Page 20 of Sit, Stay, Love
Toby stopped eating. ‘Seriously? That’s disappointing.’
‘Yes. Your evil plan failed.’
‘I’ll try harder next time.’
‘Be nice,’ she said, popping the end of the spring roll into her mouth.
‘Yeah, yeah.’ Toby sipped his beer, looking slightly deflated.
She scrunched her mouth and glanced around. ‘Actually.’ Her voice lowered. ‘There was one small incident. But I probably shouldn’t tell you.’
He put his beer down. ‘Well now you have to tell me.’
‘I shouldn’t. He’d be embarrassed.’
‘Sera.’
‘If I tell you, you can’t say anything to him. Promise me.’
‘I promise I will not say anything to him about his embarrassing whatever.’
‘Or to anyone.’
‘It’s in the vault.’
She leaned in. ‘Kevin kind of pulled him into the lagoon.’
A smile twitched at the corners of Toby’s lips. ‘Kind of? Or did.’
‘Did. Oh god, I nearly died! I handed Kevin to him, and the dog took off. Ducks and feathers flying everywhere. Mums pushing prams out of the way. Old women diving for cover. Then they flew. Ethan and Kevin. Theyliterallyflew.’
‘No,’ Toby said, already laughing.
‘Yes! Soared straight into the lagoon with an almighty splash.’
Toby laughed so loud the neighbouring table turned and glared.
‘Stop it.’ Sera laughed with him. ‘I shouldn’t be telling you. But it was too funny. Though, not at the time. At the time, I was sure I was going to be in the shit. They were both drenched and muddy, and there were these women watching. Then,’ she added, ‘he stands up and strolls from the water, soaked shirt clinging to his muscly chest, wet hair artfully swept back. You could really see why he’s a movie star. The women swooned.’
Toby’s laughter stopped. ‘Didyouswoon?’
‘Maybe a little.’ She shrugged. ‘It was a very Colin-Firth-Mr-Darcy moment. Do you remember?’ She’d made him binge the BBC series last Christmas. They’d spent Boxing Day eating leftovers and watching Jane Austen.
He nodded, his jaw flexing. ‘I remember.’
‘It looked like that. But I couldn’t really appreciate the moment because I was too worried. I thought he might sue.’ She wasn’t being honest with Toby – she had appreciated the moment. Very much. Very, very, very much – but for some reason, she couldn’t share that with him. Something inside her held it back.
‘Was he angry with you?’ Toby asked.
‘Not in the slightest. He laughed so hard he doubled over. I really think you’d like him if you got to know him. We went for a walk along the beach after that, and he was positively sweet about it. Kind of adorable.’ A wistful sigh slipped past her lips.
Toby took a long pull of his beer as he watched her. ‘You know, I reckon we should have that lunch after all, so I can properly check this guy out,’ he said finally. ‘Before you get in too deep. Like he did. Boom-tish.’ He snorted. ‘God, I wish I’d seen it.’
‘He was terrified someone might have videoed it.’ She stole the last spring roll from Toby’s plate. ‘But he made the women swear not to tell anyone. I have a feeling he gets whatever he wants. He has that kind of charm.’
Toby looked serious. ‘I bet he does.’
Sera had the Uber drop her at the gate to her property. She hopped out of the car, a little buzzy from the beer. ‘I probably won’t see you tomorrow,’ she said, hanging on the door.
