, but the drama and John’s reaction didn’t bear thinking about. And what about Evan and their friendship? The very thought of losing his friendship, a friendship that they’d just started to build, turned Harry’s blood cold.
She leaned closer, her voice low. “Evan and I aren’t really dating. He agreed to come on the cruise and appear on the show with me because he’s the best friend a girl could have.”
Huh?Now, that was the last thing he’d expected her to say. Maybe to say she was aware of his crush and to warn him off Evan, but to make a statement like that? Not what he was prepared for at all. His brows drew together in confusion. “What?”
She dropped her voice to a whisper. “We’re pretending. There’s nothing between us more than friendship.”
“You’re not dating?”
She gave a small laugh and shook her head. “Never have. Never will.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Harry’s thoughts raced a mile a minute as he tried to keep up with what she was saying.
“Because I can tell there’s something between the two of you, at least the beginning of something, and the last thing I want to do is be the reason it doesn’t go any further. Evan deserves something special, and I have a feeling you do too.”
“But aren’t you risking being found out and getting disqualified?”
She shrugged. “Maybe? Possibly? But really, what does it matter? Some things are worth taking a risk for, aren’t they?”
“But what… what makes…” Harry cleared his throat. “What makes you think I’d be interested,couldbe interested? I’m here with John.”
Amber gave another shrug. “I don’t know what’s going on with you two, but I’d have to have my head in the sand not to notice that things aren’t right between you—”
“I—”
She raised a finger to her lips. “No need to tell me, but there is one thing I do want to say. You seem like a great guy, Harry, and I know Evan is a fabulous judge of character, so if he gives you his tick of approval then you have mine too. And that means you deserve more. I really hope you don’t settle; you deserve the best.”
She gave his knee another pat, then reclined on her sun lounge.
Harry turned his attention back to the pool where Evan was once again diving for the ball, but his focus wasn’t on the game. It was on all the possibilities. But he couldn’t really chance it, could he?
11
Evan stoodat the doorway to the outside deck. He could see Harry at the railing, forearms crossed on the timber balustrade as he leaned forward and stared out to sea. He cut a damn fine figure in a pair of pale chinos that were rolled up at the ankle and paired with a white linen shirt hanging over the top—the very epitome of a seasoned traveller in his resort wear—GQ-style, of course. The light breeze tousled his hair and lifted the hem of his shirt, but Harry didn’t move. He appeared lost in thought, and Evan was reluctant to disturb him, to interrupt his quiet moment.
What was he going to say anyway?
He’d spent much of the day mulling over what he should do about the John situation, if anything. He wanted to spill everything to Harry, to recount what happened with him and John on the deck the day before but kept second-guessing himself.What if I am reading into it, trying to see the things I want to see? What if I interpreted John’s attentions as flirting because Iwanthim to be a bad guy?But even if he discounted the incident, there was so much more about John that made him an arsehole in Evan’s book. John was one of the most selfish men he’d ever come across, shallow and inconsiderate, and Harry deserved so much better. Surely Harry needed to know about John? And if he did, he could make up his own mind about how to handle it.
The thing that puzzled Evan was how Harry hadn’t seen it for himself before now. Sure, John could put on the charm when he needed to, however it didn’t take long to see beneath the surface to the man he truly was.Why the hell is Harry with him? Does he not see the kind of man he is, and if he does, why the fuck doesn’t he leave?
He sighed.I should probably mind my own business.
Harry turned, and Evan could spot the moment he saw him in the doorway; Harry smiled and held up a hand in greeting.
