Page 29 of Burning Embers
I quickly turn back to my table. “I’m so sorry. Harris, this is Felicity and Sophie.”
They wave at him; he nods back. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I had to come over and say hello.”
I grab hold of his forearm. “Of course, I’m glad you did.” I can’t stop beaming at him.
“You look good,” he says.
My face heats from his compliment. Felicity shuffles past. “Sorry, we’re just going to use the ladies’. You good to watch our drinks?” she asks.
I nod, letting Sophie out. When I sit back down, Harris takes Felicity’s seat. “It’s been what? About five years? So, what’s new with you?”
“Has it? Wow. I’ve been good. I have a daughter,” I say, unable to keep the pride out of my voice.
“I heard. You and Marcus, right?” I nod, retrieve my phone from my clutch, and then lean over the table to show him. “She’s beautiful, just like her momma,” he says.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and I scan the room until they come to a stop.
Olly is behind the bar, arms crossed, and he looks kind of pissed. I tilt my head and raise a smile in his direction. He completely blows me off, turning his back towards me. Weird.
“So, where’s Marcus?” asks Harris.
“Oh, it’s his turn to have Molly tonight.”
“I did hear you split up,” he says, strangling his bottle of beer.
“Good to know gossip isn’t dead,” I reply, trying to hide my annoyance.
“You know, I wanted to contact you…”
I sit back in my chair. “You did?”
He nods just as the girls return. He stands to let Felicity sit back down as I stand to let Sophie in beside me. We brush together and laugh at the same time.
“Here, let me give you my number.” He takes my phone and types in his number, and then his phone pings in his pocket.
“I’ll let you ladies get back to your evening.” He reaches for my hand and gives it a tight squeeze before leaning in and kissing me on the cheek. “I’ll give you a call,” he says and turns towards the bar.
I sit back down and wave my hand in front of my face. “What?” I ask as Felicity and Soph both stare at me.
“Oh, nothing much, just watching you get hit on was priceless.”
“He was not,” I say.
Felicity nods. “He most definitely was.”
My eyes flee to the bar—he’s talking to Olly, who does not look impressed. “He was a boyfriend, but we didn’t go out for long. It was when I was going through an off stage with Marcus.”
“Looks to me like he might have some unfinished business with you,” says Sophie, finishing off her drink.
“We were seventeen. He barely got to cop a feel,” I reply as a shadow falls over us.
“Here. With compliments from Harris,” Olly says, passing us each a drink. I try to catch his gaze, but he avoids making eye contact.
“Thanks,” they say, clinking their glasses.
I look past Olly to Harris and smile. He nods before making his exit. Olly turns to walk away, and I’m left a bit bewildered by his mood.
“Two secs,” I call to the girls, quickly getting up to catch him. “Olly,” I say to his back. His shoulders tense, but he doesn’t turn around, so I move around him. “Everything all right?” I ask.
