‘What are you waiting for?’ he shouted, shimmying in front of her, making her giggle.
Unable to think of a reason not to, Paige determined to forget she was being watched, and joined in with him, punching the air and moving her hips as best she could along with him.
‘You sure can move,’ he said, as other guests seemed to pick up on his mood and joined them on the dance floor.
The DJ started clapping to the rhythm. ‘This is for my very good friend Jake. As we can see, he knows how to get down and dirty on the dance floor. Go for it, Jakey,’ he shouted, as the first bars of, ‘Boogie Nights’ began to filter through the loud speakers at each corner of the room.
‘Jakey,’ called a young girl, dressed head to toe in candy pink, as she launched herself towards him. Paige assumed she must be the birthday girl. ‘Baby, you came. I knew you wouldn’t let me down.’ She elbowed her way passed Paige to get to him.
‘Hey, careful,’ he said, peering over her pink angel wings to Paige.
She smiled. ‘Don’t worry,’ she mouthed. She watched as the birthday girl draped her arms around Jake’s neck, half-heartedly glancing in Paige’s direction, before focusing her attention back to him.
‘Don’t you think she looks rather like an overblown strawberry milkshake?’ Olly asked from over her shoulder.
Paige laughed. ‘That’s mean, Olly. It’s her birthday; she’s allowed to wear what she wants.’
‘Yeah,’ he said, not looking at all convinced. ‘But there should be a limit when you reach your twenties, surely?’
They continued dancing nearby, watching as Jake tried to untangle himself, a forced smile on his face. He reached up, taking the girl’s wrists in his hands and attempted to untangle them from his neck.
‘She’s holding on for grim death,’ Olly said, one eyebrow raised in amazement.
Jake tried pulling her hands away from him once more. ‘No, Jakey,’ she shouted. ‘Don’t do that.’
‘Oh, crap,’ Olly said. ‘I think she’s had a bit too much to drink. He looks like he’s having a bit of a battle escaping from her clutches.’
She was about to agree, when the girl flung one arm back from Jake’s hold and smacked Paige right in the eye.
Chapter Twenty-four
‘Ouch,’ Paige yelped, covering her smarting eye with one hand. ‘Bloody hell, that hurt.’ Tears began streaming from her throbbing eye. She could feel it beginning to swell straight away.
Jake wrestled free from the party girl and pushed her away from him. ‘Shit, look what you’ve done,’ he shouted. ‘Hey, are you OK?’ He rushed over to Paige’s side.
‘No she’s not,’ said a calm voice Paige recognized. ‘What the hell were you playing at, messing around like a teenager in the middle of all these people?’ Sebastian said, glaring at Jake. It was obvious someone was going to get hurt.’
Paige closed her eyes. She was embarrassed to be caught in this drama and wished they’d both go away and leave her in peace. ‘I’m fine,’ she said between clenched teeth.
Jake turned from her to face Sebastian, the rage on his face palpable. ‘Why don’t you mind your own business, big man?’ he said, nose to nose with Sebastian.
Paige forgot the stinging in her eye. ‘It’s OK, please don’t make a fuss,’ she said, her voice drowned out by the crying birthday girl.
Undeterred by Jake’s threatening demeanour, Sebastian gently took Paige’s hand in his and held it away from her eye, bending down to have a look. ‘That looks painful. You want to get it checked out,’ he said, his voice cold. ‘You’re definitely going to have a black eye after a punch like that one.’
‘I’m fine, really,’ she assured him, before noticing Jake grab at Sebastian’s shoulder and pull him backwards.
‘I said to butt out, and leave her alone,’ Jake shouted, his eyes narrowed as he focused his attention on Sebastian.
Sebastian shrugged him off easily.
‘Hey.’ Olly grabbed hold of her, lifting her away from the drama. ‘They’re not fighting over you, are they?’ he asked, looking delighted.
‘Shut up, Olly. I think it’s time Jake went home. Do something.’
‘Er, no.’ He looked at her as if she was insane. ‘They’re both bigger than me, and by the looks on their faces, ready to kill each other. I think this has more to do with jealousy than anything else.’
Paige winced as Jake punched Seb on the jaw. Seb immediately retaliated. Unable to miss Olly’s determination not to get involved, Paige decided she would have to do something. ‘Stop it,’ she screamed, grabbing hold of Sebastian’s arm, just in time to distract his attention enough and allow Jake to take full advantage by punching him hard in the face.
Paige winced. ‘Jake. What did you do that for?’
‘Yes,’ echoed Olly. ‘That’s enough.’ He linked his arms through Jake’s from behind, holding him back from Sebastian, enabling Paige to step in.
Paige turned to Sebastian. ‘What was that all about?’ she asked, stunned by what she had just witnessed between the two men.
‘Don’t have a go at me,’ Sebastian snapped. ‘It was your boyfriend who started all this.’
‘He’s not my boyfriend, not that it’s anything to do with you if he was.’
‘I think we should leave,’ Olly said, glancing from one to the other. ‘before Jake gets his second wind.’
‘You don’t have to tell me twice,’ Jake moaned, putting an arm around her shoulder and sneering in Sebastian’s direction before walking with her towards the door. ‘What the hell is his problem anyway?’
Paige glanced over to see Sebastian staring after them, his bruised face sullen. ‘I’ve no idea,’ she said, wondering why Sebastian kept involving himself in her life. What did he want from her? It wasn’t as if he didn’t have enough attention from everyone else.
‘Shit,’ Olly shouted, catching up with them by the car. ‘I didn’t know his lordship was there tonight. What the hell was all that about?’
‘I think he only stepped in to stop everything kicking off, to be honest,’ Paige said suspecting that Sebastian had only become involved as a reaction to her being hit in the face. ‘You’re the one who acted like a madman in there,’ she snapped at Jake, pushing his arm away from her.
‘Yeah, sorry.’ At least he had the decency to look a little shame-faced.
‘Why don’t you come in for a bit and let me have a look at your eye?’ Jake asked when they arrived at his house at the edge of the sand dunes in St Ouen’s Bay.
Paige shook her head. ‘It was only a glancing blow. I think you came out of that worse than I did, don’t you?’ she said, studying his grazed cheek.
‘Bloody toffs,’ he said getting out of the car. ‘Why do they always wear those stupid pinkie rings?’
‘Instigate fights with them often, do you?’ Paige teased, unable to stop feeling a little guilty for Sebastian’s part in the drama.
‘Not every week.’ He bent down and gazed into the wing mirror for a moment. ‘Bloody hell, I made a bit of a fool of myself tonight, didn’t I?’
Paige nodded.
‘You had a lucky escape,’ Olly said. ‘Someone was telling me he’s involved in some kids’ charity. I’m told he does a lot of training for taking part in charity boxing matches to raise money for one of the homes over here, so he’s bloody fit.’
Paige could see Jake was taken aback by Olly’s comment. She was too. ‘Really? Are you sure?’ It was news to her.
Olly shrugged. ‘So, I gather. Apparently, in his spare time he helps a guy who runs an orphanage where the kids live. I think they were friends when they were kids, and he sets up charity evenings to help raise money.’
Jake groaned. ‘If he’s so bloody wealthy, why doesn’t he write out a cheque so they can do the work instead of him?’
‘I don’t know,’ Olly said, turning to Paige. ‘I would have suggested you asked him, but I don’t think he’ll be in any mood to talk to you right now.’
Neit
her did she, and she was quite sure she didn’t want to speak to him either. It was all getting too confusing. Finding out Sebastian had been engaged to that beautiful woman, and now learning this about him only went to confirm how little she knew about the man and how right her father had been when he spoke about Sebastian being unattainable.
Jake leaned into the car window. ‘Do you fancy coming surfing tomorrow morning? The tide should be perfect just after six.’
Paige laughed at his determination. ‘I think you could probably do with taking it a little easy and getting a decent lie-in,’ she said, breathing in the salty air and listening to the waves lapping against the nearby sand. ‘I’m going straight home. I need to get an ice pack on this shiner and see if I can get it to go down a little before I have to return to work on Monday. I can’t afford to frighten off my customers.’
‘I hadn’t thought of that,’ Olly laughed. ‘A black eye doesn’t really give the best impression when you’re running an up-market business, does it?’
‘Not really,’ she said, waving at Jake, as Olly began to drive.
‘You’ll look like a right thug,’ he laughed.
‘Olly?’ she asked, trying not to giggle at his comment.
‘Yes?’
‘Shut up and drive.’
As Olly wove the car through the leafy country lanes, she mused about how much easier it was to have fun with a man when you didn’t have deep feelings for him. She enjoyed Jake’s company, rather more than she had expected to, but was still stunned by Seb’s reaction towards him, and even more amazed by his apparent involvement in the nearby children’s home.
‘Why do you think Sebastian stepped in like that tonight, Ol?’ she asked, staring out into the darkness, watching the shadowy shapes of the trees as they drove past. ‘He’s always seemed so cool and together before.’
‘Either because he was being protective of you, or simply because he was jealous,’ he said, his tone matter of fact.
‘Jealous, of what? Jake’s your friend, he’s nothing to do with me.’
Olly nodded. ‘I know that, but he doesn’t.’
‘You don’t think it was because Jake just annoyed him by acting like a big kid on the dance floor like he said?’
Olly looked at her for a moment. ‘It probably didn’t help, but the look on his face when that stupid girl hit you in the eye was a picture. It was as if something snapped inside him, and he reacted instinctively. I’ve never seen anyone’s expression change so instantaneously. He really cares for you, you know, whether you choose to believe it or not.’
Paige pulled her cotton jacket tighter around her, as if it could possibly ward off any further confusing thoughts. ‘You must be wrong. Surely, if I meant anything to him at all, he wouldn’t have lied to me when he found out I had a concession in De Greys?’
‘I suppose you’re right. Maybe he just likes being in control,’ he suggested.
‘Probably,’ she added, feeling hurt at the thought that Olly could be right.
They drove in silence for a while. Paige lowered her head back against the leather headrest and closed her eyes. Breathing in the sweet evening air, she turned her thoughts back to Sebastian. Why couldn’t he be an ordinary guy with a standard nine to five job?
‘Good,’ Olly said, changing gear badly and causing his engine to protest loudly. ‘There’s no reason for you to sit at home being miserable and wallowing.’
‘What do you mean?’ She wound the window down a little further, holding her hand out in the cool air.
‘Don’t act the innocent with me,’ he said, looking at her briefly. ‘I saw your face when he strutted over and did his lord and master bit.’
‘He did not,’ Paige said, immediately wishing she would think before speaking.
‘See? You’re defending him already,’ Olly said, raising an eyebrow. ‘And after everything you’ve said, too.’
Paige couldn’t miss the determination in his voice, and decided she needed to hurry up and start sorting things out between Olly and her sister. He needed something to keep him from getting involved in her problems. She’d have to come up with something before he drove her mad.
Chapter Twenty-five
‘Sebastian, baby, calm down.’ Lucinda soothed.
He could feel her cool hands stroking his back and moved away from her. ‘That’s enough,’ he snapped. ‘Please leave me alone.’
‘Why can’t we be friends? I know I hurt you, but I’ve regretted my stupidity every day since I left you.’
She looked so sincere, he almost suspected she was telling the truth. The Lucinda he’d fallen for was always a little hot-headed and many times had acted without thinking, but she’d been gentle most of the time. ‘We can’t go back. I’ve moved on,’ he added guiltily, aware that the depths of his feelings for Paige far exceeded those he’d ever held for Lucinda.
Paige’s beautiful face, now bruised. What the hell was she doing larking about with that Jake bloke anyway? Lucinda’s nasal voice broke his train of thought. ‘What is it?’ he said brushing her hand away as she attempted to dab at his face with a damp napkin.
‘Your lip is swollen,’ she said, pouting and trying again.
He gently took hold of her wrist and moved it away. ‘It’s nothing, don’t fuss.’
‘You were spectacular over there,’ she said, indicating the dance floor where the barmen were sweeping up broken glass.
‘There’s nothing spectacular about tonight. I should have stopped the fight, not got involved in it. I need to go and apologise to those chaps who are cleaning up my mess.’
‘You were only looking out for Paige,’ Sara said. ‘It’s typical of you, to rescue a damsel in distress.’
‘Yes, I noticed her flaunting herself over those two men,’ Lucinda sneered, flicking her long hair over her shoulder. ‘It’s not surprising she ended up with a smack in the eye.’
Sebastian rounded on her with a fury that he had to work hard to contain. ‘When did you get to be so nasty?’ She flinched, her mouth dropping open in shock. ‘You have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about, so why don’t you go and find someone else to irritate?’
‘Fine, I’m going.’
He watched with satisfaction as she marched off towards a group of her cronies. ‘What happened to her?’
Sara pulled a face and shrugged. ‘No idea, but I’ll give you a lift home if you like. Protect you from any more female-related dramas.’
Sebastian groaned. ‘I think that’s the best suggestion I’ve heard all night.’
‘So, any plans for tomorrow, or is it more meetings, as usual?’ she asked, as they walked over to her car.
‘I have someone I need to see in the morning.’
‘Paige?’ Sara asked, unlocking her car and getting inside.
‘No. I’ll call on her at some point, but first I’m going to visit a young chap who’s in hospital.’
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to be flippant. Who are you helping out this time?’
‘He was a promising young boxer until a few weeks ago when some drunk driver smashed into him. They flew him to Southampton and kept in a drug-induced coma until recently.’
The Jersey Scene series box set Page 51