Much Ado About You(14)

Ludicrous. I lived in Chicago. I knew cold weather.

Finally deciding the whole purpose of this trip was to embrace the things I wanted and liked, I pulled on a pair of black tailored shorts, a plain green crew-neck T-shirt, which I tucked into them, a short black blazer with the sleeves rolled up to the elbow, and a pair of slouchy green leather ankle boots with a low heel. I had a bruise on my left knee from today’s fall, but it wasn’t too bad once I applied a little concealer.

I released my dark hair from the ponytail I’d worn during the day and wore it in loose beachy waves so the caramel ombré highlights were noticeable.

Studying my image in the full-length mirror, I stuck my hands in my shorts pockets and bit my lip. I did not look like I was venturing out to a pub in Northumberland.

Yet I looked like me.

Snapping a mirror selfie, I sent the photo to Greer with the text message:

    Does the bruise look bad? xx



I’d messaged her earlier to tell her about rescuing Shadow and the consequent fall. I left his handsome owner out of the story.

As I was heading downstairs to leave, my phone buzzed.

    Babe, I can’t see a bruise. xx



My cell beeped again.

    I am worried a horny fisherman or two might try to kidnap you. You know those legs are lethal. xx



I grinned at her teasing and stuffed the cell in my purse. The cool evening air took me by surprise as I stepped outside the store and locked up. Yeah, the breeze off the sea had interrupted the temperate day, but it had been pleasant. Plus, it was still light out.

The flutter of butterflies I’d been trying to ignore the past few hours made themselves known. Shaking my head at the stupidity of those butterflies, I glanced at the garden Penny said belonged to the store. I noted its bench and how it was angled toward the sea and decided my next day off would be spent reading there.

It was better to think of these things than to think of a man.

The rejection from Aaron was less than a week old. My pride had healed, and I realized my hope of finding love had been crushed more than my hope of finding love with Aaron, but that didn’t mean I was ready to put myself out there again.

Especially not with a man I’d never see after my visit to England was up.

A sound similar to that of a motorbike drew my gaze from the water and my attention from my musings. From the brow of the hill before the main street of the village appeared a woman.

On a quad bike.

She blew past me and turned left toward the road that led out of Alnster.

The image of her made me smile.

She wore no helmet, her blond curly hair blowing behind her on the breeze, her open jacket fluttering in the wind as she confidently rode the quad bike like she did it every day.

And I got the feeling she did.

How badass.

Was she a local? If so, I wondered if I’d get to meet her.

The parking lot of The Anchor was worryingly busy, suggesting I might not get a table. Those fears were supported by the wave of warmth and the loud murmur of voices that hit me as I stepped inside.

The pub was packed with people dining.

I stared around, more than a little bemused that such a tiny village could have such a busy pub. Sure, I’d understand if it were the height of summer and tourists were crawling all over the place . . .

“Evie.” Milly drew my gaze as she strode toward me behind the bar. Almost every stool at the bar was occupied. “In for tea?”

It took me a moment to realize “tea” meant dinner. Stepping up to the end of the bar, I gave her a weak smile. “It doesn’t look like there’s a table.” And I was hungry. So, so hungry. The smell of delicious food was intoxicating me.

“Not to brag, lass, but my Dexter’s food is known all over Northumberland. We keep busy at teatime. If you want to eat here, you let me know and I’ll reserve a table for you. For now, if you’re happy to, you can eat at the bar.”

I nodded eagerly. “Yeah, please.”

Perhaps my relief was palpable because Milly chuckled and gestured for me to follow. I rounded the bar, ignoring some men on stools who blatantly ogled my legs.

The second dining room was just as busy as the first.

Sliding onto the stool Milly gestured to, I gave the woman next to me a small smile when she turned to see who her new neighbor was. She returned the smile before giving her attention to the man beside her.

“There, lass.” Milly placed a menu in front of me. “Now what can I get you to drink?”

“Oi, I was next, Milly!” a male voice shouted from the other end of the bar.

She raised an eyebrow in that direction. “I say who’s next in my pub.”

“Fine, but I’m next after Legs,” he shouted back.

Presuming “Legs” was me, I scowled.

“Her name is Evie,” Milly informed him crisply.

I wanted to hide under the bar.

“I prefer Legs.”

“Oh, aye? Do you prefer going somewhere else to drink, man? Because I don’t cater to rudeness in my pub.”

“Aw, I was only joking, Milly. Get the lass a drink and put it on my tab.”

She nodded and turned back to me with a smirk.

“I’ll pay for my own drink,” I replied.

She grinned. “And what will that be?”