Page 41 of A Perfect Devon Pub
She shouldn’t have taken up that surf lesson, or she should have done more to discourage his hands. Wishing she could stop herself, Fiona compared him to Ru; Josh felt like a supermarket fizz beside vintage Champagne. There was a sparkle to Josh, but no complexity, no depth. On the other hand, he was fun to be around and that was something she needed in her life right now.
‘What are you worried about? That you might enjoy yourself again like you did in the surf? Come on, girl, lighten up. Live for life. It’s just an evening out. I’m not asking you to marry me.’
Josh was right – it would be good to get out.
‘Alright, but not dinner,’ she said. ‘I don’t want you spending too much on me. Besides, I’ve enjoyed teaching you.’
‘What about the movies?’ he suggested. ‘There’s a really great little independent cinema in Barnstaple.’
That sounded quite safe, and not too expensive. She didn’t want to lead him on. ‘Sounds lovely, you choose the film. Anything except for sci-fi or horror.’
‘I’ll check the website. Monday, when the restaurant is shut?’
She smiled, her heart tugging slightly. Not that Josh wasn’t great, but he wasn’tRu. She knew she must stop clinging to the past. It felt too early for her to be interested in someone else, but going out on a date with Josh might be just what she needed. Butas she nodded, a quiet voice in the back of her mind questioned if she was doing this for the right reasons – or if she was just running away from the shadows Ru had left behind.
Eighteen
That evening, Fiona leaned against the cool metal of the serving counter, her heart racing as she caught sight of Ru. He was prepping for the evening service, moving with a grace that belied the frenetic energy of the kitchen. His skin glistened under the bright fluorescent lights as he nimbly sliced vegetables, each motion precise and deliberate. The sweet aroma of caramelizing onions permeated the air. She waited briefly, checking for Josh or George in the stockroom. Once she was sure they were alone, she grabbed his attention. ‘Ru!’
He looked up, his dark eyes locking onto hers for a fleeting moment before darting away, back to his work. ‘Fiona, I’ve got a lot to do before service starts,’ he replied, his tone clipped, as if the idea of conversation exhausted him.
Her heart twisted. ‘It’s important,’ she insisted, her voice rising slightly above the kitchen clatter. ‘I need to talk to you about something.’
‘Can’t it wait? I’m in the middle of prepping,’ he replied coldly, not even looking around at her. His shoulders were tense. She could sense the wall he was putting up between them. It was what she’d asked for and what she knew she needed, yet she felt a pang of hurt, nonetheless. She pushed aside the sorrow. She was here to help him without going backwards in her attempt to fall out of love with him. He was making that part easier, at least. ‘Ru, please put the knife down for a minute.’ she said, her voice softer now, almost pleading.
Finally, he paused, setting down his knife and turning to face her fully. ‘What do you want?’ he shot back, his tone sharper than she expected.
Fiona felt warmth rise to her cheeks, the frustration bubbling inside her.
‘I have something to say that will help you!’
Ru’s gaze hardened, and she felt the air thicken between them. ‘I saw you.’
She flinched. ‘Saw me?’
‘With Josh. First on the beach, then in Prosecco & Prose.’
‘Oh that,’ she blushed. ‘It was a surf lesson – I was living life a little.’
He huffed. She tutted. ‘And we were doing what most people do in a café – having coffee.’
‘Looked like quite an intimate coffee to me. Didn’t take you long to move on, did it.’
His words hit her like a physical blow, and she took a sharp breath, feeling the heat of the kitchen close in around her. She looked away. Although she knew she couldn’t be with Ru, being near him every day was tough.
‘It was just coffee!’ she protested, her voice rising in a mixture of frustration and desperation. ‘Not that it’s any of your business, but we were discussing wine.’
‘Right,’ he said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. ‘Discussing wine. Why not spend your spare time studying instead of flirting, so you can become fully qualified and repay your debts.’ She gasped. The words cut deep, like the edge of a freshly sharpened knife, cold and precise, slicing through the quiet between them. She would show him – once qualified, and earning a chunky salary, she would repay his loan in full. Immediately.
‘Ru, there isn’t time to fight. Listen to me!’ She felt the urgency of what she needed to say rising within her. ‘I need to warn you.’
‘About what?’ His brow furrowed, and for a moment, she thought he might let her in, but then he turned away, grabbing another handful of herbs, massacring them like a vengeful gardener taking out years of repressed anger on an unsuspecting patch of greenery.
Determined to get through to him despite the growing distance, she took a step closer. ‘It’s serious! I think you might be in danger,’
‘Danger?’ His laugh was incredulous. ‘From what? The kitchen porter?’
‘Stop it!’ she exclaimed, the words bursting from her. ‘This isn’t about us, me! It’s aboutyou– about something that could hurt you. Please, just listen!’
