Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97073 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97073 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
“Have you ordered yet?” he asks the group. “I’m starving.”
“Just got here. Relax, will you?” Mike turns to address the bartender. “Oy, Arthur, get this bloke a lager, will you?”
Arthur motions with his hand to let Mike know he heard him. Meanwhile, I’m watching Nate as he takes off his jacket and hangs it on the back of his chair. He tugs up the sleeves of his sweater, revealing his toned forearms, and then after sitting, he finally looks at me.
His blue eyes are glacial.
My spine straightens and I look away immediately, reaching for my wine glass.
Unfortunately for Nate, if he was hoping to pretend I’m not here, it doesn’t work out so well for him. Seeing as I’m the only new person, most of the questions are aimed at me. Oliver keeps asking about what it was like growing up in the States.
“Hello, I’m from America too,” Alice points out with a laugh. “So is Nathaniel.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. I’m trying to be friendly,” Oliver says, his ears going pink with embarrassment.
“Well why don’t you just get on with the question you really want to ask,” Alice says before he cuts her off.
“Oh, sorry.” Oliver shakes his head. “Can’t believe it took me so long.” Then he looks at me dead serious as he asks, “Are you single?”
“No, you fool.” Alice laughs. “Not that!”
“That’s not what she meant,” Freya groans, dropping her head in her hands.
The table laughs and Mike pushes Oliver’s shoulder, nearly toppling his brother out of his chair.
When everyone settles down, Alice leans in. “Aren’t any of you curious how Nathaniel and Summer know each other?”
“Whatever is going on, they’ve clearly had a row. He won’t even look at her,” Mike says, pointing his lager at Nate.
“I’ve looked at her,” Nate says, his voice devoid of any real annoyance, but he doesn’t meet my gaze.
“Summer is working with Nathaniel!” Alice erupts. “And living with him!”
The table goes dead silent. I can’t look at Nate for fear of what my face might reveal.
“You’re living with him?!” Freya asks me.
“Who would want to live with that arsehole?” Mike asks. “No offense, mate.”
Nate rolls his eyes and drinks his beer. It’s like this whole conversation is beneath him. His aloofness is driving me insane. I want to rile him up and get a real reaction, like when he storms out of the cottage all in a huff. I wonder if he’s ever shown that part of himself to this group. They probably think he’s always cool, calm, and collected, but there’s another side to him, passionate and intense.
“If he kicks you out, you can come live with me,” Oliver says with a smile.
“I’m not kicking her out.” Nate’s tone is admonishing. “Now are you all done? I’m hungry and I’m putting in my order.”
He pushes away from the table and heads over to the bar without waiting for any of us to join him. Everyone raises their eyebrows, glancing around the group like, Uh-oh, we made Daddy mad.
I shouldn’t smile, but I can’t help it! It’s nice to be around people who understand Nate. I should pick their brain for ways to get through to him. Maybe they’d have some good insight. The more surly and quiet he is, the more I want to make him laugh. He’s so serious!
Alice and the guys stand to order, and seeing as how I’ve been talking instead of looking over the menu, I have no idea what I want to eat. I ask Alice if she wouldn’t mind ordering for me just as Nate arrives back at the table to reclaim his spot. “I already got her order,” he tells Alice.
Oh.
“Thank you,” I say, a little taken aback.
He doesn’t even nod to let me know he’s heard me. I think that’s going to be it, he’s going to go back to being quiet and aloof the rest of dinner, but then he looks up, his eyes capturing mine before they narrow. “Where were you today?”
I’m conscious of Freya’s presence at the table, but she’s focused down on her phone as if she’s not paying us any attention. Doubtful.
“I came into town.”
The wrinkle between his brow deepens. “How?”
“I walked,” I say with a light laugh.
“You should have told me.”
“You were busy.”
Need I remind him of the rocks? Just how many did he stack today instead of working on his manuscript?
Nate’s jaw ticks, and I can tell I’m frustrating him. Big deal! It’s not like it’s hard. Every minute of every day I seem to frustrate him. My mere existence is enough to send him over the edge.
“Next time, I’ll let you know,” I tack on, aware of the group heading back this way. I want to resolve things as best as possible or the rest of this evening is going to be horrible. You know, more than it already has been.