It had seen better days and he wasn’t sure whether it would take any weight, including his own. He wasn’t sure his and Jake’s relationship could take the weight either.
“What was all that about? Or shouldn’t I ask?”
Her voice was low and sultry. He looked up to see her standing between two trees, wearing a pretty floral dress and denim jacket that gave her a soft but edgy look that he liked. He liked everything on her. He always had, except when he’d thought she didn’t like him.
“Jake fucked things up. I know that even if he hadn’t fed me a load of bullshit, we still might not have gotten together. But as per usual, he was thinking about himself.”
“I thought we were moving on from it? I need to know that you can move on and accept that people make mistakes, Scott. I need that.”
He looked at her, the spring breeze blowing her hair behind her. “I can now I’ve said my piece.”
“I’m not sure you said anything. Unless you count your fists as being able to speak.”
“Yeah, well.” He looked at his hands; his knuckles were starting to swell. He needed to ice them.
“You want me to help you get something on those?” She nodded towards his hands. “And your face. You’ve got a bruise coming up on your jaw.”
“Not as bad as what Jake will have.” It was childish he knew, but he couldn’t resist pointing it out. Jake had fought back hard, but had they not been dragged off each other, Jake would’ve been the one to end up on the floor.
“That’s not the point.”
“Jake liked you. He didn’t want me to ask you out because you’d turned him down.”
Keren nodded. “I know. Rayah sounded me out about him. I didn’t realise why. He was my best friend’s brother and as gorgeous as he always was, there was no chemistry there.”
“Is there still no chemistry there?”
“Jesus, Scott. I’ve been sleeping with you for the last two months. I no longer know that other men exist.”
She didn’t seem to see humour in what she’d said.
“You’ve been weird with me this week.”
She shook her head. “I’ve just been busy. A few things on my mind.”
“Tell me about them.” His temper had washed downstream now. He was more focused on Keren and looking after her.
“I can’t. I have a few things I need to figure out. I’m going to head back to the distillery. I haven’t eaten since breakfast and there’s a decent spread laid out. I may as well eat some of the donations I made through buying those bloody scarves.” Gran and the coven had knitted scarves which they’d sold – frequently multiple units of – to locals and tourists to fund part of the gin project. There wasn’t a female in the town that didn’t have one of them.
“I’m going to head home. I’m not feeling like being the centre of entertainment and knowing Jake he’ll be in the thick of it, telling tall tales.”
“He isn’t that bad, Scott.”
Her words made him feel the fire start again inside. He didn’t want her sticking up for Jake, even if she was being reasonable. “I know. But right now, I don’t want to be near him. I don’t know when I’m going to want to be near him.”
“He doesn’t feel anything for me any more…”
“How do you know that? Have you asked him?”
“No, but…”
Scott rubbed his beard, the bruise on his jaw feeling tender. It needed ice and he needed to get the hell home. “I feel shit, Key.”
“You really hit him.”
“I don’t feel shit because of that. I feel shit because he liked you and it was me who had you. Has you. I hope I still have you.”
She didn’t smile and he felt an edge of dread creep over him. Had he blown it? Having a temper wasn’t the most attractive of characteristics, although his was pretty rare.
