Page 75 of Special Delivery
‘I only bet in increments of two dollars,’ he explained. ‘Low risk, low reward. I’ll never be Warren Buffett but I’ll never be broke either. Some women would find that a turn-on.’ He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Poppy tried to shove him but she was trapped under his heavy forearm. ‘How many drinks have you had?’
‘A few.’ He grinned sheepishly and leaned in to whisper in her ear. ‘I missed you.’
Poppy felt her insides vaporise to dust.He missed her. Her self-control around this man was laughable.
‘Who is this?’ demanded Dani, reappearing at Poppy’s side. She pointed an accusatory finger. ‘Are you James?’
James blinked. ‘My reputation precedes me.’ He moved his arm from Poppy’s shoulders and held it out to shake Dani’s hand.
Dani ignored it. ‘Aha! You are just what I imagined.’ She turned to Poppy. ‘I can see what you mean.’
‘What do you mean? What does she mean?’ He looked at Poppy quizzically.
Please make Dani shut up, she prayed.Please make her shut up. She had described James in so many ways to her best friend, this was a real game of Russian roulette they were playing. Selfish douche with a pole up his arse? Yep, she’d called him that. Outrageously hot and possibly the best sex she’d ever had? Cringe, yep, she’d said that too.
Dani cleared her throat. ‘She said you were’—please pleasepleasepleaseplease—‘tall.’
Poppy almost fainted with relief. Thank god for beautiful, precious, clever,cleverDani.
‘You must be Dani,’ he said, smiling. ‘Pleasure to meet you.’
Dani looked at him, her eyes blazing with something Poppy couldn’t quite place. Her best friend could be terrifying when she wanted to. ‘Pleasure’s all mine,’ she said curtly. ‘I hear you’re still obsessed with your ex.’
James choked on his beer and Poppy felt the wind rush out of her. There was the Dani sucker punch.
‘Where did you hear that?’ asked James, his eyes darting between the two women.
Dani looked pointedly at Poppy.
‘Youdidsay that you weren’t over her,’ Poppy said.
James turned his whole body towards Poppy. ‘When?’ He looked properly confused.
‘You said you broke up, she took the dog and you were still not over it.’
Dani nodded and crossed her arms.
To Poppy’s surprise, James began to laugh. It started small, a crinkle of his lips, but next thing she knew he was doubled over shaking and wiping tears from his eyes.
‘What?’ demanded Poppy. This was not just bewildering; this was embarrassing. Why was he laughing?!
James draped his arm around Poppy and rested his head against hers. ‘I hate to disappoint you ladies,’ he wheezed, ‘but I am one hundred per cent over my ex. When I said I wasn’t over it, I meant I wasn’t over the dog.’ His face suddenly became serious and he straightened up. ‘She took my dog and I was devastated; I still am. We got him when he was a puppy but I felt so guilty about calling off the engagement that I let her have him. I miss him so much. That’s why I got Eileen.’ He turned to Dani, looking genuinely apologetic. ‘Sorry—I know that story’s not as juicy.’
Poppy could sense the same antennae pricking up in her best friend’s brain.He broke off the engagement? He wasn’t on the rebound?Oh, they would have so much to discuss tonight!
‘April’s gone to the ladies,’ announced Dani. ‘I’m gonna go too. You wanna come, Pops?’
Poppy looked between Dani and James and considered her bladder and the new information muddling through the quagmire of her brain. ‘I’m okay, thanks, Dan,’ she said.
Dani fixed her eyes on James and readjusted her clutch under her arm. ‘Don’t go anywhere, James,’ she commanded. ‘We can get to know each other later.’
As she stalked off, James let out a low whistle. ‘What the hell have you told her about me?’
Poppy grimaced. ‘In summary, everything. From the car park incident to now.’
‘I see,’ said James, rubbing the back of his neck. ‘So she hates me?’
