It was true. Tim had helped Isla with a dangerous story about a murderous drug-smuggling ring. But Ishani’s reverence toward him rankled. Had he risked his life to smuggle Isla and Declan, an undercover cop, into a sinister castle nearby? Yes. Saved lives? Yes. Well, all right, he’d been helpful. But his heroism didn’t erase the rest of his personality. Or our history.
A commotion shook me out of my thoughts. Tim’s table was joined by two men hulking huge cameras on their shoulders, a woman holding a boom, and a scruffy man in an enormous scarf who started gesticulating, as if setting up for a shot.
“What on earth is that film crew doing here?” I asked. “And why are they filminghim?” Yes, he was always good for a quick quip, but why now?
Isla waved to him. Tim looked over and squinted, and to my absolute horror, his face lit up and he shot to his feet. He conferred with the guy who seemed to be the director.Oh, please God, no.
But I knew that look.
He’s coming over here.
My only response?Run.Because the absolute last thing I needed tonight was to be in the presence of Tim bloody Langston. Dealing with him during the day was enough torture.
4
Tim
Of course I’mcoming over.
Her face. God, she’d looked good tonight. Tabitha was always pretty, but she was extra stunning tonight, even though she seemed horrified—that creamy skin, those full red lips, and her big blue eyes. I grinned extra hard, knowing my charm got under her skin. I moved toward her with extra swagger. Did her eyes dip to my thighs and linger there?Interesting.
But for once, that annoyed look on her face made my stomach twist. Our banter had always been quite fun. Well, maybebanterwas a stretch. Most of the time, like this morning when we’d gone at it about my suggested changes, it was full-on arguing. Usually, I enjoyed how our conflict fired a spark of something between us I could never define. But this morning, I’d noticed she was sad. And maybe after all these years, it waswearing me down that she never seemed happy around me. Everyone else thought I was a bloody great bloke. And most times, I had to agree with them.
“Hello there,” Isla said, giving me a hug.
“What a coincidence, seeing you here.” I focused on Isla’s outfit with all its color and pattern,noton Tabitha’s low-cut, bright-red dress. I’d always imagined she had an incredible figure, round and lush with hips that flared—she’d pressed her body against mine once seven years ago when we were twenty-five in a kiss that had torched me body and soul, but she’d always kept herself covered up.Not tonight.Tonight, for her friend’s baby shower, she was making my heart beat faster than normal.My God.
Eyes up, arsehole, I heard my sister, Amy, say.She hasn’t dressed for you—she’s dressed for herself.
And I didn’t need my sister to remind me. I didn’t want to bethatguy. But I did wonder what was going on, what had changed. Tabitha usually wore these high, ruffly blouses and gathered skirts like her mum.
“Why are you being filmed?” Isla asked.
“Yes, what’s going on?” Ishani asked. I’d met her through dinners at Isla and Declan’s house. She was staring at the guy on the end of my table, Kingston.
Tabs very pointedly looked away and fiddled with her hair like she wasn’t interested in hearing my answer. I was distracted by how the strands shimmered over her shoulders, bright blond and mesmerizing. She usually wore it scraped back. Maybe she and Perry were going out to dinner afterward? Ugh, fucking flaccid Perry. Why did she date posh losers like him? My protective streak fired to the fore at the thought of his constant petty corrections, his undermining comments about her weight, and his dismissal of her career.
Although, I’d seen them leaving for the night plenty while I was working at her parents’ house, and she’d never worn a dress like this. Whatever the reason for the change, her dressed like she was made it harder for me to focus.
“I’m on a renovation show,” I replied with extra confidence, bracing myself for her scathing reaction. “It’s a competition between teams of designers and builders. I’m obviously one of the builders.”
“You’re on arealityshow?” Tabitha’s upper lip curled.
There it was. I ignored her tone. “Yeah, it’s a hoot. We’re doing a ‘behind the scenes’ mates shot. You know, ‘getting to know the real guy in his local.’”
“Those aren’t your mates.”
I shrugged. “Tabitha, you do know telly is not real, right?”
“And this isn’t your local.”
“How do you know? Tabs, should I be worried? Anyone would think you were stalking my ’gram.”
“You wish.”
“Idowish.” I gave her one of my best smirks.
“You—” A withering look was aimed my way, clearly telling meYou didn’t win that one, idiot.
