Page 73 of Prove You Wrong

‘Think I’ll stick to sparkling water. Then I can give you a lift home.’ Nate’s giving me that intense smouldering gaze of his and I’m wishing our order was to go. ‘If that’s okay with you?’

My nod comes out a little jerky and the waitress arrives, sparing me the need to reply coherently.

‘Volunteering’s a pretty awesome thing to do,’ I say once they’ve taken our order. ‘How do you manage it all though? You’ve pretty much got three jobs.’

‘I feel it’s important to help out. So that’s not a job.’ He sits back, arm trailing across the top of a chair, open and … deliciously tempting.‘And the others? Honestly, they don’t feel like work, either. Do you like what you do?’

I tip my head to the side, thinking. ‘It’s a safe career. People will always need accountants.’

‘That doesn’t sound like a ringing endorsement for a job you love.’ He cocks his head, looking like he’s analysing me.

I shrug. ‘It’s a good job.’ I’m trying to convince him as much as myself.‘But I’ve been considering picking up a side hustle or something. I’ve been investigating evening classes.’ I give a small smile. ‘But there’s nothing available that I want to do.’ Nate holds my gaze, lips parted slightly as he listens. ‘And even if there was, I probably wouldn’t have time.’

The server delivers our order, and we start on a shared stack of loaded pancakes.

After a mouthful, Nate looks ponderous as he says, ‘You help out a lot at home, don’t you?’

‘I wouldn’t say a lot.’ I take a sip of my cocktail as I consider this. ‘But it probably is. The trouble is my mum is out working so hard for us, I want to contribute, too. And if that’s cooking dinner or making sure my sister is okay, then I’m happy to do it.’

He leans towards me, settling on his elbows. ‘You must be a close family.’

‘We’re all each other has. My dad left, then my mum had my sister, Chloe, with this other guy and he left too.’ I find myself shrugging again. ‘It’s just us now and I want to do my bit.’ I pop a blueberry in my mouth and it bursts on my tongue as I chew.‘Tell me about your family.’

‘There’s not much to say. It’s just me and Scott in this part of the world.’

‘Scott?’ I repeat, sitting forwards. ‘From the pub?’ My brain scrambles to comprehend. ‘He’s your brother?’

‘Yep.’ He looks quizzically at me.

Jesus.

Josie’s been hooking up with Nate’s brother.

His brother!

‘Well, now I feel like a traitor.’ I wince. ‘He’s the reason Josie was so upset.’

‘Scott upset Josie?’ Nate’s eyebrows fold together.

‘Something weird went down. They were seeing each other but then he blew her off, said some stuff that upset her.’ I press my lips together, concerned for my friend all over again.

‘That doesn’t sound like him.’ His voice is tight, surprised. ‘Aside from the fact he never has girlfriends, he’s not the sort of guy that would mess someone around. But … ’ Nate rubs at the scruff on his chin. ‘Scott’s not been himself recently.’

‘Josie’s not said much.’ A pang of guilt passes through me. ‘I don’t actually know what happened. Don’t worry, I’ll get more information before jumping to conclusions again.’ Heat spreads to my cheeks as I remember where jumping to conclusions got me last time.

For the briefest moment I let the fear snake back in and wonder if maybe Scottisthe kind of guy that would mess someone around, maybe they’re two bad-boy-brother-peas-in-a-pod. But I mentally shake that thought off. Not. Jumping. To. Conclusions.

Nate reaches out for my hand. ‘Please don’t worry about that.’

I flash him a grin that says I probably will continue to recall my embarrassing moment of paranoid anxiety for a while longer.

Taking a fortifying breath, I reframe my mindset. ‘They’re both adults.’ I shrug with a smile.

Nate catches my eye, holding my gaze as if he can read every thought and innermost turmoil. After a beat, he squeezes my hand and lets go, sitting up straighter to change the subject. ‘Now, tell me what’s up with Rusty.’

We’re so busy chatting, our food disappears in the blink of an eye. We settle up and head out into the chilly autumn air.

Entwining his fingers with mine, Nate rubs his thumb over the back of my hand. ‘Shall we walk along the river before heading off?’

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