Page 64 of The Blind Date

ChapterFourteen

Iknew that there was still a lot that Cedric and I needed to talk about, but I was very grateful for the brief intermission. The fact that there was food involved–not to mention the best kind of food: a Sunday roast–just made things all that much better.

The only downside was that we couldn't get a table big enough for the seven of us, so our parents sat at a table while the three of us–now four, as Cillian had invited the woman that he had met at the golf competition to join us–sat a few tables over.

It wasn't exactly the most uncomfortable dinner of my life, but it sure wasn't the most pleasant. Not when I had all but admitted aloud my feelings for him.

“Did you two meet for the first time today?” I asked curiously, glancing between Cillian and Penny, noting that they looked more comfortable than two strangers usually were. "Or do you know each other already and just happen to run into each other at the golf competition?"

"I go to university with Cillian,” Penny told me, her lips stretching into a small smile. "But it took a golf competition for Cillian to finally notice me even though I sit behind him in Statistics."

"I would hardly think that's fair," Cillian scoffed, but I didn't miss the faint flush that coloured his cheeks. "It's not like you've ever come up to speak to me either."

"Well, I'll be sure to do that next time." Penny grinned, slightly nervous around the corners, but it was quick to disappear when Cillian matched it.

When I felt a warm, firm hand on my bare thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze, my breath audibly hitched in my throat.

"You okay there, Saff?" Cillian asked with a knowing grin on his face. When his eyes briefly moved to rest on his brother, I knew he had a good idea of what was going on underneath the table.

"Yep. I'm perfectly fine, thanks." I attempted a grin, casually slipping a hand under the table and placing it over Cedric's. When the younger Barlowe returned his attention to his date, I turned to shoot Cedric a sharp glare. "What are you doing?”

"I'm just enjoying my coffee.” Cedric shrugged and lifted his mug to his mouth, attempting to hide the way his lips curled up. "Why? Is something wrong, darling?”

I leaned closer and whispered harshly under my breath, "You know what's wrong!"

"I don't think I do. Why don't you enlighten me?" Cedric kept up the innocent act even though I saw right through it.

"Don't act so innocent." I forced the words through gritted teeth as I squeezed the hand on my thigh, trying to remove it, but Cedric’s grip was too firm. Before I could protest further, an airy sigh sounded from across the table.

"You two are like an old married couple. It's so cute!" Penny gushed as she grinned at us, evidently unaware of our situation. "How long have you been dating?"

What? An old married couple? What gave her that impression?

I glanced at Cedric and was surprised to find an indifferent expression on his face. Like her words hadn't affected him at all. That, or he was good at hiding it. As he was usually so dramatic, I went with the latter.

"Did I say something wrong?" Penny asked in a small voice after gauging our reaction, her tone unsure.

I shook my head, but Cillian leaned over to whisper something in her ear.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make things awkward for you guys if you haven't put a label on it yet,” Penny apologised, a small smile on her face as she glanced between Cedric and me.

“Don’t listen to a word Cillian says. He thinks he's some modern-day Cupid,” Cedric said, speaking for both of us.

"If I have to play Cupid to get you both to realise just how perfect you are for each other, then so be it,” Cillian grinned, only just about managing to duck out of the way when his brother lobbed a soggy carrot at him from across the table. When it hit the back of the man sitting behind Cillian, and he turned his head from side to side to see where it came from, we all struggled to contain our laughter.

I was still laughing behind my hand when my phone buzzed with a text.

Victor:

Still having dinner with your parents?

Saffron:

Yes, why?

Victor:

A few of us are catching a movie at the Waterloo Odium at 8:15

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