Chapter 18 Holly
EIGHTEEN
HOLLY
Thank the pastry gods that I’m not working today.
I might have drunk a tiny bit too much wine last night, and the throbbing in my head is reminding me why that isn’t a good idea.
I’m not fully hungover – I can still function – yet the idea of working in that hot, bright bakery with all my chatty customers is enough to make me want to hide in a dark corner.
As a business owner, I don’t often get a day off, but today is a special occasion, so I’ve allowed myself the time away from the bakery.
Cradling my extra-large mug of black coffee, I stare into the swirling steam that raises from it.
The HC Coffee House is one of my favourite places to come and people-watch.
The large window that takes up most of the front of the shop allows me to look out and observe those who pass by.
Today, though, it’s all I can manage just to stay upright in my chair.
I’m running on about 3 hours’ sleep. After the date last night, I was so wired it was impossible for me to fall asleep. Even when I retired to bed, I tossed and turned until I eventually fell into a restless sleep. Coupled with an aching head, I am glad this was the chosen meeting place.
Ivy, my sister, is supposed to be meeting me here to catch up.
She rarely visits Hinton Grove as it seems to bring up bad memories for her.
She’s never divulged the reason she left, but I have my own theories.
I’m not particularly looking forward to this meeting, but she’s family and it’s important that I make an effort.
Someone drops into the chair in front of me, pulling me from my musing. Automatically, I pull a tired smile onto my lips to greet my sister and business partner – only the person sitting in front of me is not Ivy, but Clayton.
“Fancy seeing you here.” His smile is smug and his stare intense as he drags his eyes over me.
His company is much preferred to my sister’s, so I am not about to chase him off, especially when my chest erupts into butterflies as his smile widens. I have only ever seen him smile like this to me, and for some reason that seems to turn me into a giddy teenager.
“How did you know I was here?” I try to sound coy, like I am truly questioning him, but my smile gives me away. How does he have this effect on me?
He snorts, his voice deep as he responds, “It’s a small town, Holly.”
Maisy, one of the baristas, appears at the table and places a mug in front of Clay with a bright smile.
Jealousy instantly rears its ugly head. She is blatantly flirting with her soft touch on his arm and blinding smile.
However, Clay barely reacts, thanking her but never once looking away from me.
I can’t help but feel a little smug at her surprised expression before she returns to the bar.
Hiding my smile in my coffee, I take a sip.
He must have gone to the coffee bar when he first arrived and ordered before he sat down here.
Why else would the barista bring his coffee directly to him?
The only other possibility is that he’s a regular and they know his order by heart.
He seems so out of place here in the coffee shop that I am sure it must be the former.
Dressed in dark colours with his tattoos covering both arms and crawling up the side of his neck, he doesn’t seem like the usual coffee shop customer.
He’s not the usual Hinton Grove resident either.
Glancing down at the mega mug in my hands, he raises his brows, smirking slightly. “You look like you had a late night.”
I’m not quite sure what clues me into the shift in his mood, as his comment is fairly innocent. His expression hasn’t changed, nor has his tone, yet I can just sense that something has changed. I also know exactly why. Bear.
“Clay.” I try to sound reproachful. Going into details about my date with his best friend is not something I am willing to do, especially with how open he has been about wanting to be with me.
This doesn’t stop Clay, though, his eyes scanning my face for any hint of information. “Did you have fun with Bear on your date?”
This is awkward. I can’t tell if he’s mad at me or genuinely asking and that’s making me uncomfortable. Sighing, I place my hands on the table, palms up in a questioning gesture. “Clay, what do you want me to say to that?”
What is he trying to get out of this? Anything I say is only going to make him uncomfortable, so I am not sure why he’s asking me these questions.
“I want you to come on a date with me.”
Well, that certainly wasn’t the answer I was expecting.
I lean back into my chair, my brows raised in surprise.
I suppose I was thinking he might get angry that I went on a date with another guy and I was preparing myself to dress him down.
After all, nothing has really happened between us yet, no matter how much I might wish otherwise.
There is no anger or frustration in his expression, only expectation as he waits for my reply.
Taking a sip of my coffee, I contemplate how to respond. My eyes scan over his handsome face as the coffee warms me. He really is gorgeous, even if it’s not in the traditional sense. He gives off a sense of danger, yet I know that he would never hurt me.
Lowering my mug, I purse my lips, knowing I can’t hold him off any longer. “You don’t seem like a dating type of guy.”
“I’m not,” he shrugs, “but I need to prove myself to you. That I can be what you need.”
Okay, I hate this. The idea of two guys fighting over me was fun for all of about two minutes, but really I just feel like an awful person. “You don’t need to prove anything to me.” I reach out and place my hand on top of his.
Something changes about him at my touch. He seems to… come alive. Eyes brightening, his whole face seems to open and a smile pulls at his lips. It’s small, but genuine, and that makes my heart pound.
“Later today, come on a date with me.”
I open my mouth to answer and a shadow falls over us.
“Holly!” my sisters voice calls out and it takes everything in me not to cringe at the sound of it.
When I turn to smile at my sister, I see all her attention is on Clay.
“Oh, I see we have a friend joining us,” she continues, batting her lashes as though she only just realised he was there.
“Hello, handsome. I’m Ivy, the other half of the Holly and Ivy Bakery. ”
The whole interaction makes me want to shrivel up and hide.
This is horrendous and if I have to watch my sister flirt with Clay for a second longer, then I cannot be held accountable for my actions.
I love my sister, I really do, especially as it’s only the two of us now.
However, she has always been the more outspoken of us and goes after what she wants, letting nothing get in her way, including her sister.
Clay raises his brows and finally looks away from me to give her a dangerous smile. “Why, hello. I’m Clayton. Holly has told me all about you.”
A lie. I don’t think I have told him much about my family, in fact, I don’t speak about them much to anyone.
Ashley is the closest person to me and more a family member than my own sister.
I don’t resent Ivy for leaving as soon as she could, but when she left Hinton Grove behind, she was also leaving me.
She raises a brow and glances towards me. “Has she now?” Grabbing another chair from the table next to us, she pulls it over and sits between myself and Clay. With a smile that makes me want to punch her in the gut, she inclines her head sweetly towards him. “Will you join us, Clayton?”
“He has to be somewhere else,” I blurt out, begging him with my eyes to follow my lead.
If I have to watch the two of them flirt, then I am simply going to leave.
Ivy came here to see me and discuss something to do with the bakery.
I do not want to ruin the moment by letting misplaced jealousy get in the way.
His attention is immediately back on me, and I can see the amusement in his eyes.
He knows I’m jealous that my sister is flirting with him and something silent passes between us.
Tilting his head to one side, he looks at me questioningly.
“I do have other places to be, sadly. However, I can’t leave until Holly gives me my answer. ”
“What answer is that?” Ivy asks, a note of suspicion in her voice as she looks between the two of us, clearly creating her own answers in her mind.
Clay either doesn’t notice or doesn’t care what my sister thinks, sipping at his drink and clearing his throat. “I’m trying to convince Holly to come on a date with me.”
Ivy’s head spins around to pin me with a look so quickly that she’s sure to have whiplash. “Holly?”
The urge to laugh at her owlish behaviour and shocked expression is almost enough to hide my reluctance. Not reluctance to go on a date with Clay, but to agree in front of my sister, who will never let me forget this moment.
Sighing, unable to avoid her stare, I turn to Clay. “Yes, I’ll go on a date with you.”
Grinning, he swigs the rest of his coffee and starts to get up. “Amazing. I’ll pick you up at five.”
“Five?!” What on earth kind of date starts at five? Not to mention that doesn’t give me long to get rid of my sister and get ready.
“We’re going to the club,” he replies as though that is all the explanation I need. “It was lovely meeting you, Ivy.” He dips his head in my sister’s direction briefly before returning those gorgeous eyes to me.
It seems I had no reason to be jealous, after all. Ivy and I watch in silence as he leaves the coffee shop, continuing to follow him through the window. Cradling my mug, I wait for my sister to make a comment as I’m sure she is bound to.
“I think that might be the most handsome man I have ever seen.” Her eyes are bright and her smile wide as she shakes her head. “You’ve been keeping secrets. I can’t believe he’s interested in you.”