Dan’s eyebrows shot up and a grin settled on his lips. He moved closer to her again.
‘Oh, you know what I mean.’ Lizzie turned away from him in embarrassment.
‘So, shall we really give them something to talk about?’ Dan grabbed her hand and led her back inside the pub, down the narrow corridor past her office and right into the front bar, where he pushed her onto a stool and sat beside her.
‘Can I buy you a drink, Elizabeth?’
‘I’m still working. A soda and lime will do.’
‘A beer for me, thanks,’ he told the young waitress behind the bar who had an alarming streak of neon pink hair over her eyes. Lizzie looked around. It was quiet. A few regulars nodded in her direction and she smiled in return. She couldn’t believe Dan was doing this.
He met her gaze again. ‘When’s your next day off?’
‘Next Monday.’
‘I’d like to take you out for lunch. Let’s get out of Middle Point. Why don’t we drive to McLaren Vale and eat at one of the wineries. Sound good to you?’
Lizzie tried to judge where all this was coming from. ‘Dan, you don’t have to do this, you know.’
‘Do what?’
‘I totally get that the other night was a…one off.’ And lines one through to twenty-three raced through her head. She chose number fourteen. ‘You don’t owe me anything.’
He leaned towards her, held her hand. ‘Owe you? I just want to have more sex with you.’
‘Oh.’ Lizzie’s pulse thrummed under his fingers and she felt her heart beat faster and stronger.
And then the strangest thing happened. There was a weird voice in her head, shouting his name.
When Dan startled, she realised he’d heard it too.
His name. Someone was shouting it from across the room and it echoed on the wooden floorboards and the empty tables, bouncing around the stone walls and the wooden bar until it landed right in the space between Lizzie and Dan. Like a stone.
‘Daniel? Is that you?’ It was a woman’s voice. Lizzie saw a flicker of recognition in Dan’s face and then he turned, let go of her hand. Stood up. Found its owner.
His face lit up. ‘Shit. Anna?’
The floor began to vibrate as footsteps became a jog. Lizzie recognised the familiar clickety-click of stiletto heels. And when she looked towards the sound, she saw a pair of pins that were wrapped in skinny jeans, a generous chest encased in a black halter neck top and two enormous gold hoop earrings. They jangled and danced on either side of the face of an olive-skinned pocket rocket with, Lizzie decided, possibly the most luxurious mane of shining black hair she’d ever seen. Lizzie had to stop herself from reaching out to touch it.
‘Danny? Oh my gawd. I can’t believe it’s you!’
Dan stood up, threw his arms around the woman and lifted her off her feet.
As he spun her around, Lizzie’s heart lurched at the flood of happiness she saw in his face.
CHAPTER
12
Up close, Anna was even more beautiful. Honeyed skin, dark brown eyes, eyelashes as long as a puppy’s and plump, full lips set off with deep red lipstick. Lizzie wanted to hate her immediately.
When Dan finally released Anna from the long bear hug, he held her at arms’ length and looked down into her face, a beaming smile creasing his eyes.
‘Anna! What the hell are you doing in downtown Middle Point?’ There was a tone in his voice that Lizzie hadn’t ever heard before. He didn’t just sound happy. He sounded over-the-moon thrilled to be seeing this woman again.
Anna reached up one perfectly manicured hand and playfully slapped him on the cheek.
‘Let go of me, you big giant. What am I doing here? I was going to ask you the same thing.’ Anna rearranged the soft leather handbag on her shoulder. It was nearly as big as she was and, while Lizzie didn’t know much about handbags, it reeked of designer.
‘I’ve got a place down here, a few minutes away.’ Dan sat back down on the bar stool, glanced quickly at Lizzie, his face lit up like a Christmas tree. ‘What’s your excuse?’
Anna waved a hand dismissively. ‘I need to escape from my crazy family this Christmas, so I thought I’d check out a place to rent for the holidays.’ She looked from Dan to Lizzie and back, then flashed a huge smile at Lizzie, held out her hand warmly. ‘Hi, I’m Anna.’
Lizzie took her hand and Anna gave her a firm handshake. ‘I’m Lizzie.’
Damn it. She gave good handshake. Not a barely there limp-wristed excuse for a welcome, but a strong, determined, direct contact. Lizzie instantly knew this was a woman she could like.
God, look at her. Who wouldn’t?
Dan slapped a hand on his thighs. ‘Oh shit. Sorry. Anna, this is Elizabeth. She’s…’ And he stopped, glancing hesitantly from one woman to the other. Lizzie met his shining green eyes with a wry grin and could see the cogs spinning in his head. She crossed her arms, extremely interested in hearing what his answer was going to be, given his romantic speech just a few minutes before about not wanting to hide the fact that they’d spent the night together.
He was about to be put to the test.
What exactly were they to each other? Lizzie decided to give him a break. She didn’t know either.
‘…she’s a friend of mine who manages this place for Ry. Elizabeth, this is Anna.’
Anna propped her hands on her hips and looked all around the pub, taking in the rusted-on front bar punters in their boardshorts and thongs, T-shirts and baseball caps. Past them, through the big windows, she took in the million dollar coastal views.
‘You’re kidding me.’ Anna’s eyebrows shot up. ‘This is Ryan’s place?’
‘For about six months now.’
‘What the…’ Anna looked around dramatically. ‘Did someone put a magic spell on you guys? How come you’re all suddenly moving to Middle Point?’ Anna’s earrings bounced enthusiastically as she tipped her head.
Dan took a deep breath, grinned. ‘We’ve got a big housing project about to start. Windswept. Maybe you saw the huge billboard back on the main road?’
‘That’s you guys? Looks like I’ve got some catching up to do.’ Anna looked at them both, and Lizzie had the feeling Anna was scrutinising every move, trying to figure out what was going on between her and Dan.
Join the club.
At that signal, Lizzie hopped to her feet, smoothed her skirt down on her thighs. ‘I’ll leave you two to talk. I’ve really got to get back to work.’
‘Elizabeth—’ Dan turned to her. He looked like a bloke who thought he was about to get his arse kicked, no matter what he did. Lizzie didn’t want or need him to apologise. They weren’t tied to each other with an invisible piece of string just because they’d slept together once. And as she’d told him, he didn’t owe her anything. She reached over, rested a hand on his arm and gave it a little squeeze. She hoped it looked like nothing more than a reassuring gesture between two acquaintances. Acquaintances who’d seen each other naked.
‘I’ve got a stack of things to do. You two have a drink. On the house.’ She turned to Anna, who was regarding her with curious eyes. ‘It was really nice to meet you, Anna. I hope we see more of you during your holiday. Come and have dinner one night. I’m sure Dan will vouch for the fact that our chef is amazing.’
Dan shot her a look, an expression in his face she couldn’t pick. Surprise maybe. And then to Lizzie’s amazement, Anna tottered forward and threw her arms around her. It took a second for Lizzie to realise she was being hugged by a woman she’d barely met.
‘Thanks, Lizzie. I’ll be back, don’t you worry. This place is gorgeous.’
As Lizzie headed back to her office, she looked over her shoulder and flashed them both a big smile before disappearing into the corridor.
Her killer smile. Dan watched every step until Lizzie was out of sight, trying to figure out what had just happened. She was confusing the hell out of him. One minute they’re locking lips in the car park and making plans for her
day off, the next she leaves him in the company of another woman, one who looks like she’s been sewn into her tight jeans and halter neck top, with acres of skin on display. The women he knew would have gone all territorial and scared anyone else off with a possessive arm about his shoulder, a hair flick and some kind of bitchy remark that women understood but flew completely over men’s heads.
He didn’t have to be looking at Anna to know that she was studying him. He swivelled around, an exasperated sigh on his lips. All around them, the front bar had become mysteriously quiet. The only sound was the bar fridge opening and closing. He realised every single person in the place was staring at Anna. Some open-mouthed. She’d always had that effect on people.
‘So.’ She hopped up on the vacant bar stool, taking Lizzie’s place next to him, her fingers thrumming a rhythm on the bar. ‘Danny. There’s a story there and you’re going to tell me every little detail, my friend.’
He glanced around at the patrons. A laugh curved his lips. ‘Not here.’ He stood, grabbing her hand. ‘Let’s go. I’ll show you my fancy beach house.’
‘Ooh. Got any room for visitors?’ Anna flicked her hair from her face and it cascaded down her back in silky waves. Every pair of eyes in the place watched it move.
‘It might not be your style.’ Dan looked down at her shoes. Sky-high, black patent leather sandals. ‘You gonna walk in those things or shall we drive?’
Anna fished for her keys. They were attached to a giant red plastic heart. ‘Wait ’til you see my new car.’
Dan held out an arm, indicating Anna should go first but before taking a step, he hesitated, couldn’t help himself from glancing back down the hallway to Lizzie’s office. He wondered if there was anything he needed to say.
Anna slapped his arm, rolled her eyes. ‘Go say goodbye to your girl, you big dope. I’ll wait.’
His girl. What? He didn’t know what Lizzie was to him yet but he didn’t want her to think…shit. This time, he didn’t wait to knock before pushing open the door to Lizzie’s office.
She was sitting behind her computer, slumped over, her head on the desk and nestled in the crook of one arm.
‘What the hell?’ Dan demanded.
At the sound of his voice, Lizzie pulled herself upright, eyes wide and a little scared.
Dan rushed forward, manoeuvring around the desk to kneel down by her side. ‘What’s wrong?’ He put a hand on her back and rubbed soothing circles between her shoulder blades.
When Dan’s green eyes latched on to Lizzie’s, looking right through her the way he did, she knew she was in trouble. The tremble deep in the pit of her stomach rose up into her chest and lodged there, heavy and hard. In that instant, she knew she was in deep. Maybe no-going-back deep.
Which was truly, monumentally, the worst idea she’d ever had.
Lizzie pressed her fingers to her temples. ‘Just a headache, that’s all. I’ll be fine in a minute.’
‘Why don’t you go home? I’ll take you. Damn it, I walked here. But Anna has a car. We’ll drive you back to your place. Can you get up?’
She gently shook her head. The last thing she wanted was to see the two of them together again. It would take at least a few days to summon the superhuman strength she would need to hold it together and cope with that again. She exhaled, steadied herself and planted her hands flat on the desk in front of her. ‘I’ll be okay.’
‘Lizzie. Let me explain about Anna. She’s an old friend. A really good friend. She was—’
‘Dan,’ Lizzie held up a hand, cut him off quickly, ‘You don’t have to explain. You don’t owe me anything, remember? Welcome to summer on the south coast. It seems like half of Adelaide is either here, at Port Elliot or Victor Harbor. Get back out there and convince her to come and stay in Middle Point for her holidays.’
‘I can’t leave you like this. Let me take you home.’
Lizzie managed a smile. ‘Get out before I kick you out.’
Dan studied her face and when he saw that she meant it, he came closer, leaned in, kissed her forehead gently. ‘I’ll call you later. I mean it.’
He was so close that Lizzie could see the gold flecks in his emerald eyes and the little creases at the corner of his mouth when he smiled. God, she loved his smile. She reached up, slowly rested her hand on his jaw, caressed the growth there, liked the feel of it under her fingertips. Then she took her hand away.
‘I’ll see you, Dan.’
He rose slowly, walked around her desk and closed the door quietly behind him, but not before flashing her another smile.
As soon as she was alone, Lizzie sat up dead straight in her chair. She might not have had a headache when Dan had barged in but she sure had one now. Her pulse was thumping and she held a palm to her forehead, hoping the cool would stop the throbbing.
All she could see was the look on Dan’s face when he’d discovered it was Anna across the room. There was a joy there, a pure unadulterated happiness that she’d never seen when he’d looked at her. It wasn’t that she was jealous of Anna, it wasn’t that at all.
Truth be told, she wanted someone’s face to light up like that when she walked into a room. No, that wasn’t exactly right, either. She wanted Dan’s face to light up like that when she walked into a room. And with a lurch in her heart, she knew it was too late to wish she didn’t feel that way.
She was already drowning in him.
Anna’s car screeched to a halt on the esplanade out front of Dan’s place. The seagulls that had been camped on the front lawn flew into the air in fluttering shock. She killed the engine of her lipstick-red Italian sports car, looked past him and out the window.
‘You’re joking, right?’ She nodded towards the mint green house. ‘This is your place?’
Dan chuckled, looked at the shack he now, surprisingly, called home. ‘Told you it wouldn’t be your style.’
‘I don’t think there’s a word for what that is,’ she laughed, pulling her keys from the ignition with a jangle. ‘Gelato vintage?’
‘The view is all I need. Come have a look.’ Dan swung open the car door and unfolded himself out of the passenger seat, his right leg stiff from the cramped space in the front. As Anna followed him up the driveway, he tried not to be obvious, hiding the stiffness and soreness he felt. Once he’d ushered her inside, she fell into such a stunned silence he wondered if she’d been gagged. Stunned silence was a first for Anna Morelli. She propped her sunglasses on top of her head, spun around on her stilettos and narrowed her eyes at him playfully.
‘This is a change of pace from your bachelor pad in the city.’
‘Precisely. I needed a change.’
‘It’s chilled out. Relaxed. Is that what you needed?’
Dan nodded.
‘You’d better have decent coffee, that’s all I can say.’
‘No, I don’t and you’re not the first person to say that, by the way. How about a glass of wine instead?’
He opened the fridge and leaned in to grab a beer for himself and a bottle of sauvignon blanc he’d bought just in case Elizabeth…just in case he had company. More silence from Anna. This was freaking him out. He turned to her for her answer on the wine and then felt a strange sensation in his gut when he realised her bewildered expression had disappeared. In its place was one that was deadly serious. She’d softened, her bravado gone, the brassy attitude he knew so well looked now like sadness.
‘What’s up, Anna?’ His hackles rose.
‘Dan.’ She gestured for him to come and sit down, the jangle of her multiple gold bracelets the only sound in the room. ‘I’ve got a confession to make.’
Dan tried to judge what was going on and failed totally. ‘You’ll need a church for that.’
Anna took a deep breath. ‘Don’t tell my mother but I haven’t been in one of those for a while. The truth is, Danny, I’m not really here to check out a summer rental.’
He slammed the fridge door shut. ‘What’s going on?’
She sighed. �
�I’m Italian. You know I don’t do the beach. Running into you at the pub today was no accident.’
Dan stilled. He felt like a bug caught in a spider’s web and realised that no amount of struggling would get him out of it. He walked to her, his chest tight, his pulse racing. He felt slightly light-headed. ‘You here to check up on me? Who’s been talking to you? Was it Ry? It’s none of his fucking business.’
Anna didn’t say a word. She moved closer to him, slipped her arms around his waist, laid her cheek on his chest and held on tight. Out of habit more than anything, Dan wrapped his arms around her, rested his chin on her head.
‘I should’ve known I couldn’t hide anything from you,’ he said, defeated by her simple gesture.
Anna looked up, her eyes swollen with tears. ‘What’s been going on, Danny?’
Julia stood at the front windows of the glass palace, staring out onto the roadway at the sports car. It was low-slung, bright red, sexy as hell.
‘Ry!’ she called up the stairs. She knew he was working but that could wait. There was something brewing in the neighbourhood and it was far more important than work on Windswept. A minute later, Ry came padding down the stairs, phone in hand. As she watched him descend, her heart beat faster. She couldn’t help it. She would never take that view for granted.
‘Yes, light of my life?’ Ry flashed her a huge grin.
She beckoned him to the window, pointed through the glass. ‘Come and see this.’
When Ry appeared at her side, he whistled. ‘Nice wheels.’
Julia turned to him. ‘Who does Dan know with a car like that?’
Ry looked closely, squinted to get a proper view, then laughed. ‘Take a look at the number plate.’
Julia could see they were personalised, not showing the usual combination of letters and numbers, but a black plate, with four white letters centred on it.
‘A-N-N-A,’ she spelled out. ‘Anna? Who’s that?’
Ry simply grinned at his fiancée.
Julia spun around. ‘You know who it is and you’re not telling me.’ She poked him in the sides, tickling him under his arms. ‘Give it up, Ry. You know I’ll keep this up until I get an answer out of you.’
Someone Like You Page 13