Page 22 of Perfect Three

“No, I’m a local.I live in Little Hartley.”

“Little Hartley, some lovely old houses there.”Jack looked interested.“How long did it take to get down here?”

“Usually takes about twenty, twenty-five minutes.I had to allow for the morning peak traffic, but it was still only about thirty.”

The waiter arrived with their starters and silence reigned for a while.

“Your food is delicious.”

“Thank Jack for that.He convinced me to source only local and only Australian produce.We get our fruit and vegetables from a few places around here.Our wagyu beef is grown right here in the Blue Mountains, and our other meat is local, too.Our fish is from sustainable Aussie farms.”

“Well, as I said, it’s delicious.”

“Thanks.”

Sebastian finished and waited until the other two had stopped eating before turning to Lucy again.“You said your daughter was thirty-three and you’ve been divorced thirty-one years.So obviously your marriage didn’t work much at all.”

“No.In all honesty we were both too young.Then with Allison to care for it was just too much.We both figured it out almost from the start.Stayed together for fourteen months but then decided to call it quits.Divorced ten months later.Allison still keeps in touch with her father.He’s living overseas now and remarried.I only saw him at Allison’s wedding.”

“Good that your daughter still sees her father.”

“Yes, I’m happy about that.What about you two?”

The two men exchanged glances.Sebastian answered for them both.“Neither of us is married, and we’re not involved with any other woman.”

Lucy looked from one to the other.It seemed a funny way to answer.There was something they weren’t saying.She felt a sudden chill.“Why do I get the feeling you’re not telling me everything?Look, it may be wrong to say this when I don’t know either of you, but I think it’s important.I’m not interested in getting involved even casually with anyone who’s in a relationship.I just don’t believe in that sort of thing.”

Jack sighed and looked at Sebastian as if asking for help.

He shrugged his shoulders but answered Lucy.“Can I put it this way?There is no reason why either of us can’t get involved with you.Can we leave it at that for the moment?Then, with your permission, we could have coffee upstairs and explain things.”

Lucy’s frown deepened.She hadn’t dated for so long, and now two men had dropped into her lap.If she wanted to have a chance to take this any further with either of them, then she had to know exactly what she could be getting herself into.She glanced down at her hands now in her lap then at both men in turn.

“I know there is something more to this.I admit I like you both.It would be nice to learn more about you, but I’m also wary, and, well, a bit confused.There’s no way I could ever get involved with anyone who was committed to someone else for any reason.”

When Lucy had admitted to liking them, both men grinned in delight.

Sebastian spoke quietly.“We understand completely.You wouldn’t be normal if you weren’t wary, but honestly, Lucy, it’s nothing bad.It would just be much better to explain it all without an audience listening nearby.”

What Sebastian said made sense.A restaurant wasn’t the place to have a private conversation, especially considering these two were the owners.It certainly wouldn’t be right for the staff to hear about their personal lives.

“Okay.I’ll accept the offer of coffee upstairs on the condition you tell me the truth.You tell me exactly what’s going on.I need to know upfront whatever it is you’re not saying before I decide whether I want to go any further.”

“Fair enough, Lucy, and thank you.”

The arrival of their main courses saved Lucy from replying.There was no denying she was a bit rattled, wondering what Sebastian needed to discuss.But then she took one mouthful of the lamb and closed her eyes.It was heavenly.Lucy thought the meals she’d had at lunchtime were delicious, but if it were possible this was even better.“If you ever get rid of Brad, I want him!”

They both laughed so loudly the people at the next table turned to see what was so funny.

“Don’t you dare poach the best chef in Katoomba!Hell, I think he’s the best in Australia.”

As Lucy finished her meal, she noticed her hands shook just a little.The upcoming conversation had her thinking of all the things the men might tell her.On and on suggestions presented themselves in her mind.Maybe one’s ill?No, they both look in the peak of health.Maybe it wasn’t anything bad.Perhaps they were only here for a while and leaving to go somewhere else.Or could be either of them just wanted a casual fling.Too many imagined reasons raced around her brain.

Jack tapped her arm.“Don’t look so worried, Lucy.”

“I’m sorry.”She tried acting bubbly, but it just didn’t work.Their plates were cleared away, and Sebastian asked her if she’d like dessert.In normal circumstances, she’d love it, but at the moment she doubted she could.She shook her head.

Sebastian stood and held out his hand.

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