On Dublin Street(19)

She gave me a shrug and a narrowed-eyed smile and suddenly I wondered if maybe she’d caught the looks between me and Braden.


Shit.


“So?” she insisted, a little cattily.


Yeah. She’d seen ‘em alright.


“My parents.” I threw back another drink and turned to Jenna to ask about her part-time job with the Scottish tourist industry.


Holly’s voice cut through my question. “What do you mean ‘your parents’?”


Stick a sock in it, lady! I looked at her with veiled annoyance. “Their money.”


“Oh.” She wrinkled her nose as though she suddenly smelled something very, very bad. “You’re living off your parent’s money? At your age?”


Oh no she didn’t. I took another drink and then smiled at her in warning as if to say, ‘don’t play this game with me, sweetheart, you won’t win.’


She didn’t heed the warning. “So they pay for everything? Doesn’t that make you feel guilty?”


Every f*cking day. “Was it your money that bought those Louboutin’s… or Braden’s?”


Ellie choked on her laughter, smothering the sound quickly in a gulp of her drink. I patted her on the back, aiding her in her pretense. When I looked back at Holly she was glaring at me, her face flushed red to her hairline.


Point made. Question deflected. Spoiled bitch put in her place.


“So people can get married at Stirling Castle, huh?” I turned back to Jenna and our earlier conversation. “I’ve only visited it once, but it’s a beautiful venue…”


~5~


Two nights later I was soaking in the tub after a strenuous workout at the gym when I heard Ellie’s whoop of joy. Raising an eyebrow at the door, I wasn’t surprised by the knock that sounded on it two seconds later.


“Can I come in?” she asked with laughter in her voice.


Clearly whatever news she’d received couldn’t wait. I glanced down to make sure I was sufficiently covered by bubbles. “Sure,” I replied.


The door eased open and Ellie stepped inside with two glasses of wine in her hand and a smug expression on her face. I took the glass she offered and grinned at her infectious good humor. “What’s going on?”


“Well,” Ellie beamed, “After six dire months, Braden has finally dumped Holly.”


I snorted into my glass, ignoring the way my stomach flipped at the news. “That’s your exciting news?”


Ellie stared at me like I’d said something crazy. “Of course. It’s the best news in God knows how long. Holly was the worst of the lot. You know, I think the other night at the bar was the final nail in her coffin. Braden seemed mortified by her. It’s about time he dumped that self-absorbed, two-faced, money-grabbing pain in the arse.”


I nodded in agreement, thinking about his blatant flirtation with me. “Yeah. He’d probably have only ended up cheating on her or something anyway.”


Ellie’s joy instantly fled and she scowled at me. I raised an eyebrow at her reaction. “Braden would never cheat.”


She really did think he walked on water. I cocked my head with a cynical smirk, a look probably bordering on condescending and punch-worthy. “Please, Ellie, he’s a guy who flirts with anything that moves.”


Considering me for a moment, Ellie leaned back against the tiled walls, seeming unaware of the steam clinging to them and now most probably dampening the back of her shirt. Her celebration was apparently forgotten in the face of my negativity. “There’s one thing you should know about Braden. He would never cheat. He’s not perfect, I know that. But let’s just say that he would never be that cruel or dishonest to anyone. Anytime he’s been in a relationship and his interest has waned and hopped onto someone new, he’s been honest with his girlfriend and broken it off before starting up anything with someone else. I’m not saying his attitude isn’t a little shitty, but at least he’s honest.”


Curious about Ellie’s surety, I took a sip of wine before asking, “Did someone cheat on Braden?”


She gave me a sad smile. “It’s not my story to tell.”


Wow. If Ellie was being close-mouthed about it, Braden really must be sore over it.


“Suffice to say, he’s a serial dater. Completely monogamous but jumping from one relationship to the next. Holly lasted longer than most. I think it was because she took frequent trips down south.” Ellie then threw me a teasing, almost knowing look. “I wonder what girl has caught his interest this time.”


I eyed her carefully. Did she know? Had she witnessed the spark between us?


“And I wonder if she’ll finally be the one to knock him on his arse. He needs a reality check.”


I murmured an incoherent response, not wanting to encourage her thoughts in my direction.


“Sorry for interrupting your bath.”


“No, it’s fine.” I raised my wine glass at her. “You brought red wine. We’re all good.”


“Have you ever cheated on someone?”