Page 83 of Fundamentals in Flirting

“Good,” he whispered.

“Touching, really. But sentimentality isn’t going to get her a professorship at any of the major vet schools. Only I can do that for her.”

He was talking about me as if I wasn’t even here. Again.

Yep, still a total and utter dickhead of epic proportions, the honey badger whispered from her hiding place.

“I think you should leave now, ” Teddy said.

“I’m the head judge and guest of honour,” Jonathan replied with a self-satisfied smirk.

“Actually, with all due respect, Professor Pierce, I’m not entirely sure I’m comfortable with you being here, and I don’t think Hannah is either.” Giles paused and looked to me, questioningly, and I shook my head. “I thought so.” Turning back to Jonathan, he squared his shoulders and took a deep breath. “I regret to inform you that I’ve decided to withdraw the support of our practice from your research project. I should never have agreed without discussing things with my colleague first.”

“What? Now, Giles, wait a min?—”

“No, actually, I think I’ll manage the rest of the judging today, so you’re no longer necessary and should definitely just leave. Right away, actually, if you wouldn’t mind. Thank you.” Giles had seemingly grown a massive pair of balls all of a sudden, and I was stunned into silence as I watched him hand over Deidre (who he’d lassoed with his leather belt) to a rather reluctant Teddy.

“Don’t waste your life on something so completely beneath you,” Jonathan called out as Giles firmly ushered him away.

“You ok?” Teddy asked, his voice low and calm.

“Yes, I think so.”

“Good.” He paused. “Right, I should get Deidre back to Agnes. Will you help me?” His tone was beseeching, nervous, his swagger lost for a moment as he realised he was now in sole charge of a goat.

My rational brain was running the show again since I’d gained a little space and was no longer drowning in the depth of Teddy’s pupils. Instead, conflict raged inside me and I knew I should be distancing myself from this twist of emotions, not tangling them up further so they became irrevocably knotted up in my very being. Logic was clear in this case: it was too risky to let my guard down and give in; too messy to contemplate spending any more time in his company. Love and romance were not destined for me. I could see that now. Plus, I was mad at him – mad that he’d not bothered to stay with me the other morning and mad that he’d avoided me all week. And really bloody mad that he’d turned me down and not succumbed to my epically awful seduction techniques. I should most definitely run in the opposite direction and save myself from any more embarrassment. Yet, the lure of him was intoxicating. He exerted a magnetic pull, as if he possessed gravity of his very own, and I was just inconsequential space debris hurtling towards him and my own destruction.

“Sorry, Ted, I think you’ll have to manage on your own.”

And before he could answer, before I could register the surprise that I knew would be there in his expression, I ran away into the growing crowds of people without a backward glance.

* * *

As midday approached, I wandered towards the huge white marquee that held the produce to be judged. I’d spent the last hour or so judiciously avoiding the hay bale tossing – an event that Teddy seemed to be running – and lurked in the shadows of multiple local craft stalls and the large fun fair that was in full swing, keen to avoid running into anyone I knew. But I couldn’t put it off anymore, and as I neared the entrance, a panicked Fiona Fraser came trotting over.

“Ah, Hannah, I was worried you’d run off!” Little did she know that I had perfected running away just recently.

“Nope, here I am.”

“Excellent, excellent.”

“What am I judging?”

“I’ve put you on the kids’ entries with?—”

At that moment, Teddy appeared from the tent entrance, rolling his shirt sleeves up to reveal his corded forearms, long fingers flexing around the folded linen at his elbows. “Mum, what have you roped me into…”

His voice trailed off as he saw me, darting his gaze away when he met mine.

“Edward, there you are. I’ve put you and Hannah together on the kids’ entries. Won’t that be nice.” Her eyebrows lifted and she reached up to pat his cheek.

“Well, that’s probably not a good idea,” I said just as Teddy muttered, “Umm, no, I don’t think so.”

With an irritated look, he ran his hands through his hair. “Do you really need us both? I’m sure Hannah has better things to do.”

There was a subtle barb there, a little dig, aimed at me. I knew I deserved it but it caused a little frisson of annoyance to tingle up my spine. I was avoiding him, yes, but why did it still hurt that he was now trying to avoid me too?

“No, I promised Fiona I would be here.” I let my hair down out of its ponytail, allowing my curtain of defence to fall free and partially cover my face. “But, Ted, as the chief tosser at the hay bale tossing stand, aren’t you missed back there?”

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