Page 39 of Joker in the Pack

“She was enjoying it, weren’t you, sweetheart?”

Delusional as well as slimy? “Not really.”

My saviour took a step closer. “I’m not going to tell you twice. I’ll have you thrown out if you keep harassing her.”

Henry shoved his chair back and elbowed his way through the crowd, earning himself more dirty looks and a few muttered curses as I looked up at the man who’d come to my aid.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. Henry’s got a nasty habit of behaving that way. You must be new around here—all the other girls in the village avoid him like the plague.”

“I’ve been here for almost three weeks now.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Tate.”

I forced myself to meet his eyes, and very nice eyes they were too. A pale blue, twinkling to match his smile. “Olivia.”

“From Lilac Cottage?”

“How did you know?”

“News travels fast around here.”

“I’m beginning to get that. So, you live in the village?”

“Not this one. I’m from Middleton Foxford.”

“That’s only a couple of miles away, isn’t it?”

He nodded. “Just under two by road. If you cut across the fields, it’s a little closer.”

“Is it as big as Upper Foxford?”

“Slightly larger. Upper and Lower Foxford are about the same size, but because Middleton Foxford’s in between them, more businesses have tended to gravitate there. So, we have the library, the doctor’s surgery, and more restaurants.”

“Perhaps I’ll venture over there when the weather’s warmer.”

“Why wait?”

“I don’t have a car at the moment.” At the moment—that sounded better than admitting I wouldn’t be purchasing one for the foreseeable future.

“How about I pick you up one day? I can show you around both of the other villages, and we could stop for lunch on the way back.”

Lunch? Was he asking me out on a date or just being friendly? I couldn’t tell from his expression. Should I accept his invitation? It seemed like only yesterday that I was eating out with Edward, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to step out with another man, platonic or not.

But then again, I felt terribly lonely…

Tate picked up on my indecision. “Relax, it’s only lunch. There aren’t many people our age around here, and we’ve got to stick together. The WI ladies hunt in packs.”

A giggle bubbled out, unbidden. Apart from Warren and Daisy, most people I’d met were my parents’ age at least, and Yvonne had already hinted I might like to join the committee of the WI to “bring in some new blood.” Yes, I wanted to fit in, but I didn’t have the time to organise the summer craft show and I was terrible at flower arranging.

And while I may not have planned on meeting a man in Upper Foxford, when an admittedly handsome one was standing right in front of me in a Ralph Lauren button-down shirt that showed a certain amount of taste, it seemed rude to turn down his offer. What did I have to lose? I certainly didn’t want to spend the rest of my life alone, and at the very least, I could use another friend.

“In that case, I’d love to join you one day.”

Tate tapped his number into my phone then called his, and before he headed off with a group of friends, he promised to message me to arrange a time to suit both of us.

“Nice to meet you,” I said as he turned to leave.

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