Chapter 24 – Sydney #2
“God, that man could not want you more.” Jade laughs, clinking her glass against mine. “Was he always this blatantly obvious with his flirting, or is this new?”
“Shut up, he wasn’t flirting with me. He’s just being… English,” I say.
“Ah, yes, the English, renowned flirts of the western world.” She rolls her eyes. “Anyway, he’s Irish. The name should have been a dead giveaway.”
Oh, right.
“And how is it you had four men fall madly in love with you and you still can’t see when a man is interested in you?” Jade studies me, tilting her head. “What is it like to live in that delusional head of yours? Is it peaceful?”
“They’re not in love with me. They never were,” I mutter. “I don’t think they ever really cared about me at all.”
“What are you talking about?” Jade asks, perplexed.
I sigh, fiddling with the stem of my wine glass. Guess we’re getting into it after all.
“Earlier today, I saw Ash with a woman,” I admit.
“Not just any woman. I’m pretty sure it was Alec’s wife.
They looked cozy.” More than cozy, really.
That image of them, his hand on her back, her head tucked against his shoulder, has been haunting me since I spotted them.
How long did they stay like that? What happened after?
You shouldn’t care, I try to tell myself. It’s none of your business.
Not anymore.
“Shit.” Jade sucks in a breath, tilting her head back to stare at the ceiling. “Is it crazy that I’d hoped that there was more to the ‘Alec has a wife’ story? Some explanation that would absolve him? Like, I don’t know, maybe that she was dead or something. Is that horrible?”
“Trust me, that was my first question when I found his wedding ring. She is very alive, and now I can confirm that with my own two eyes.” I exhale slowly, trying to sort through my feelings.
“I thought when I couldn’t find anything about her online, maybe she was at least far away?
A monk who took a vow of celibacy, living in isolation and completely out of contact with him?
But nope. She’s alive, and she’s here. With them. ”
I take a big swallow of wine.
“I’m so sorry, Syd.” Jade wraps an arm around my shoulders and gives me a quick squeeze.
“I know I said no rebounds, but maybe it would help if you actually tried dating again? You got out of this horrible relationship with an absolute abortion of a man and then immediately fell head over heels into a group thing. Maybe you need to just, I don’t know, go on a regular date? Be a normal girl for a change?”
“I guess I could try that,” I say. I know my heart isn’t in it, but maybe she’s right. Maybe I just need to let them go.
“Okay, great. It’s settled then.” Jade leans over the bar to shout, “Hey, Seamus! Wouldn’t you just love to take Sydney out to dinner?”
I shoot her a horrified look before burying my face in my hands, mortified. There’s no way every single person in Twin Pines didn’t just hear that.
“Is she finally single?” Seamus asks, laughing.
He takes his time walking over to us, grinning the whole way.
“About damn time. It would be my pleasure to take her out.” He glances at me, then back to Jade.
“Can I say any of this directly to her, or do I need to go through you for all communication?”
“I’ll allow direct communication for now. Actually, let me just excuse myself so you two can sort out the details.” Jade shoots me a wink and slides off her barstool, strolling away.
“I am so sorry,” I tell Seamus. “I am sorry and embarrassed and…just sorry.”
He leans closer, setting his elbows on the bar. “Don’t be. She saved me the trouble of doing it myself. I’ve wanted to ask you out for a while, now, but you were always with that idiot boyfriend of yours.”
“What makes you think he was an idiot?” I ask, smirking.
“Well, first of all, he let you go. Can’t imagine a dumber move than that.” He grins.
He is charming, I’ll give him that. And not at all bad to look at. I brush a lock of hair behind my ear. “Well, you were right. About the idiot thing.”
“Honestly, I’m surprised to hear you’re not with him anymore,” Seamus adds nonchalantly. “I assumed when I saw him here earlier, he was here to see you.”
A cold weight drops into my stomach. “What do you mean you saw him?” I ask, fear coloring my voice. “Chase is here? Right now?”
“Yeah, at the back bar.” He points over his shoulder towards the second bar, hidden behind the corner from this one. “Just saw him a moment ago.”
No.
“Would you excuse me a second?” I stand up, legs shaking, and move across the room towards the second bar. I need to know if he’s really here, need to confront him if he’s still following me. My hand reaches into my pocket, pulling out my phone, ready to call Sebastian.
But when I turn the corner, there’s no one there but a group of girls laughing around a table and two men cheersing their beers at the bar. I scan the room, heart beating painfully hard in my chest.
Chase is nowhere in sight.
Seamus is frowning, forehead creased in concern, when I return.
“I don’t see him. Are you sure it was him?” I press.
He shakes his head. “No. Could have been another generic white guy, I suppose. You all right?”
I paint a smile on my face, but it’s a little too wide. “Yeah, totally.”
“So…about our date?” A slow, easy grin spreads over his face. “What do you say? Can I take you out?”
“Um, yeah. I’d like that,” I manage to say. Truthfully, I’m barely paying attention. There’s still a pit in my stomach thinking about whether that could have been Chase.
“Great! There’s a hot new club opening tomorrow. I’ve got a friend who works there, so I’m already on the list. Care to join me?”
I should. I should want to go to a new club, with this handsome foreigner who seems to really like me. I should want to date, should be excited he’s asking me.
I should leave the past behind me. Move on.
“Sounds great.” I force myself to smile, my chest oddly tight. “Tomorrow it is.”