“Well, no?—”
“I’d be happy to be your guide,” he said.
“Out of the goodness of your heart?” I asked, unable to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.
“No, as a date.” I went perfectly still at his words, my heart pounding as he made a close inspection of me. “Troy will have you working from dawn to dusk without even a thank you. You’ll never get to… sample the delights of our region.”
I barely heard what he was saying, because my mother’s words echoed inside my head instead.
“You need to start dating again,” she said after the fifth month of my post-rejection breakdown.
“What?” I shot her a dark look. “I would literally rather die.”
“You never got a chance to play the field back in high school.” She looked almost apologetic. “When it seemed you and Alex…” The way I tensed stopped her from saying much more about my ex. “Not dating to get into a relationship or marriedor whatever, but just get yourself back out there. Meet people. Have fun. It doesn’t have to be that serious.”
“You’re asking me out on a date?”
With my sweaty brow and stringy hair, I wasn’t sure what the appeal was, but Beau smiled slowly.
“This is a small place and everyone knows everybody.” He nodded at me. “So it’s hard to find someone who isn’t my cousin three times removed,” he said. “You’re not related to the Scottish Argyles, are you? From around Loch Shiel? Because if you are, I take back my offer.”
I smiled despite myself.
“No, I believe the James family came from around Surrey, England,” I replied.
“Oh, well, that’s alright then. So, Mackenzie James, I’d love to introduce you to the phenomenon that is a counter meal.”
“Counter meal…?” I asked.
“Named because meals used to be served on the bar to patrons who were drinking at the pub, but we’ve gotten all fancy now and people sit at tables and chairs to eat. There’s a wide range to select from, as long as you like a chicken parma, steak, or stew.”
His grin was infectious, and while I didn’t think there was any real chemistry here, the twinkle in those blue eyes, the way his dimple popped in his cheek, made clear the eye candy would make the evening worth it.
“Sure,” I said. “I look forward to working out what the hell a chicken parma is.”
“Chicken parmigiana,” he explained. Nugget had obviously finished eating, as he appeared at my feet and then eyed Beau. Letting out a guttural growl, the wombat was doing a very good impression of a guard dog. Beau eyed the beast and then started for the door. “Give me your number and we’ll work out the details.”
“Nugget!” I had to stop the wombat lunging for him, but when we got outside, I took Beau’s phone and put in my new number. “What the hell has gotten into you?” I asked the marsupial when I walked back inside the rescue once Beau had driven off. “He seemed to have a pretty good opinion of himself, but that’s not enough to go all attack wombat on him.”
The beast looked up at me, then gave an unrepentant huff.
“If he sits and talks about himself all night, maybe.” I shrugged. “Or decides he’s fallen out of love with me and doesn’t have the balls to say anything until it way too late, then feel free to maul the asshole, but…” I glanced back at the door. “It’s not going to get to that point. I just need to start putting myself back out there, and now’s as good as time as any.”
The wombat stared at me, then turned around and ambled away, because apparently this conversation was over. Suitably dismissed, I picked up the spade and went to work.
I was living the dream, I thought later that night. Looking after gorgeous native animals during the day and at night… Staring into the mirror as I finished off my makeup, I stepped back and surveyed the result. I had a couple of cute dresses in my bag, as well as my favourite boots, and it felt good to be wearing them again. Hell, maybe there’d be some dancing at this pub of Beau’s. As I smoothed my hands down the front of my skirt, it all came back.
I liked going out and eating great food from food trucks. Dancing late as I stared up at the sky, counting each star as I was swirled around the dance floor. I liked the feeling of getting dressed up, every little primp an act of self-care. I’d abandoned all of it in the wake of Alex’s rejection, and that was a mistake. He was the weak asshole who wasn’t even man enough to tell me he was having second thoughts about our wedding. No longer doing the things I liked because he left me was just hurting myself more and I was done with that. Exiting the bathroom,I walked out to find the Drysdale family clustered around the dining table, ready to sit down to eat.
“Are you going out?” Charlie asked, hoisting higher the bag she was carrying containing the new joey. “You look pretty! Give us a whirl.”
I spun around, feeling my skirts flare out.
“I feel pretty for the first time in ages,” I replied.
“Going where?”
That deep growl, I didn’t even need to look his way to know it was Troy.
