Page 33 of The Story of Us
“I’ll get my drink.” And then she’d leave.
“Nah, it’s on me. Guessing people’s favourite drinks is kind of my thing. You go snag the table, gorgeous.”
A throat cleared. “Excuse me,” Nate said gruffly. He was still in the sporty tracksuit he’d worn to the dance practice, but he’d added a big navy puffer jacket and his slouchy grey beanie.
The memory of what he’d said after the kids’ sports class ricocheted through Eloise’s mind.“It’s complicated.”God knows a girl couldn’t hear that enough.
“Sorry, big fella. Got a little bit lost in Eloise’s beautiful brown eyes. Didn’t realise we were blocking the path.”
The sound Nate made was best described as a grunt and a sigh of dejection.
Without responding, he moved past them.
Ryan recaptured Eloise’s attention when he placed his hand on her arm, waiting until their gazes met to speak. “You do have pretty eyes. So kind and insightful,” he said.
A flush rushed to Eloise’s cheeks.
“I’ll be right back.” He squeezed her hand and headed for the bar where Wyatt was pouring beers.
Eloise avoided the curious gazes of the people she passed, hurrying towards an empty table near the front door and diving into the first seat she saw. Releasing a shaky breath, she smoothed her hands over her hair and looked up.
Right into Nate’s eyes.
* * *
He should’ve just gone homeafter the disastrous dance lesson. Nate could be curled up on the couch with Echo and pretending everything was fine, but his body had moved automatically, following Eloise and Ryan to the pub like a moth to a flame. He must be some kind of sadist.
“You eating?” Teddy asked.
Nate’s stomach rolled, but it didn’t have anything to do with hunger. “Nope.” He reached for the jug of IPA beer in the middle of the table and helped himself, ignoring the looks his brothers and parents were sharing.
“Want to talk about it?” Owen leant forward.
“Nope.”
“Oh, we’re going to talk about it,” Alice said, folding her arms across her chest.
Nate took a long drink. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Then why is Eloise here with Ryan instead of you?”
“That sounds like a question for Eloise, not me.” He was such a chickenshit.
Alice’s eyes narrowed, and Owen shook his head at his brother. “Now you’re in for it,” he murmured.
“So, it doesn’t have anything to do with you kissing her the other night and then saying she wasn’t good enough for you?”
“Nathaniel!” Lulu smacked him on the back of his head.
“That’s not what happened.”
“Then what did?” Lulu hissed, shooing Teddy out of his seat so she could be next to Nate.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I’ll talk about it!” Alice shifted forward.
“Honey …” Owen sent her a pleading look. Finally, some familial loyalty.
