Page 18 of From Best Friend to Bride
Fuck.
Why did I get the feeling I’d just opened myself up to something stupid?
5
DELILAH
“Jess, can you clear table three?” I tossed a towel in her direction. “If I go over there, Danny is only going to hit on me again.”
She caught the towel and tilted her head to the side, making her black-and-blue highlighted ponytail swing. “You should go out with him, you know. He’s pretty hot.”
“Then by all means, you take him,” I replied.
“Is he still bugging you?”
I turned at the sound of my boss’ voice. “Mm, not as much. I think he’s taking a different approach other than asking me out every time he sees me. His friend reckons he’s doing what he should have done at the start and is trying to get to know me now.”
Si narrowed his dark eyes. “He’ll get to know me if he doesn’t leave you alone.”
I laughed and nudged him out of the way. “It’s fine. It doesn’t bother me. He’s just a mild nuisance.”
“I said that about Harvey.” My sister sipped on her virgin cocktail. “Now look at me. I’m married and pregnant.”
“I remember when you said that,” Si said, nodding at Lucy.
With a sigh, I cleared the empty glasses from the spot next to her. “Yes, but you admitted from the start that Harvey was husband material. I harbour no such feelings about Danny. He’s too young for me.”
“He’s only three years younger than you,” Lucy said. “You know what a younger man equals?”
“Immaturity?”
“Stamina.”
Si looked at her. “This is my cue to do paperwork.”
“You mean slack off!” I called after him as I loaded the glasses in the washer beneath the bar. “Luce, you know how I feel about younger guys. I’m not interested.”
“You’re not interested in any guys,” she grumbled. “So, God only knows where Nana got the idea that you have a secret boyfriend.”
“Ha. Ha. I wonder.” I started the little glass washer and grabbed a wet cloth to wipe down the bar. “Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be resting in bed?”
“Mm, but Harvey is out with some guys from work, and I said I’d pick him up. Besides, I think the nausea has mostly passed now.” She leant to the side. “Are you all out of salt and vinegar crisps?”
“You’ve had two packets already. Are you craving them or something?”
“Yep. I almost cried when I went to the corner shop today and they had no Walkers.”
“I’m sure it was the end of the world.” I pulled the last packet of salt and vinegar crisps from the box and tossed it over to her. “Don’t tell Mum.”
“Please. She thinks I’m craving peaches. She keeps bringing punnets of them into the office. Linda’s started taking themhome to bake with and bringing her spoils in the next day.” Lucy popped open the packet and shoved a big crisp in her mouth. “Mm. So good.”
“So weird.” I grabbed the spray and busied myself with wiping down the bar. I’d worked here since I was sixteen, but it never failed to amaze me just how quickly it could get so sticky.
The pub had been just on the right side of busy tonight, and I could tell that we were officially beginning to wind down for the night. July was always a weird month in Hartford Green. Many other places around us were just gearing up for a big influx of tourists, but that wasn’t the case for us on account of the fact there was simply nothing to do here compared to the larger towns and cities nearby.
Not to mention the Cotswolds were only half an hour or so away. Why would anyone come here when they could pop down the road and enjoy that little slice of heaven?
What we did get was a few waves of pensioners desperate to get a quick break in before the schools closed for summer and the kids ran wild. I liked kids, but I didn’t want to take my holiday when they were finally letting off steam, so I related greatly to the older generation who were seeking that escape.
