Page 75 of An Unexpected Kind of Love

Laughing, I take the opportunity to make introductions. “Lily, this is Blake.”

Lily leans in to exchange air kisses with him and then me. “Aubrey’s a dear friend of mine. And I’m so pleased to meet you. I’ve heard good things.”

My face warms and even Blake goes a little pink at this acknowledgment that I have indeed told other people about him in my life.

I continue with introductions. “Lily’s a curator,” I explain to Blake. “She’s constantly having an art emergency.”

“God, it feels that way sometimes.” She laughs. A waiter comes to take drink orders from us. “And you’re an actor, Blake?”

“Yes,” he says smoothly. “That’s how I met Aubrey. Well, officially.”

My face sears at the unofficial encounter in his trailer at the height of the heat wave a couple of weeks ago. It feels like a lifetime has passed since then. Plus, there were the other unofficial collisions before that.

“You both were away for a couple of days, is that right?” Lily asks. “It must have been so nice to get out of town.”

“It was. It’s my first time to England and I love how green everything is. We went north for hiking,” Blake explains.

“Lake District,” I add.

“That sounds wonderful,” Lily says, glancing up. Eli joins us, and we all quickly stand up for introductions.

I die about a million deaths standing here between Eli on one side of me and Blake on the other. They gaze at each other in an appraising way, Blake more open and relaxed. Eli has a glint of the razor lawyer’s edge in his eye. I know the look.

And trouble’s brewing.

Chapter Eighteen

“So you’re Aubrey’s new…friend I’ve heard about,” Eli says, considering Blake like he’s a fresh offering for a sacrificial altar. The way he pauses beforefriendgives me mild heart failure. Obviously, Eli knows what’s up. Unease grips my guts, squeezing them tight. Like Eli’s the shark and Blake the proverbial chum—except Blake didn’t get the memo to be daunted, and he grins shamelessly. In fact, Blake’s positively buoyant, the gorgeous, flippant arsehole. It makes me want to swoon twice, having him here at my side.

“I am,” Blake agrees cheerfully, squeezing my hand. “Great to see you again, man.”

I meet Lily’s eye and she looks guilty, a tinge of pink on her cheeks. “I told Ryan about Blake, actually. For arrangements for the party. I mentioned you were away.”

So she was right that she didn’t think Eli knew, but of course it was inevitable that Ryan would talk to Eli about me and Blake. I do my best to feign a confidence I don’t feel. I’m caught between an alpha male confidence crossfire.

“I’m very glad you made it back in time, Blake,” says Eli simply. “It would have been disappointing for Ryan for Aubrey to miss his birthday.”

“I wouldn’t miss Ryan’s birthday.” Indignant, I lift my chin and stare Eli down. It takes a minute to realize he means the Cumbria trip and not Blake’s trip to L.A. So, that’s a dig at me.

“Whatever’s important to Aubrey is important to me, too.” Blake gives me an affectionate smile as he squeezes my hand.

“How codependent of you,” Eli says drily, his gaze piercing.

“It’sthoughtful,” I retort. “Unlike calling people in the middle of the night.”

Eli’s mouth snaps shut.

Blake flashes a million-dollar grin, the sort of self-assured grin which would look brilliant on a feature film. Or, in blissful private moments, unleashed in full glory on me. His hand is warm in mine. He’s entirely relaxed. “I just flew back from L.A. to make sure I could be here to support Aubrey.”

“And, well, here we are.” I take hasty advantage of the second lull of rounds between Blake and Eli. Are they actually having a pissing match overme?“Official lightning round of introductions for you all to meet my boyfriend, Blake Sinclair. Er, Eli—you’ve already met, of course. Right. Never mind. And this is Lily McEvoy. Blake, Eli’s Ryan’s partner and a lawyer. Eli, Blake’s an actor who’s in London filming. The film they filmed in my shop, actually.”

Blake squeezes my hand again.

Mercifully, the waiter’s brought us the promised alcohol, wine for Lily and ale for me and Blake. I gulp down some ale.

“Be right back,” I blurt. “I’ll be fine,” I assure Blake before I make a beeline through the restaurant for outside.

I take a long moment to myself, pacing up and down the pavement, trying to pull it together.Think of Blake. He’s brilliant and he wants you and you want him. Forget Eli and his games.

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