Page 6 of Stolen Kiss

“I’m used to bad tempered oil rig workers who are so hungry they’ll eat anything.”

“But you still served them gourmet meals, regardless,” Archer pointed out.

“This is too much pressure. I’ve been baking and cooking for three months solid. Every staff member’s freezers must be full by this stage. What if I fuck it up?”

“I think you need to get laid, Jason,” Archer said.

“I don’t want to have a one-night stand, especially on this island.”

“Well, maybe you could have a drink at the gig race today, casual like with old friends. Maybe that would bring down the stress levels a bit. You don’t need to keep practising. You’re a sensational chef,” Archer said.

“Complimenting me won’t gloss over what you just suggested. I’m not talking to her. She and her brother made it crystal clear I was not to come anywhere near them.”

“Don’t you want to find out why?” Erica asked, clearly wanting to know why. He wanted to know why. He’d wanted to know why for eleven fucking years.

“What’s the point? It’s eleven years. She’s probably married with kids by now.”

Jason knew she wasn’t. He knew she was single and had been for a year. This was his perfect opportunity for a reunion, heart-to-heart, to see what the hell went wrong back when they were mad for each other.

“You can’t not go to the gig racing even Cynthia goes,” Archer said.

“Fine, I’ll go,” he said, then desperate to change the subject, said, “can I make you both breakfast?”

“Yes,” they both said and drew their chairs up to the bench Jason was working on.

“What’ll it be?” he asked and sighed.

Archer and Erica rattled off their orders, and he set to work. When he cooked he didn’t think of anything else, especially Heidi Shaw.

A few hours later and he was on the quayside, hipflask in his inside pocket of his leather jacket and his hands stuffed into his jeans front pockets. He felt the scowl drawing his eyebrows together as he squinted into the sun. Archer was explaining the ins and outs of gig racing while Jason scanned the crowd. He barely recognised anyone. He’d like to pretend he was looking for familiar faces. A few came up to him and he shook their hands and exchangedhow are you.

Really, he was looking for her. The sun was out and blue skies were overhead, but the wind whipping around the quay gave a stiff cool breeze. He pulled the jacket edges together and pulled the zip up to his chin. He half thought he was donning battle gear as he saw his best friend approach.

The best friend who cut all ties eleven years ago.

“You’ve gone soft if you think this is cold,” Keith said.

“I’ve been working in the North Sea for over a decade. You don’t know cold until you’ve experienced a winter in the middle of nowhere,” Jason replied, not looking at him.

“Fair point.”

Keith wasn’t looking at him either. They were both looking out to the boats in the harbour.

“You should come to the shack. Archer knows where it is. We can go for a surf. Still have your board?” Keith asked.

“Yep.”

“Good, see you soon.”

“Yep.”

Keith walked away without a backward glance. One down, one to go, Jason thought. He spotted Freya in the crowd to his left. Where Freya was, Heidi was not far behind. They came as a pair. It was a good job he liked Freya, otherwise he would have lost Heidi at the first hurdle.

“Incoming,” Archer said, stepping back, taking Erica with him.

Jason dropped his head back to look at the sky and then to his left. Attached to Freya’s hand was Heidi. He lost his breath for a second. Her sun kissed hair was all over the place in the wind and she’d never looked better. Ten years had matured her from pretty to beautiful and he felt his heart break all over again. Freya locked eyes with him first, and she gave him a wink.

“I’ll be back in a second, I see…” Freya looked away when she said the name, if she said it at all.

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