Chloe started to giggle. ‘Bummer, I nearly forgot yours, Mia.’ She turned to him. ‘And a—’
‘Bottle of beer. Got it.’ He bent to retrieve one from the fridge, looking again at Mia. ‘Sure I can’t tempt you to the radioactive cocktail?’
She smiled, shaking her head, but though it was friendly, he sensed a wall that hadn’t been there before. ‘I don’t want my hair going any greener.’
Chloe’s mouth fell open. ‘You’re kidding, right. I mean this stuff,’ she looked down at the tray of vivid green cocktails, ‘it isn’t going to turn me green, is it?’
‘Only if you have too many.’
‘What?’ Then she burst into laughter. ‘Oh right, you mean because I’ll be sick. No flaming way. I’m not chucking them up, not after all the money I’ve spent on them.’
Picking the card off the bar, Luke quickly took payment for the drinks. As Chloe reached for the tray, he put his hand on hers. ‘I’ll take them over.’
She gave him a wide, flirty smile. ‘Such a gentleman.’ Then tottered back to join the others.
Mia set off behind her, but Luke touched her shoulder, only realising then how short she was. ‘Hey, wait a sec.’ Slipping round the bar, he fetched the tray of drinks. ‘Good to see you still here.’
‘I met up with Chloe and Donna in the ladies. They persuaded me to stay.’
He gave her a crooked smile. ‘So it wasn’t the lure of continuing our conversation?’
‘Which conversation was that? The one about Somerset versus Manchester, cocktails—’
‘The one where I suggested meeting up outside this place,’ he interrupted, wondering if he’d got this totally wrong. He’d been certain there’d been a spark between them earlier. Sure, she was different from the women he usually chatted up at the bar, but that was part of the interest. He didn’t meet many women who had the confidence to come into a bar alone, and without the need to squeeze into a tight dress or put on make-up for the occasion.
Nor did he meet many people who outsmarted him in the banter.
‘Oh, that conversation.’
He was interrupted by Helen, one of his regulars, who gave him a smacker of a kiss on his cheek. ‘Luke, I’ve not seen you all evening.’ She darted a look at Mia. ‘Seems others have claimed your attention. I’m going to be upset if you don’t drop by our table when you’ve finished here. Lizzie, I know, will want to say hi. She was telling us how much she missed your pretty face.’
‘You’re busy.’ Mia’s eyes followed Helen as she walked back to her table.
‘Yeah, sorry, Saturday nights are usually mad. It’s quieter during the week. Easy to talk.’ When she didn’t reply to his opening, he gave it one last shot. ‘So, can I have your phone number? Maybe meet for coffee one day?’
‘Umm.’
‘I’ve lived here most of my life. I could be a pretty useful guide while you settle in.’ He grinned. ‘Cheapest coffee, best take-out, prettiest place to eat outside, most scenic running route if you’re into that.’ Crap, he sounded desperate.
Her eyes flicked over to where Chloe and … damn, Tanya was there. Was that what had put Mia off? She thought he was dating Tanya? ‘Look, I don’t know what you’ve heard, but—’
‘They’re waiting for the drinks.’ She gave him a small smile. ‘Thanks for the offer. I know where to come if I decide to take you up on it.’
‘Okay.’
She took the tray from him and nodded to where Helen was watching them. ‘Thanks, I’ve got it from here. You’d best go over there before she gets upset.’
He was left feeling confused, a little put out and, yeah, he had to admit, a lot disappointed.
Chapter Four
Sunday was quiet. Mia went running – surprise, surprise, she was capable of finding her own routes, quiet and short being the key criteria. Who needed scenic when it took all her effort to put one foot in front of the other? After that, she tried out Lidl, thanks to Stan’s recommendation. She’d keep the excitement of ready meals for one at Sainsbury’s until she’d been here at least a month.
If she thought, just occasionally, about the guy from the bar, it was because it had been a long while since she’d enjoyed chatting to a member of the opposite sex quite so much. Not because she regretted not giving him her phone number.
Pete had taught her a valuable lesson. No longer was she giving her number out easily. And considering her track record of dating men who appeared decent, but turned out to be total jerks, no way was she about to date a man who seemed like a bit of a jerk at the outset. Sure, Luke was gorgeous, charming and easy to talk to, but God, the bar seemed littered with women who’d either slept with him (Helen had to be an ex), were sleeping with him (Tanya, for one), or wanted to sleep with him (Chloe, plus all the girls who had sat at the bar and fluttered their eyes at him).
Monday, Mia woke to the usual routine. Drag herself out of bed, eat breakfast (Frosties) while checking on Immaculate Woman (dressed today in navy, her hair coiled in a bun). Take mug of coffee to desk. Turn on computer while glowering at Immaculate Woman. Work.
At 10 a.m. she stopped everything to ogle Mr Hot Guy Opposite … damn, she guessed she’d have to say ogle Luke. The idea felt uncomfortable because even though he was undeniably still hot, now she knew who he was.
Opposite her, Luke picked up the bar of weights and jerked it above his head. As his muscles bulged, Mia felt her pulse quicken, her blood heat, and she huffed out a resigned sigh. Fine, when it came to ogle worthiness, apparently she could overlook his womanising ways.
She sat and stared as he bent to put the bar back on the rack. When he straightened, his head angled in her direction and … shit no, please say he hadn’t caught her looking. Mia pushed her chair back, away from the window, and the connection, if there had been one, was lost. Breathing a sigh of relief, she pulled her desk towards her and watched the rest of the show from the shadows.
When it was over, she worked solidly until her stomach complained, then ate a sandwich at her desk while trying to avoid crumbs falling onto her keyboard. Later in the afternoon she took a call from her sister.
‘Yes Elle, you can tell Mum I’m still alive.’ Absently she glanced down and winced. Balls, she’d forgotten to shower and change. Wearing a dressing gown and pyjamas at three in the afternoon was not cool.
‘Please tell me you got out at the weekend. And going to the supermarket doesn’t count,’ Elle added, ruining Mia’s witty reply.
‘Actually, you’d be proud of me. I went to the local bar on Saturday and had conversations with actual people.’
There was a pause. ‘Sorry, can you repeat that? I thought I heard you’d gone to a bar.’
‘Very funny.’
‘So, who are these actual people you spoke to? Any dishy men?’
It was Mia’s turn to pause. ‘Sort of.’
Elle gasped. ‘OMG Mia, come on, spill.’
Damn, why was she chronically incapable of keeping her big mouth shut when it came to her sister? ‘Chill Elle, there’s nothing to spill. I went to a bar, met a few local girls and had a nice evening.’ Nice, pleasant. Funny how it had felt a lot less bland than that.