‘Not a good one?’
‘Not unless you enjoy being swept off your feet only to be ghosted a few days later.’
‘Thanks for the heads-up,’ said Kitty. ‘I will steer clear.’ Despite her misgivings, she smiled. Alice was warm and funny, but unassuming with it. Kitty decided that in another life they might have been friends.
She followed Alice to a decked area overlooking the sea. For a minute she paused, looking around at the occupied tables. Then, a handsome man at the far end of the terrace waved, and a smile lit up Alice’s face.
‘There they are. Come on.’
As they neared the table, Kitty’s nerves intensified. She couldn’t tell if they were an echo of the past, believing what she was doing was forbidden, or if it was because she was so out of practice at spending time in the company of men. It might have been easier if the men in question were unattractive, but to Kitty’s disappointment, they were the opposite.
When they stood, she saw they were both around six feet. That was where the similarities ended. Where one was blond and blue-eyed, the other’s hair was chestnut, the hazel of his eyes almost disappearing into black as he scanned Kitty from head totoe. She bristled, glad she was wearing jeans and an old T-shirt, and nothing remotely revealing.
‘Nice to meet you,’ said the blond man, holding out his hand. ‘I’m Luke.’
‘Kitty. Pleased to meet you.’
The darker man locked eyes with her and held out his hand. ‘Nick.’
In the brief pause before she accepted his outstretched hand, Kitty noticed Nick’s eyes narrow. His face relaxed as she shook his hand and introduced herself. Uncomfortable under his appreciative gaze, Kitty turned to Alice. ‘What would you like to drink?’
‘I’ll get these.’ Luke pulled his wallet from his back pocket. ‘What’s your tipple, Kitty?’
‘I’ll have a glass of merlot, please.’
‘Coming right up. Alice?’
‘Did you notice what special beers they’ve got on tap today?’
‘No, sorry. Why don’t you come with me?’
Alice glanced from Kitty to Nick. She must have decided Kitty would be safe for five minutes because she took Luke’s hand and they wandered off to the bar.
‘Here,’ said Nick, pulling out a chair.
‘I’ll sit here if you don’t mind.’ She sat beside him rather than opposite, unwilling to be in his line of sight for an entire evening. What was it about good-looking men that made them think they had the right to control everything and everyone around them? If Nick thought she’d go weak at the knees over a pretty face, he was very much mistaken. Kitty couldn’t help but smile to herself, picturing the past five years of hell draped across her shoulders like an invisible shield.
‘Welcome to Saffron Bay,’ drawled Nick, tilting his pint glass to her before taking a sip. He was left with a frothy moustache, which he didn’t notice, and Kitty wasn’t about to point it out.
‘Thank you.’ She shifted her seat to create more distance between them. ‘Have you lived here long?’
‘All my life.’
‘You’ve never left?’ Her eyebrows rose, curious despite herself.
‘Why would anyone leave somewhere like this?’ Nick pointed to the view. The broad white-toothed smile was still on his face, but there was a defensive tone to his voice.
‘So, what is it you do? I can’t imagine there are many job opportunities in a village this small.’
Nick coughed and took another sip of his pint. ‘This and that. Enough to keep me out of trouble… most of the time.’
As he winked at her, Kitty rolled her eyes and surreptitiously checked her watch. How soon could she leave without appearing rude?
Nick fiddled with the beer mat in front of him. ‘Luke said you work at the school?’
‘Yes,’ said Kitty. ‘I’m a teacher.’
‘And have you moved to Saffron Bay by yourself?’
