Page 23 of The Romance Library

‘I’ll have the same.’

We sat at the table awkwardly and when Edwin’s mobile phone rang, I was relieved to have a distraction.

‘I’m on my way,’ he said, then hung up. ‘Apologies, but I have to go.’

My face fell, and as my head jerked up, I caught Theo’s horrified expression. Looked like he wasn’t happy about us being left alone either.

‘Perhaps it’s best to cancel our order if it’s not convenient to stay,’ he said.

‘No, no. You two go ahead and eat without me. I wouldn’t want to deprive you of the opportunity to sample the best fish and chips in England! Hopefully I’ll be back in about an hour.’

Edwin didn’t wait for a response. Before I could protest, he’d rushed over to talk to Candace, then was out the door, leaving me and Theo sitting opposite each other in silence.

‘So d’you always wear a tuxedo for dinner?’ I blurted out.

‘Yep. It’s my standard evening uniform. Sometimes I love it so much I wear it to bed,’ Theo deadpanned.

Bed.

For some reason, Theo mentioning that word made my stomach flip.

‘Why do I believe you?’

‘Obviously I’m joking. When Edwin said he was taking us to the finest restaurant in town, I was thinking Michelin star, so I thought I’d make an effort. If I’d known we were coming to a fish and chip shop, I would’ve dressed accordingly.’

‘Don’t tell me you actually own casual clothes!’ I fake gasped. ‘I bet your idea of casual is a two-hundred-pound designer shirt and a five-hundred-pound pair of trousers.’

‘Whatever,’ he replied, which I took as confirmation that I was right. Oh, how the other half lived.

He reached for his bow tie, undid it, pulled it off, then unbuttoned the top of his shirt. I told myself to look away, but I couldn’t.

And when he shrugged off his jacket and started rolling his crisp white shirtsleeves up to his elbows, revealing tanned, muscular forearms covered in dark hair, my cheeks heated. The way he did it was so effortlessly sexy, I felt like I was watching porn in public.

‘So what’s your link to this whole library thing and the old lady who died? Was she your granny?’

‘Do you really care?’ I folded my arms.

‘Honestly?’ he asked. ‘Not really. But if we have to sit here for an hour until Edwin comes back, we might as well try to be civil. I can’t promise how long I can keep it up before I resort to scrolling on my phone, though.’

‘I worked for her,’ I replied bluntly.

‘You must’ve worked for her for a long time, then, to take this on.’

‘One shift.’

‘What?’

‘You heard. I worked with her for less than a day. Next thing I know I find out she’s died and she’s included me in her will.’

‘That’s crazy!’ he gasped. I wasn’t even sure I should be telling him this. He could use it against me in the pitch. But I’d always been an open book. Pardon the pun.

‘And what about you?’ I asked, deciding it was safer to change the subject. ‘I’m guessing that Eaves Enterprises is your family business?’

‘Correct.’

Candace brought over our teas and placed them on the table.

‘Thanks,’ we both replied.

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