Page 23 of That Island Feeling

‘Who?’ I furrow my brow as I pretend to place who he means.

He cocks his head. ‘Oh no you don’t, mate. You can’t pull that shit with me. There was definitely a vibe between the two of you. I went home and told Lena. Told her I never saw you look even at Clara that way.’

‘Alright, alright,’ I concede. ‘Well, firstly she’s not the one who’s gluten-free, and secondly, I was thinking of asking her out. You know, on a proper date – give her at least one night off from those high-maintenance friends she’s with.’

I shouldn’t be so quick to judge, but from what I’ve seen, it seems like Andie bends over backwards for those women. Although it sounds arrogant, I briefly wondered if that’s what Andie forcing Taylor on me last night was all about. Did Taylor express some kind of interest in me, and was Andie trying to accommodate that too?

‘I knew it!’ Charlie lets out a low whistle. ‘I’m happy for you, man.’

‘There’s nothing to celebrate yet. She might not be interested.’

Charlie’s brow arches. ‘My guess is that she will be, Mr Green Eyes.’ He lumbers to his feet. ‘Alright, time for me to head to the wharf.’

‘Have a good day, Charlie.’

‘You too, Coops. And thanks again.’

I carry our empty cups inside and get straight to work prepping a dozen baps, slicing them in half and slathering them in butter, then layering on the fried eggs and bacon, and finishing with a thick dollop of house-made aioli.

I complete my assembly line in record time before selecting the plumpest bacon-and-egg bap and carefully packaging it for a very special delivery.

Chapter Twelve

ANDIE

I’m up early the next morning. The sun is a bright orb beaming through the bedroom window like a prelude to tonight’s supermoon.

I reach up to wipe the sleep from the corners of my eyes and almost detach a retina. I’m still wearing Grace’s spectacularly sharp engagement ring.

When I returned to Keith’s place, Grace had been about to launch herself off the jetty again. She’d handed me her ring for safekeeping, so that it didn’t end up sharing the fate of the diamond necklace in Titanic – a treasure left at the bottom of the sea. Maeve would cast her down along with it.

As I slipped it onto the finger next to my mother’s engagement ring, I looked up to see Jack and Taylor sitting together at the end of the dock.

I raised my phone in their direction, torchlight still on, and called out to them.

‘Yoo-hoo, lovebirds! I’m back.’

I’m not sure what exactly came over me.

Under the glow of their own personal spotlight, I could see the confusion streaked across both their faces.

Later, once we were home and tucking into a 2 a.m. tub of hummus, Taylor had had words with me.

‘You’re trying too hard to make this thing with Jack happen. If it’s meant to be, it will be,’ she roused. ‘Anyway, I think he has a thing for you.’

‘Don’t be silly,’ I muttered, while my heart did a joyful flip.

I slip off Grace’s ring and place it on my bedside table, then pad quietly downstairs. It’s a relief to find it mostly clean, aside from the empty hummus container.

I’m collecting it to toss in the bin when I see a brown paper package on the floor in front of a doggy door that I haven’t noticed before now.

I bend down to retrieve it and am surprised to find that it’s weighty and warm. I slide the contents into my hand, then peel a soggy paper serviette from where it’s stuck around a wrapped bread-roll shape. There’s something written on the serviette in thick black marker.

Enjoy your glutenous b&e bap. Dinner tonight?*

*Delivered by carrier parrot.

I re-read the message three times, my heart thumping in my chest, before I bring the food package to my nose and inhale deeply. It smells like Charlie Farleys – rich, pungent aromas of fried bacon with a slight, sweet hint of caramelised onions.

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