Chapter 21
‘Brodie?’ He heard his name being called somewhere in the distance, then realised it was Cathy who was speaking to him from across the pub table. He hadn’t meant to drift off again, but couldn’t seem to help it. Lettie Torel had got right under his skin somehow without even trying.
He finished his soft drink. ‘Sorry, I was miles away then.’
She gave him an amused grin. ‘I didn’t need to be a genius to work that out.’
‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude.’
She leant back in her chair. ‘Look, if you’d rather go I won’t be offended.’
Embarrassed to think he had given that impression, Brodie shook his head. ‘No. Why don’t I fetch us another drink and you can tell me whatever it was I’ve just missed.’
Cathy reached out and rested her hand on his. ‘I know we’re only here because your sister engineered it. We don’t have to stay until the end of the evening, if you’d rather call it a night now.’
He would like nothing better, he decided, still shaken to have seen Lettie out on a date with someone. He hated making people feel bad and suspected that was what he had done here. His sister had made her excuses to leave soon after Lettie’s departure, leaving him and Cathy together. Cathy seemed like a lovely woman. She was polite and charming and, actually, he thought looking at her properly for the first time, very attractive. Was Lettie playing on his mind because he was jealous seeing her out with that guy? Probably. He didn’t recognise him. What was his name again? Ah, yes, Joe. Another farmer, he imagined. Brodie sighed inwardly. The two of them seemed to have a lot to talk about and clearly enjoyed each other’s company.
Cathy lowered her drink and the movement snapped him back to the present. Aware he was being rude again, Brodie apologised.
‘It’s fine. You didn’t ask to have me dumped on you.’
He winced at her comment. ‘You make it sound as if I was forced into coming out with you tonight.’
‘You weren’t?’ she asked, eyebrows raised. ‘Not even a little bit.’
Brodie realised she was trying to make light of their situation. ‘No, I wasn’t.’ He shrugged. ‘But if I’m honest it’s been a long day and I’m happy to go home, if that’s what you’d prefer.’
‘It is.’
‘I’m disappointed in you,’ Maddie grumbled later when she arrived at his cottage and interrupted the film he was dozing through. ‘Cathy’s lovely and enormous fun. I expected the two of you to be well suited. I can’t believe you left soon after I did. That’s so disappointing.’
Irritated with her interfering, Brodie glared at her. ‘Maddie, I love you, but right now not very much. I felt dreadful when you engineered the drink at the pub. Poor woman would have far rather been doing anything else than spending time with me.’
Maddie folded her arms and glowered at him. ‘And she said that, did she?’
He wished she would go home and leave him alone. ‘No, of course she didn’t but I’m sure she was only being polite staying at the pub after you’d done a runner.’ He pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose.
‘Brodie, I don’t know why you underestimate yourself, but girls seem to like you.’
This was news to him. ‘And you’d know this how?’
‘You’ve clearly never noticed the way they react to you.’
His sister was really getting on his nerves now. ‘I’m too tired to carry on with whatever game this is you’re hoping to play. Please get off my doorstep and leave me in peace. I’ve had a long day and I need to get to bed.’
She pulled a face. ‘You’re such a pain sometimes, little brother, do you know that?’
Why could his sister never get the message?
‘I’m the pain? I’m not the one standing on your doorstep in the middle of the night being annoying.’
‘Fine, I’ll go. But it’ll serve you right if Cathy meets someone else and falls for him.’
He doubted she was right. ‘Good luck to her – I hope she does.’
‘When did you become so antisocial?’
‘I’m not,’ he argued before stepping back from the door. ‘Maddie, please go home.’
Without waiting for her to reply, he closed the door and locked it. Honestly, his sister could be a right pain in the butt sometimes.
Brodie decided to turn off all the lights just in case she came up with another reason to speak to him, and he went to bed. He lay in his bed, his head resting on his hands, arms folded behind his head, and wondered if Lettie had made plans to see Joe again.
He decided he wouldn’t be at all surprised if she had. ‘Too late to worry about it now,’ he mumbled, wishing he hadn’t let his promise to not become involved with clients get in the way of his feelings towards Lettie.