Page 35 of Finding Love in Micklewick Bay

‘Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.’ Alex gave her a sympathetic smile and reached across the table, taking her hand, weaving his fingers through hers. ‘This can’t have been easy for you. I’d have understood if you hadn’t wanted to come out tonight, you must be feeling a bit punch-drunk with it all. Though I have to admit, I’m impressed at how calm you seem, as if you’re taking it in your stride. You’re a strong woman, Stella.’

She smiled and gave a small laugh, enjoying the feeling of her hand in his. ‘Thanks, though I’m just managing it as I do my work-related issues. I’ve learnt to pack challenging situations up and put them away until I need to tackle them. My brain seems to do it without me having to think about it. Helps keep the unpalatable stuff out of my mind. The last thing I want is the grim details of the cases I deal with bothering me in my down time. Sounds heartless, but it keeps stress at bay.’ It was also helping to keep her from dwelling on the letter she’d received today, that and telling herself it was just an idle threat, designed purely to intimidate.

‘I totally understand; no one could criticise you for that. In fact, I’m sure most people would envy that skill.’

‘Maybe. Some people think it makes me look cold and hard.’

‘I wouldn’t worry what other people think.’

‘I tend not to,’ she said with a laugh. ‘The exception being my mum and my close circle of friends.’ Stella was surprised to find that she’d added Alex to that select group.

Just then, Nikki arrived with their starters. And, just as she’d described, they looked mouth-watering, beautifully garnished with an array of sea herbs and edible flowers. The chef here was clearly creative.

‘Mmm. Looks fantastic!’ Alex said enthusiastically.

‘It so does,’ agreed Stella, her mouth watering in anticipation.

‘Enjoy, guys!’ Nikki said, walking away, her ponytail swishing from side to side.

‘Anyway, I think I’ve hogged enough of the conversation,’ said Stella, dropping her napkin onto her lap and picking up her starter knife and fork. ‘Tell me about what other wonderful places you’ve worked on. I mean, you must have a pretty impressive portfolio if you were given the brief for the warehouse. I’ve heard the guy who originally bought it is a real stickler for detail and design.’ She pushed her mouth into a smile and pushed thoughts of her mother – and her new-found father – out of her mind.

‘You’re bang on the money, there. He is a real stickler, but has great vision too. He really cares about getting things right, using sustainable materials and keeping as much of the original features in buildings as possible. I’m working on a few other projects for him, not that I’m at liberty to say.’

‘Ooh, sounds intriguing. And I don’t suppose you’re allowed to say who he is either, are you? I gather he likes to foster an air of mystery around himself.’

Alex chuckled. ‘I’m not so sure that’s the reason. And I couldn’t tell you if I wanted to. I don’t know his name, I just deal with his next-in-command.’

‘And is that okay? I mean, don’t things get a bit lost in the process if you’re having to use a go-between?’

‘On the contrary, it’s very straightforward. I’ve got to know what he likes, and what he doesn’t like. We’ve never had any problems in that regard. And from what I can gather, he’s very well-respected by his staff; treats them well apparently.’

‘That’s good to hear.’

The evening passed pleasantly, the bistro was buzzing with the staff busy tending their tables. Stella found herself relaxing despite the background hum of stress she hadn’t quite managed to squeeze into the “box” as effectively as she usually did, but then again, the issues she’d been tackling today had been mostly of a personal nature, their impact potentially huge. As ever, Alex was easy company, making her laugh at his self-deprecating jokes and tales of Fred’s mischievous ways. She’d never encountered a man like him, the boundaries she usually had up, keeping romance at bay, could very easily tumble away. She found herself wanting to get close to him, imagining how it would feel to melt into his arms. It was most un-Stella-like and right now, she didn’t want to fight it. Instead, she wanted to embrace it, give herself up to these new, unfamiliar feelings, yet something still held her back. And she knew exactly what it was: her mum’s warnings, not to let a man into her heart were never far away, particularly when there was someone new on the scene. Stella reached for her wine glass and took a sip, peering over at Alex as she did so.

Before she knew it, they were ordering dessert. Stella had opted for ice cream while Alex hadn’t been able to resist the rice pudding with rhubarb puree and ginger shortbread crumb.

‘Oh, this is sublime, you’ve got to try some,’ he said, offering her a spoonful.

He was right, the intense creaminess of the vanilla-infused rice pudding was cut through by the sharp tang of the rhubarb, the ginger crumb offering the perfect texture and kick of heat to finish. ‘Mmm.’ She closed her eyes and savoured the mouthful. ‘Heaven.’

‘I chose best,’ he said, grinning at her. The flickering light from the candle in the old wine bottle on the table cast a warm glow over his face. He seemed oblivious to how attractive he was, and the appreciative looks that were regularly directed his way.

‘You definitely did.’ She couldn’t help but grin back, her eyes falling to his mouth that looked irresistibly kissable.

They were sipping coffee when the bill arrived on a small white plate, Nikki setting it down on the table between them. Before Alex had a chance to think, Stella quickly reached for it. ‘This is on me.’

When he went to complain, she said, ‘That was the deal; you picked up the bill for our meal at the Jolly, so I said I’d get the next one, which is this. No arguments.’

‘But I invited you out.’

‘I don’t care, doesn’t mean to say I can’t pay. You can get the next one.’ She flashed him a cheeky smile, making him laugh.

‘It’s a deal.’

Outside on the street, Alex slipped his arm over Stella’s shoulders as they made their way to the top prom, having decided to head home the scenic way. Hearing footsteps bearing down on them, her heart suddenly upped its pace and she turned anxiously to see a tall youth wearing a black sweatshirt, the hood pulled up, obscuring his face. She gripped tightly onto Alex, inadvertently alerting him to her concern.

The youth loped by them, Stella breathing a sigh of relief.

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