Roane and I shared a confused smile as he reached for the fabric. “Uh, thank you.”
Unfortunately, I made the mistake of taking a gulp of cider just as Roane unrolled the cotton fabric to reveal a T-shirt.
Printed across the front of the chest in bold large print were the words lady porn.
Laughter exploded out of me and with it the cider in my mouth.
It sprayed all down the front of the T-shirt as I began to choke in hysterics.
Milly and Hazel burst into peals of laughter as Roane shook his head, shoulders shaking with his own laughter as he used the T-shirt to wipe the cider that had landed on his cheeks.
I couldn’t even apologize, I was laughing too hard.
Stumbling out of my chair, I wrapped both my arms around Milly and Hazel. My heroes.
“You have to put it on.” I turned to Roane as I fumbled for the cell in my back pocket. “I need to take a photo for posterity.”
Although his lips twitched with amusement, he narrowed his eyes. “You’re joking, right?”
I took hold of the shirt and pressed it against his shoulders. “This is Instagrammable material right here,” I teased.
He eyed me for a few seconds. “You don’t think I’ll do it.”
Of course I didn’t. What man would?
Roane pushed back his chair, pulled the T-shirt over the top of the plain one he wore, and he leaned back, his arms by his sides. He raised one eyebrow as if to say, Well?
Christ, I adored him.
“Seriously?” I grinned, clutching my phone to my chest.
“Why not?” He gestured to Milly and Hazel. “They went to the trouble and I’m never wearing it again, so you might as well take a picture now.”
Practically humming with giddiness, I opened the camera and held it to Milly. “I want to be in it too.”
She was still wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes as she took the phone. I lowered to my haunches beside Roane, one hand on his shoulder for balance as I grinned at the camera.
It was only later, after Roane had taken off the silly shirt and said good night to me at the door to the store, that I looked up the photo on my phone to put it on Instagram. I was sitting in bed, still amused over the night’s events, when I opened the photo of us.
The smile dropped from my face.
Not because I was unhappy.
But because I was stunned.
While I beamed a bright smile toward the camera, Roane wasn’t even looking at Milly.
His head was turned toward me, and the raw, open adoration in his expression was breathtaking.
My eyes burned as I stared at the photo, unable to look away from him. No one had ever looked at me that way.
No one.
My chest suddenly felt tight, packed to the brim as it was with emotion.
I couldn’t put that photo on Instagram.
It was too personal.
For my eyes only.
“Fuck,” I whispered.
Somehow, I knew that photo had changed everything.
Sixteen
As I handed money to Milly for my breakfast, I reminded her to thank Dex for the delicious omelet I’d just enjoyed.
“Will do, lass.” She eyed me speculatively as she handed over my receipt. “Heard you’re spending the day at Roane’s farm?”
I was no longer surprised by other people knowing my business. It really did come with the territory of living in a tiny village. “Yeah, he’s picking me up.”
For almost two weeks I’d avoided spending time alone with Roane while I tried to get a handle on my emotions. However, he’d finally invited me out to his farm. It was two Sundays after the infamous lady porn photo, and despite my attempts to cajole Caro into joining us, I was going to be alone with Roane.
All day.
Caro had seen the farm. She wasn’t interested. Truthfully, I think she just didn’t want to be a third wheel.
Great.
“Enjoy that.” Milly winked at me.
Over the past few weeks, the winks, hints, and innuendos about my friendship with Roane had increased to the point it was like water off a duck’s back for both of us. It felt like the entire patronage of The Anchor was willing me to jump Roane Robson’s bones. Belly fluttering at the mere thought, I waved goodbye and headed outside to the parking lot, where Roane said he’d collect me.
The sun shone strong in a cloudless sky, and since we were headed somewhat inland where there wasn’t even a sea breeze for relief, I had worn shorts, a loose-flowing tank top, and a pair of Wellington boots I’d bought online. They were dark pink and cute as hell.
I’d pulled my hair up high in a ponytail to keep it off my neck, and I could feel the sun burning hot on my nape as I waited.
Through the brown filter of my sunglasses, I noticed movement across the street and started when I saw Lucas Elliot walking toward The Alnster Inn from the direction of the harbor.
“Hey, Lucas!” I called out before I could stop myself. Shifting my sunglasses into my hair, I skipped across the cobbled road as he stopped midstride. His brow puckered with obvious confusion at my approach. “How are you?”
Lucas crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes. “I’m all right. What can I do for you?”
Honestly, I’d approached him without really thinking about what I was doing, but the words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. “Viola heard about the altercation at the inn. She was grateful you stuck up for her.” She hadn’t said as much, but I knew her well enough to know that she was.
Hopefully.
Lucas scowled. “Who told her? She doesn’t need to know people say stupid shit like that.”
Oh, he so liked her.
It was a struggle to keep a straight face. “Small town.” I shrugged. There was no way I was telling him it was my fault.
“Why do you think I care what Viola thinks of me?” His gaze was far too searching, far too perceptive. “Why do you care?”
“I care because I care about Viola. And I’d like to think that you’re a good guy underneath all your bluster. She doesn’t deserve shit from anyone.”
“Right, well, you don’t know us. You’ve been here all of a few months; that doesn’t make you an expert on this village. Stay out of things between Viola and me,” he warned. “She’s a big girl and she can handle it.”
“Can she?”
Lucas’s head snapped back like I’d slapped him.