Why wouldn’t this woman leave him alone? She’d been coming on to him since he’d got to the bar. Couldn’t she take a hint? The bar had filled up with locals and other hotel guests so it wasn’t just wedding guests that were in the bar now. He wanted to be left in peace while he waited for Freya, and hopefully Daisy, to come back. He was hoping he’d let Freya see that he was looking for something more with Daisy, for the first time ever. He grinned at the cheesy chat up line he’d just heard the guy behind him use, but thankfully had never used himself.
Oh no, the woman thought his grin was for her. He needed to shut this down fast.
“Look, I’m here with someone.” Only half a lie, he was here with someone, even if she wasn’t actually here, nor his official date. He looked at her, nope it still wasn’t getting through. “I don’t cheat when I’m in a relationship so if you’ll excuse me I need to go find her.” He wasn’t sure where that had all come from, but it felt right.
The blonde pouted, then grinned, “I won’t tell if you won’t.”
Normally she was exactly what he’d go for, no strings. It was then that he realized what he’d been doing all these years. He was ensuring that he’d never meet anyone that he could ever have a real relationship with. He’d been protecting himself after believing he’d failed at following the family tradition and letting his family down when he hadn’t found ‘the one’ as quickly as his parents or grandparents had. How could he have been so stupid?
He had to find Daisy.
Noah ignored the woman and scanned the room to see if Freya had returned. He finally saw her over in the corner with Charlie … and Daisy. She’d come. He sighed in relief while a huge grin appeared on his face, one he couldn’t stop even if he wanted to and he didn’t want to.
Eating up the distance between them he suddenly sensed that something wasn’t quite right and slowed his approach. Daisy looked upset although she was trying to hide it and Freya was ranting at Charlie in hushed tones, while he looked as if he was going to spit fire. As he approached them they all seemed to spin round to face him at the same time and the anger in their gazes only seemed to intensify. This was not good.
He wasn’t sure what had happened between Freya going to see Daisy and now but he could sense it wasn’t good. He hadn’t done anything wrong so was a bit perturbed that their anger focused at him. What had Daisy said the last time they spoke? He racked his brain and as far as he could remember, she’d left him with positive feelings, which were definitely not the feelings coming off her now.
“Daisy, you okay?” he asked, not sure if he wanted the answer.
“Fine,” she replied and turned away from him.
If there was one thing he knew with certainty, even without ever being in a real relationship before, was that when a woman said she was fine, she was anything but. Unperturbed he pressed on. “I’m glad you’re okay. Can I get you a drink?”
“Drink?” Daisy shrieked and turned so fast that he almost fell over. Okay that was obviously the wrong thing to ask and it was obvious by the deep breath she’d just inhaled she was going to tell him exactly why that was the wrong thing for him to ask.
“Yeah a drink. I thought we could get a drink and talk some more.”
“Oh really? Why don’t you go and ask your blonde friend over there if she wants a drink? I’d hate to think you feel obligated to keep me company.”
What was she talking about? Oh. Realization hit him like a sledgehammer and he grinned. She must have seen him with blondie at the bar and was jealous. Well that was a turn up for the books, at least he knew now she was really interested. He just needed to explain … if she’d let him.
“Why are you grinning? Do you think this is funny? I …”
Noah stepped forward and kissed her. It was the only way he could think to shut her up. As he pulled away she stepped back and just stared at him. He was grateful to both Charlie and Freya that they hadn’t jumped in. Although he did notice Charlie had a hand on Freya’s arm to stop her protecting her friend.
“Finished? I don’t think it’s funny. I think it’s cute. You’re jealous and I’m flattered. The blonde,” he said spitting out her name as though there was a bad taste in his mouth. “Wouldn’t get the hint that I wasn’t interested so I told her I was in a relationship and waiting for you. I also told her I don’t cheat.” He couldn’t get the grin off his face, even although he didn’t know Daisy well enough … yet, to know how she’d react, or whether she’d trust him enough to believe him.
“But, but I saw you with her. You were grinning at her, pretty much like you are grinning at me now.” Daisy was looking less angry and more unsure, which meant he was making progress. Yes, he thought, he could do this relationship thing with Daisy.
He took one of Daisy’s hands and moved it over his shirt. “Feel that?”
She let out a small gasp as she replied, “Yes.” It was so faint he could hardly hear her.
“It’s boyfriend material,” he replied with a grin.
Daisy pulled back her hand and hit him on the chest without much force behind it and groaned, “Seriously?”
Charlie burst into a fit of laughter beside him. “Seriously man, did you really say that? I wouldn’t let my five year old nephew say that line. How did you ever get any dates using lines like that?”
“That’s what I was grinning at earlier. I heard the guy in the green sweater over at the bar say it. Thought you’d appreciate it.”
“I don’t,” replied Daisy. She’d turned serious.
Noah’s grin slipped off his face, maybe he’d read her wrong.
“Do you have directions?” she asked.
Directions? What was she talking about? “Directions? To where?” he asked. She was confusing him.
“To your heart,” she blushed.
Thank goodness! She forgave him.