‘She’s saying she sees herself as your sister as well. You’ve become part of this little family here too, Quinn,’ Abbie said softly, making Quinn show an uncharacteristic display of emotion as her eyes filled up. She quickly blinked them back, casting a furtive glance at us all to see if we’d noticed.
‘You are, you’re a lovely girl, Quinn,’ I said sincerely.
‘Even with that hair and the ring in your nose,’ Daphne said, giving it another of her infamous looks of distaste. I had a feeling she wasn’t going to give up needling Quinn about it. ‘You need to watch Wayne Davies, the farmer’s son. He’ll be putting a rope through it and leading you to the farmers’ market.’
‘She’ll be off the market soon if I have anything to do with it,’ Abbie said. ‘I couldn’t fix up poor Heath with Georgie or Charlie, so I’ve got high hopes of setting him up with Quinn.’
‘Who is this guy that no one wants? Do I really want you trying to dump him on me?’ Quinn asked indignantly. ‘Does he look like a slapped ass?’
‘Arse,’ we all laughed. I had so much to teach her when it came to the English language.
‘Hell no,’ Georgie said. ‘He’s super hot, both Abbie and I quite fancied him at one point, but the timing was off and we’re parked firmly in the friend zone now.’
‘I’d already fallen for McFitty, Dr. Fitton, by the time I met him, but if my crush ever fades, Heath’s one stallion I’ll be attempting to ride,’ I giggled.
‘Then let’s get to the church and meet this stud, it’s been a while since I had a ride,’ Quinn grinned.
‘Girls, this is my nephew we’re talking about,’ Daphne groaned as she shook her head. ‘Come on, before poor Miller thinks Abbie has changed her mind. The curse isn’t lifted until she says the words “I do.”’
Everyone headed outside, ready to make their way up the lane to the church for the early evening ceremony. I turned to close Abbie’s front door and locked it behind me, slipping the key under the plant pot. I couldn’t wait to see Abbie and Miller exchange their vows. No one deserved a happy ending more than they did. I also couldn’t wait until we got to Severn Manor and I could let my hair down and party with Quinn. I’d worked so hard the last couple of months, it would be good to have a night off before getting back to finishing my current manuscript.
‘Three, two, one, drink,’ Quinn counted down, both of us grabbing the first of the shots we’d lined up on the bar and tossing it back before moving on to the next, and then the next.
‘Damn, girl,’ I whined, screwing up my face as the alcohol burnt the back of my throat and brought tears to my eyes. ‘I’ve never met anyone who could out-shot me.’
‘You never met me before,’ she laughed. ‘Though I kinda wish you had. I could have done with a friend like you growing up.’
‘Well, you’re stuck with me now, neighbour,’ I grinned, clinking my empty shot glass against hers. ‘I think you’re going to be really happy here.’
‘You know, I think you might be right,’ she agreed, beckoning the bartender over. ‘Line up another three each, will you?’
‘Quinn, are you trying to kill me?’ I gasped. ‘My liver is fast approaching middle age, it only behaves badly once or twice a year.’
‘Well, get it used to behaving badly a lot more now that I’m in town. We’ve got to get you onto the fun programme.’
‘And talking of getting some fun, Heath’s looking at you again.’
‘I know,’ she nodded, leaning against the bar but not looking his way.
‘How? How do you do that?’ This girl had eyes in the back of her head.
‘I can see his reflection in the mirror behind the bar,’ she grinned, flicking her chin towards the long piece of glass that ran behind the vast array of coloured bottles.
‘So what are you going to do about it?’
‘Nothing,’ she shrugged.
‘You’re telling me you’ve suddenly become the shy and retiring type?’ I scoffed as our glasses were filled again.
‘Hey, this is me,’ she laughed. ‘I’m not going to do anything about it because he’s Daphne’s nephew. I don’t need complicated.’
‘Why does it have to be complicated? Heath fancies you, and I’ve seen some of the sneaky looks you were giving him over dinner, so don’t try telling me you don’t find him insanely hot.’
‘I do, of course I do. I mean, look at him …’ She trailed off as she carried out her inspection of him in a seriously sexy fitted three-piece suit, which was so unlike the combats and grubby t-shirts he usually wore to do the gardening and odd jobs in.
‘So?’ I prodded.
‘I don’t do relationships, Charlie. I’m never letting another guy get close enough to hurt me again. I’m into short and sweet and I move on before it gets serious. He’s not a short and sweet guy. He’s long haul, and he’s Daphne’s nephew. That package of hotness right there is complicated, and we’re back to me not doing complicated.’
‘So you’re never going to settle down with a guy, never going to get married or have a family?’ I asked, my heart aching for her as I saw her defences quickly arming themselves.
‘Nope. Now, are we drinking or what?’ she said, picking up the first shot glass and giving me a look that told me that however friendly we’d become in the last couple of months, she wasn’t open for a deeper discussion on her issues. I sighed and nodded. We had time. We all had time to work on her once she moved here next month. And she was naïve to imagine that with our close-knit group, she’d be able to fend us all off when we set our minds to helping her find happiness in Dilbury.
‘This time I’m taking you down, Garcia,’ I warned her as I lifted my glass.
‘Bring it on, Faulkner, bring it on,’ she grinned.
‘To friendship,’ I toasted.
‘To friendship,’ she replied, moving her glass towards mine.
‘Three, two, one, drink,’ I yelled as fast as I could before I knocked back the first one, taking her by surprise.
‘Hey, that’s cheating.’ She lifted the glass to her lips, desperately trying to catch me.
‘All’s fair in drink and friendship,’ I laughed, wiping my lips on the back of my hand as I set the last glass down and waited for her to do the same. I got a scowl that Daphne would have been proud of before she shook her head and started laughing.
‘You’re a piece of work. I’ll get you back for that.’
‘Yeah, yeah, talk to the rump, Garcia, as this one’s on its way to shake its stuff on the dance floor,’ I told her as I spun and unsteadily made my way over.
I grinned when I cast a look over my shoulder to see her sigh and follow me. I was glad she was here. Everyone except for Heath was coupled up. I hated being at weddings as a single thirty-something. It was like all heads spun Exorcist-style to stare at you, like you were an alien species. Miller had been really sweet and invited Kitt to the evening party, but he wasn’t able to make it.
The three guys had got on really well when I’d treated them to a day out, even if Kitt had totally thrashed them both in all things target practice, leading to them setting up the event as a quarterly thing to try and win back their pride. Miller and Kitt had started having a few pints together in The Cock on a Friday night, Kitt either getting a taxi home or crashing out in my spare room. It was great to see him free of some responsibility from time to time, just being a thirty-year-old guy hanging out with his pal.
I didn’t regret encouraging the boy’s time, but I did kind of miss having him to myself each Friday night. I hadn’t realised just how much I looked forward to our few hours together each week.
New Year’s Eve
I heard a car pull up and a door shut, and even though it didn’t sound like Kitt’s car, I quickly pushed a sleeping Tibbs off my lap and ran to the front door. I threw it open and looked out, but my drive was empty.
‘Hey, gorgeous.’ A masculine voice that sounded like Weston’s drifted over the hedge.
‘Hey, you. How a
re you?’ Georgie replied.
‘Better for kissing you. But I think I need more kisses, just to be sure.’
‘Just to be sure.’
I giggled to myself as I heard the unmistakable suction noise of a passionate kiss and padded across the grass to look over the hedge, only to find them locked in an embrace on the front door step.
‘I’d shout “Get a room,” but it’s not like you need to go far,’ I yelled to surprise them. I succeeded in making them jump and quickly separate. Weston coughed and bent down to pick up his overnight bag. Georgie tried to discreetly wipe her mouth before she looked over at me, and I gave her a wide grin.
‘Hey, Charlie.’ Weston saluted me and disappeared inside with Bertie.
‘So freakin’ hot to watch,’ I said, fanning my face. I couldn’t remember the last time a guy had kissed me with that intensity.
‘Try being on the receiving end, I think he just incinerated my underwear. What are you doing out in the garden at this time?’ Georgie asked.
‘I got excited when I heard a car pull up, I thought it was Kitt with my pizza delivery.’
‘I still find it hilarious that you’ve ended up such good friends with the pizza delivery guy,’ she laughed.
‘He’s a really nice guy, we’ve become close through my love of pizza,’ I smiled.
‘Anyway, why are you having pizza delivered? I thought you’d be out painting the town red with Quinn on New Year’s Eve.’
‘She decided to go over to New York to see her old friends,’ I shrugged. ‘She asked me to go with her, but I have a deadline to meet.’
‘All work and no play.’
‘I know, I know, but now that I’m traditionally published, I’ve got to keep up my end of the deal.’
‘You can come and join Weston and me, we were just going to have a quiet night in,’ Georgie offered.
‘Nah,’ I said, flicking my wrist. ‘It’s so sweet of you to offer, but you don’t see much of each other as it is, go get loved up. Anyway, Kitt’s coming down the lane with my pizza and I didn’t order enough for all of us, and you know how I hate to share my food.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Positive, I’ve always been tight when it comes to food, especially pizza. How do you think I managed to get all these sexy arse curves?’ I winked.
‘Well, you know where we are if you change your mind.’
‘I won’t, but thank you for offering. Happy New Year, Georgie, enjoy your romantic evening.’ I blew her a kiss and she blew me one back.
‘Happy New Year, Charlie. I have a feeling this is going to be your year. Dr. Fitton is going to see what’s been in front of him all this time and sweep you off your feet.’
‘One can dream,’ I sighed. I’d felt so close to a breakthrough with him the last time I’d seen him, and now I was back to weeks of no sightings. She smiled at me and headed inside. ‘Hey, Kitt,’ I called as he got out of his car.
‘Hey you. What are you doing outside?’
‘Well, I raced out when Weston turned up, as I thought it was the pepperoni pizza.’
‘So you were more excited about the food than seeing me? Thanks,’ he laughed as he turned to dip his head back in the car.
‘You know I’m always happy to see you, pizza or no pizza, but I won’t lie. Knowing you’re coming with my favourite meal always adds that extra level of excitement to your visits,’ I teased. He laughed and reappeared, holding two large boxes with a few smaller ones on top. ‘You brought treats as well?’
‘Yes,’ he chuckled. ‘As it’s a special occasion, I brought spicy potato wedges and New York cheesecake, too.’
‘You fiend,’ I groaned as he headed through the side gate and over to me. ‘What will I ever do if that place closes? I’d be lost without your visits.’
‘Are you sure you want me to hang out with you tonight?’ he asked, making me slap his arm.
‘I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t. I need a night off from writing and if you weren’t here, I’d just end up with my head in my laptop. Do you mind if we eat the pizza out here? I know it’s kind of crisp, but I lit the fire earlier and didn’t realise how hot it had got in there until I came out.’
‘Sure,’ he agreed, flicking his head over to our bench. ‘I love sitting out here. It’s so peaceful and you get to see all the stars that I can’t see when I’m at home.’
‘It was like that in Cheltenham. You don’t realise how much air and light pollution there is until you move out to the countryside,’ I agreed as we sat down and he set the boxes in between us.
‘Do you miss not being in the thick of it all?’
‘No way,’ I uttered, almost salivating at the smells coming from the boxes. ‘How about you? You can hardly compare a market town like Shrewsbury to a huge city like Newcastle.’
‘I did miss it to start with,’ he nodded, handing over my pizza box, then opening the one containing the potato wedges between us. ‘But I did the whole clubbing scene in my twenties, it’s not really what I’m looking for now.’
‘What are you looking for?’
‘What most guys my age are. Settling down and thinking about a family, not that it will happen while I’m looking after Mum.’
‘I don’t think I’ve ever asked how old you are,’ I mumbled as I set to work on my dinner. I was way past being embarrassed to let Kitt see me scoffing my food, he didn’t care.
‘Or me you,’ he smiled. ‘Take a guess.’
‘I’ll save you a cuff around the ear if you say a figure that’s way higher than I am by saying that I think you’re around my age, thirty-two next month.’
‘I think that instead of a cuff you’d have proposed to me, as I was going to say twenty-seven. You look good for an old bird,’ he chuckled.
‘Hey,’ I protested. ‘I could still cuff you, Daphne style. So, have I just insulted you?’
‘Not at all, I’m flattered myself as I’m actually thirty-three. I could be your hot sugar daddy.’
‘Ewww,’ I shuddered, pulling a face.
‘Thanks a lot,’ he huffed as he looked at me, aghast.
‘It’s the sugar daddy reference. It’s a hot taboo trope in my field, but I just don’t see the appeal of daddy role-play. It totally grosses me out.’
‘Me too,’ he agreed, grabbing a slice of his favourite seafood pizza. We were real creatures of habit.
We sat in happy silence, soaking up the crisp air and unhindered view of the blanket of stars overhead, until we heard a commotion from next door.
‘Treat? You call this a treat? Charlie, Charlie!’ Georgie’s voice screamed. I saw Weston’s head bobbing along the top of the hedge as he marched towards her front gate. ‘Help me, I’m being kidnapped against my will! Owww, what the hell was that?’ she exclaimed after the sound of a sharp slap.
‘Screaming is very unladylike behaviour, Georgina,’ Weston said, as Kitt and I stood up to see what on earth was going on.
‘Oh you … you … brute. Put me down. Charlie, seriously, do something!’
‘I wouldn’t be shrieking if he had me over his shoulder like that,’ I called back when I saw her hanging down Weston’s back with his hand on her backside. He flashed me a grin. ‘It’s seriously hot. I’m getting images of him just wearing those firefighter trousers and braces, his bare chest and biceps all oiled up,’ I giggled. Weston chuckled, and Kitt laughed when Georgie swore at me.
‘It’s not hot. He’s forcing me to go to The Cock,’ she moaned as Weston stepped out into the lane.
‘Are your neighbours always so brutally honest?’ Kitt asked with a look of amazement on his face.
‘Not Weston’s,’ I laughed, swatting his arm. ‘She meant The Cock & Bull pub. She won’t go inside and I think it’s a great idea he’s forcing her to go. You have every right to be in there, Georgie,’ I shouted as Weston jumped over the stile into the paddock opposite, with her still slung over his shoulder. ‘Don’t let either of them drive you out.’
‘Our
friendship is officially over, Charlie,’ she hollered back.
‘Why’s she so upset about going to the pub?’ Kitt asked.
‘She was engaged, and her fiancé two-timed her with the slutty barmaid Rowena. Georgie’s too ashamed to show her face in there now, as that homewrecker still works there.’
‘That sucks.’
‘It does. I don’t get men sometimes. You have a beautiful and intelligent girl like Georgie agree to marry you, and you mess around behind her back?’
‘Some guys just want to have their cake and eat it, and they give the rest of us an unfair reputation.’
‘You’ve never cheated on a girlfriend?’
‘No. You’re either with someone or you’re not. If you love someone, there shouldn’t be room in your heart to let anyone else in, not even for a quick night of drunken fun. Hey, you’re shivering, let’s get inside,’ he suggested.
‘Ok, it has gone a bit chilly,’ I agreed. ‘But this time guard your pizza, or Tibbs will be off with it again.’
‘Does she have a thing for cheesecake as well?’
‘She won’t live to see the New Year in if she does,’ I said as we grabbed our boxes and headed in to the warmth. ‘There’s a taxidermist a few villages over. I’ve warned her that if she keeps misbehaving, I’ll have her stuffed and mounted in a curled up sleeping position, so I can put her wherever I want and pet her without losing a hand. All the benefits of a pet without the expense of food, litter, and vet bills.’
‘You’re evil,’ he laughed, shaking his head as I grinned at him.
‘You’re super fidgety,’ Kitt complained as I wriggled next to him on the sofa, trying to get comfortable.
‘I like to lie down on the sofa to watch TV when I’ve eaten,’ I protested.
‘So lie down,’ he said, putting a cushion on his lap and patting it.
‘Isn’t snuggling against the rules in the “friends of the opposite sex” handbook?’ I asked, eyeing him curiously.
‘There’s a handbook?’
‘No,’ I laughed. ‘Well actually, there probably is. Someone’s bound to have written one, explaining the lines that shouldn’t be crossed in case people get the wrong impression.’
The Best Medicine Page 16