“Relax, I’m taking precautions.”
Ashley’s gaze drifted away and Olivia frowned. “You’re looking shifty.”
“I’m not.” Her sister blew out a breath, then met her eyes again through the screen. “Okay, don’t shout, but I contacted the restaurant where Connor works.”
“Connor?” Her heart began to pound.
“I know you agreed not to see each other, but it doesn’t mean I can’t see him,” Ashley protested. “I remembered where he said he worked and thought it would be a good place to meet my date for the first time. You’re the one who kept badgering me about safety. What could be safer than a restaurant with a six-foot-three ripped chef to act as my bodyguard?”
So many thoughts and feelings tumbled through her, she didn’t know where to start.Ashley was going to see Connor. Okay, it seemed that was where she was starting. “Does he know you’re coming?”
“Oh, yes, we had a lovely chat. Said he’d be honored to be my protector. And he’d check the guy out to make sure he was good enough for me,” her sister added with a hint of smug.
She couldn’t even be cross with Ashley; she was too proud of her. Since Connor had helped her regain her confidence at the wedding, she’d been determined to get out there again. “How did he sound?” She immediately regretted the question.
Ashley gave her a knowing look. “He sounded like Connor. Easygoing, funny, charming, kind.” Her sister’s gaze zeroed in on her wrist. “I see you’re still wearing his bracelet.”
Olivia yanked her arm out of view. “I keep forgetting to take it off.”
“Sure you do. Just like you’re totally unbothered that I’ll be seeing him and you won’t.”
“I hope you have a good date,” Olivia replied calmly, ignoring the painful twist in her chest. “And I’m happy you’re going to his restaurant. I trust him to look out for you. But if I’d wanted to see him again, I would have contacted the restaurant, just as you have.” Had she googled it? Yes, three days after she’d arrived home, when every time she’d closed her eyes, she’d pictured his face. But then she’d started going into work earlier, coming home later, and the urge to see him had gone from a sharp pain to a dull ache.
Ashley sighed. “I thought the pair of you had something special going on, but obviously you’ve moved on, so I’ll shut up about him.”
“Good. Let me know the moment—”
“I hear about our new niece or nephew,” Ashley interrupted. “Of course I will.”
After ending the call, Olivia carefully and deliberately removed the bracelet from her wrist and slid it into her jewelry box.
Maybe if she no longer wore it, she’d no longer think about him.
Chapter 16
Connor opened the door to let his parents in. His dad gave him a perfunctory nod, his mum an absent-minded kiss on the cheek. Both of them were more focused on finding their granddaughter than on greeting him. Their remoteness used to upset him, but now he accepted it was just how things were. It was more important that they doted on Ellie.
“She’s watching TV,” he told them.
“No, I’m not!” Ellie poked her head around the door and gave them both a beaming smile. “Hello, Grandma and Granddad. Are you looking after me ’cause Dad has to work?”
“Yes, honey.” His mum enveloped his daughter in a fierce hug. He sometimes told himself her disappointment in him was wrapped up in the fact that she’d wanted a daughter after Matt. It hurt less that way.
“Why the late shift?” his dad asked after he’d tousled Ellie’s hair. Yes, his girl was so cute, so lovable, even his dad was smitten.
“Covering for Freya’s holiday.” It was a lie, but Connor wasn’t ready to get into a conversation about the real reason he’d swopped shifts with Freya to work tonight.
“I don’t like it when you work.” Ellie rushed up to him and threw her arms around his legs. “Andtonight was supposed to be pudding-menu night.”
A couple of years ago, Ellie had wandered downstairs, not able to sleep, and found him in the kitchen experimenting with menus. She’d been so interested, he’d let her stay up later than he should’ve, talking his thoughts through with her, enjoying the way she watched him cook with wide, admiring eyes. From then on, once a week they sat in the kitchen together and worked on menu ideas for the restaurant he was going to open. One day.
He crouched down to her height and hugged her tight. “We’ll do it tomorrow, Turnip, I promise.” He kissed the curls on top of her head. “And I’ll bring back some leftover puds.”
Her eyes lit up. “Chocolate nemesis cake?”
Part cake, part mousse, it was her favorite. A fact he got a real kick out of because it was his creation. “If there’s some left. And if Pat doesn’t mind.” Pat, head chef and restaurant manager, was in her early sixties and treated Ellie like an honorary granddaughter.
Connor used the tube journey to Chiswick to catch up on his messages. There were a few on the football chat asking who was going to training Saturday morning. As a five-a-side group, they didn’t take it too seriously. It was just a chance to let off steam and indulge in locker-room banter for a couple of hours.
