Page 91 of Valentine Nook
The shame morphs into a sizable lump.
My eyes stay on her as she walks away, hair bouncing around. Eddie’s standing by the door, ready to let her out. She pulls him into a hug, followed by a kiss on his cheek. Even from where I’m standing, I can see the blush creeping over him.
Hollywood’s sweetheart and my defender rolled into one.
And just like that, I become her biggest fan.
She pauses on the threshold and turns, a soft smile lighting her face, and the power of it hits me right in the chest. It’s exactly what I need to get through the next hour of my life.
Throwing Jeremy a final deeply withering look I hope I’m never on the receiving end of, she leaves the pub. The bolts clatter as Eddie locks the doors behind her.
I find Jeremy’s gaze following her as she passes by the window, and my fists ball. I’m going to kill him.
“Right, you two, the place is empty. I’ll be in the back. Try not to break too much,” Eddie gripes and trundles off, leaving us alone for the first time since the evening before my wedding.
Ironic that he’s also ruined the first proper date night I’ve had in forever too. And if I have to have a conversation with the dickhead, I’m not going to do it sober.
Spotting a bottle of Glenmorangie on the shelf, I pour myself a large glass and knock it back, followed by another.
“I’ll take one of those.”
I pause, drumming my fingers against the bar, deciding whether I want to share this bottle with the guy I used to share everything with.
Then decide I don’t.
My petty pants fit great today.
“No, you won’t.”
He huffs a dry chuckle, pulls himself to standing, and rounds the bar. Over the years, we’ve served ourselves here more times than I can count. He knows where the glasses are, and he knows where the good bottles are. With Alex, Hendricks, and Miles, we would frequently have lock-ins after hours with groups of friends, and in the morning, Eddie would count up the damage and add it to our running tabs.
I don’t bother looking at him while I slowly sip. “If you take one more step, I’ll black your other eye.”
“Jeez. Calm down,” he replies but shifts back. After picking up one of the barstools that fell over in the scuffle, he sits on it. “How ’bout that ice? Can I have that?”
I glance down at the bowl. It’s now more water than ice, and I’ve had my fist in it, but I push it toward him anyway. Picking out one of the cubes, he runs it across his swollen lip.
He’s silent as he does so, and while I’m not in the business of making things easier for him, I absolutely do not want to spend a second longer in here than I have to. Holiday is my priority, and I have a ruined evening to make up for.
“What are you doing here, Jez?”
He drops the cube into the bowl. “Came to invite you to a wedding. Caroline and I are getting married, if you haven’t heard.”
I eye him carefully. He was always one who liked to shock, just for kicks. I also know him well enough that their wedding is not why he came to Valentine Nook.
“Don’t you want to offer your congratulations?” he asks when I remain silent.
“Not really.”
“Do you want to know why we’re getting married?”
I swill the amber liquid in the bottom of my glass. “Nope.”
“Caroline’s pregnant.”
My heart stops. My stomach bottoms out. A high-pitched ringing sounds in my ears.
“You should see your face.” Jeremy slaps his hand on the bar and barks out a loud laugh. “It’s mine, butwow, that would have really thrown a spanner in the works. I can imagine Victoria wouldn’t take too happily to the news either. How is she, by the way? Do send my regards to the duchess?—”
