Page 34 of Suddenly Single
Rosalyn shrugged.“Does it no’ seem a wee bit odd to you that she stays on? We’re no’ known for attracting the fun crowd, are we? And we’re closing! Why is she here? What does she want?”
“Obviously, she’s found a friend,” he said, gesturing toward the window.
“Seems odd, that’s all,” Rosalyn said again, then looked at the clock on the wall. “I best get to work. The Pettimores like their supper at six. Perhaps you’d like to take an aspirin and lay down for a bit, aye?” She glanced pertly over her shoulder at Edan before disappearing into the kitchen.
Edan was more than happy to leave and walked out of the dining room.Rosalyn could see through him at times when he did not care to be transparent.Usually, he appreciated that someone was looking out for him, because God knew he’d managed to arrange his life so that no one else did.But today, he could do without her scrutiny.
He strolled into the reception area, said hello to Mr. and Mrs. Pettimore, and listened politely as Mrs. Pettimore excitedly reported seeing an indigo bunting during their bird-watching excursion today.Behind the elderly couple, Jenny and Lorenzo entered, talking and laughing, all jolly and bright like one of those Christmas advertisements that came on the telly.A picture postcard for youth and beauty and…well, Lorenzo was a picture of debauchery, generally, but a handsome picture of debauchery nonetheless.
That made Edan even more cross.
When the Pettimores had wandered off in search of brandy, Jenny hopped over to where Edan was standing.“There you are!” Her eyes were shining, her smile bloody bright.
“Aye.”
“I wanted to ask you about this,” she said, and dug into her woven bag.She pulled out a handful of brochures and searched through them until she found one.“This,” she said, holding it up to him. He took the brochure from her hand.Fishing Tours of the Cassian Hills and Lake Haven on ATVs! Drive old logging trails through ancient forests home to native wildlife species such as whitetail deer, red fox, and peregrine falcons. Visit pristine hidden lakes and cast your lure…
He handed it back to her.“Aye?”
“We’d like to take the tour.It says right here that it begins at the Cassian Inn.”
“It did. We no longer offer the tour.”
“What? Lorenzo has taken it,” she said.
“Si,we fished, Edan,” Lorenzo said. “Do you remember?”
How could Edan possibly forget it? Lorenzo had come to the lake with a woman, and she’d worn high-heeled sandals and an extremely short skirt to fish. “That lake is remote,” he said to Jenny.“And I thought you were generally against fishing.”
“I am.Iwas.But I didn’t know you could take an ATV to get there.I’ve always wanted to ride an ATV.”
“Unfortunately, we’ve only two ATVs.The guide must have one.”
“We’ll ride together,” Lorenzo offered, smiling.He put his hand on Jenny’s shoulder.
Edan stared at that hand, irrationally angry with it.
“Is it possible for us to arrange it?” Jenny asked. “Lorenzo said the scenery is even more breathtaking than here at the inn.”
“We can manage, can we not, Edan?” Lorenzo asked, as if they were old chums. No, they couldn’t manage.Mr. Finlay, who generally conducted those tours, couldn’t remember who he was, much less how to guide anyone up into the hills.
“Aye, we can manage,” he heard himself say.
“Hooray!” Jenny said, clapping her hands.“What time should we be ready in the morning? I hope not too early.I would like to practice yoga before we go.I was going to practice this morning, but I heard all these voices and when I went outside, there were four men standing on the tee box.It was likeseriouslyearly,” she said looking back and forth between Jenny and Lorenzo.“I never knew people who golfed were out as soon as the sun comes up.”
“No, no, in Italy, these golfers, they come to hit the ball later in the day.No one begins very early in Italy,” Lorenzo offered.
“I can vouch for that,” Jenny said. “Soprattutto in Liguria,” she said, and the two of them laughed.
“Nine,” Edan said.
“Excuse me?” Jenny asked.
Her eyes were sparkling.She was happy with this bastard Lorenzo. She’d kissed Edan and now she was laughing it up with Lorenzo.Edan’s pulse was beginning to pick up steam.“If you’d like to take the ATV tour, it begins at nine o’clock, aye?”
“Perfect!” she exclaimed.“Thanks, Edan. You’re the best.”
What the bloody hell did that mean? The best of the two men standing here? The best ATV arranger? The best innkeeper, the best kisser, the best at wanting to take her clothes off and thrust into her?
