Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 56970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
“What if it’s best for me? It’s a bit torturous, watching. Waiting. I’m afraid one of these days—” he sighs “—I’m going to give in.”
After breakfast, I make my way to the tea rooms and catch Troy on a break outside. I sling myself next to him, on the bench overlooking the dunes. The lines of his face are all solemn and thoughtful; there’s a stray line of flour on his cheek, more on his apron.
Looks like a busy morning in the kitchen. “Where’s Tommy?” I murmur.
“Day care.” Troy leans back and tips his head skyward.
Stress pulses off him. I touch his forearm. “I’m happy to help look after him whenever, you know?”
Those tight lines either side of his mouth deepen. A worried shadow flitters between his brows. “Leon?”
“Yes?”
“Damon’s told me about your fake relationship.”
I suspect he has. He wouldn’t keep something like that a secret from his best friend. “He’s helping me out with Karl. I was hoping we might borrow Tommy for an evening too.”
“You can have any help from me you want, but”—he looks at me—“I don’t want you to get in too deep. Remember it’s not real.”
“Of course I know it’s not real.” My stomach feels awfully knotted up, though. Troy’s reminder has weight to it. He knows Damon well. They’re bestie boys.
“He’s a part of everything here. He gives everything to everyone.” In other words, I’m not special. Troy sighs. “He’d never intentionally hurt anyone, but . . . I want to make sure you don’t have unrequited feelings. If you do, you should quit while you’re ahead.”
My smile is a dead weight on my face. “Any feelings are only rooted in exasperation. Don’t worry, I know he’ll get over me.”
“Okay, good.” He ruffles my hair. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Pish posh.” I stare at tussock whipping in a cheek-slapping gust.
Of course I know it won’t last. I only need it to continue long enough. For Damon not to get bored before Karl’s visit. Will it last that long? Or will the whole ruse fizzle out in the next few days?
Maybe . . . maybe I need to be . . . more? Sure, I’m not putting out and he enjoys that chase—God, that diabolical snog last night!—but even that may not keep his interest for long. With Roger, I went out of my way to become Leon 2.0. With Scott I tried, too. With Damon, I spend my days doing everything I normally would have done. I need to try harder.
Yes. What would Damon’s ideal partner look like? I mean, if he were to settle down. Like he once thought he would with Mark.
Mark!
If I find out what he was like, that could give me a clue.
“I’ve got to get to the library,” I say, bolting to my feet.
“Sure.” Troy stands to help Hailey clear a table. “Would you mind swinging past my place? I have four boxes of books I’ve been storing for Damon that he needs to take back.”
“I’ll deal with them.”
He tosses me his keys. “Oh, one last thing.”
“Hm?”
“Did you tell Scott XX you’d cater for him?”
My gaze skips to the road, the patrons sipping coffee, the tea room sign. “I am willing to do a lot of free babysitting.”
He laughs. “You know the party’s on a boat, right?”
No, no I did not. “Huh?”
“Roger McDuff organised to have the party on a yacht. He knows the perfect captain, apparently.”
My eyes are bulging out of their sockets. The look Troy’s giving me! He knows that ‘captain’.
His laughter is cool, easy.
I wince and salute him. “I will not get myself into any more mix-ups.”
With that, I hoof it to the library. Tai is aligning a half-dozen books into a straight pile on the counter. “What can I do you for today?”
I drum my fingers. Now that I’m here, my stomach’s knotted itself, and I’m not sure how to ask. “I should probably replace my library card?”
He lifts a brow and turns to his computer. In minutes he has another card laminated for me.
I take it, thank him, and start tapping the edge of it against the counter.
He smiles and leans forward. “What are you really here for, Leon? Another date?”
“No! No, I’m . . . with Damon now.”
“So the rumours are true.”
I smile-grimace. “Totally all true. We are sooo together.”
He eyes me shrewdly but whatever plays on his mind, he pushes it aside. He speaks softly. “What can I help you with?”
Before I can croak out my question, a derisive snort comes from behind. I twist to see Wyatt slinking towards us with slouched shoulders and hands stuffed into his pockets. Black jeans, black shirt, black boots. He looks exactly the same—like he’s too cool for this shit town. Especially the people in it. Maybe Tai his only exception.
I really have an appalling romantic history.