“Are Zoey and Caleb together?” Curiosity got the better of me. “She’s asked me to do some photos of her in a couple of weeks.”
Finn shrugged. “No one knows. They’ve been friends since they were kids.”
“Teenagers, you mean.” Gully corrected him. “They met when Roman first moved here and they’ve stayed in touch. But I think they’re just friends.”
“Probably with benefits.” Finn shook his head. “You can’t be friends like they are and not have something going on. No way.” He looked from me to Gully and shrugged, shaking his head again but at me and his brother now. “Where are you going to stay?”
“Good question.” I stared at Gully. “Because he’s not told me yet.”
“I’ve booked a hotel room.” He folded his arms, and struck a casual pose.
“Just one?” Finn’s grin was shit-eating. He looked from Gully to me. “Where?”
“York. Two nights. Can you put Mavis’ bins out on Thursday? I said you’d do it for me.” He frowned and tugged at a lock of hair.
I loved how he was so considerate of Mavis. They had a funny relationship as she really didn’t like most people and made an exception for Gully. I’d already had a warning off her not to mess him about, followed by a hand knitted baby’s blanket in a sunny yellow, which I really liked, even though it was a little too soon. I’d shown it to Gully and put it away in a drawer, hoping that all went well and we’d be using it in another few months.
Outside Gully’s family and Amelie, Mavis was the only other person who knew I was pregnant, for another couple of weeks anyway. Clover had even managed to keep it quiet.
“No probs. I’ll check on her while I’m there too.” He stood up, eyeing his offspring. “They’re sleeping. Can I leave them here?”
“How long for,” Gully said, frowning.
Finn shrugged. “Till you come back from York. Elias can fend for him and Elsie. They won’t trash the place. Honest.”
Gully slowly shook his head. “Take your children home, Finn.”
Finn shrugged. “Ruby’s going to kill me for letting them nap now. They’ll be up late tonight.”
“See if Roe will babysit and take Ruby out for dinner.”
Finn grinned. “Good idea. A cousin sleepover.”
We didn’t end up at the same restaurant as Ruby and Finn, although Finn did manage to con Roe into having Elsie and Elias for a sleepover. Gully was really entertained by the whole thing, especially when we were leaving at seven o’clock, which was Elias’ usual bedtime and Roe was complaining on the family text thread that Elias and Elsie were still up and very active.
No one heard anything from Finn, Freyaor Ruby.
We went to a restaurant in Rhosneigr that was based in a hotel, the food tasty and upmarket, the service discreet and polite.
“How come we’ve gone out for dinner? As in out-out?” I was dressed in what I’d call date clothes, making an effort for a long list of reasons.
Gully sat back in his chair, his gaze on me, studying. “I wanted to take you somewhere different.”
“Why?”
“Because I thought we’d enjoy being somewhere that isn’t Puffin Bay.” His eyes were making my skin burn. If only I could read his mind.
His leg brushed against mine under the table, stopping next to it. He’d been a perfect gentleman this evening, opening my car door, holding an umbrella over me so I didn’t get wet getting to the car and then to the restaurant, pulling out my chair.
He looked the part too, wearing smart trousers and a button-down shirt that I hadn’t seen before, the cuffs rolled up so I could see his forearms, dusted with dark hair, corded with muscle from running and playing football and gym work with his brothers.
I wondered if he was showing that flesh on purpose.
I wondered if he knew it was cat-nip for pregnant women.
I swallowed, aware that his leg was still touching mine. “Is this a date?”
“Might be.” There was that lopsided grin that made women swoon.
