and filled it at the draft spigot with Tony’s usual drink, Tasmanian Tiger lager.
“They’re making a bloody mess,” Tony said. “The little paper plates they’re serving food on are all over the place.” He reached for his draft, took a long sip then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I’m surprised you’re not complaining.”
“Things will settle down after tonight.” But it was annoying. Litter from the wine bar was being blown onto his side of the street and collecting against the brick wall of the pub. Twice now he’d gone out to clean it up.
Half of his parking lot was taken up by wine bar customers. He’d noticed it when someone had complained about being blocked in. What was he going to do, call the cops and get everyone pissed at him? It was the wine bar’s opening night and he was making allowances, but this better not continue.
Even Emma had parked there. He knew her turquoise Barina by the dainty metal chimes dangling from the rearview mirror. That she’d chosen to go to the wine bar on her birthday instead of the pub didn’t exactly shock, but it stung a little. She hadn’t even stopped in to say hello.
The pub, normally packed on a Friday evening, was only half-full. Business was so slow that Kirsty, Elise and his weekend bartender, Brad, were able to handle the drinks by themselves. Just as well. For once Darcy wasn’t in the mood to chat or make jokes or entertain his customers with his cocktail-making skills.
Instead he sat at a table with his laptop and opened up his online banking account. He’d accepted that it was too soon to pay child support. After all, the baby wasn’t even born yet. So he’d started a college fund and was making regular payments into that. He’d never set up a college fund for Holly. Why was he doing it for this baby? Out of guilt, to make up for not being a husband to Emma and a proper father to the baby? Or was he simply trying to have a connection with Emma?
He couldn’t stop thinking about her and about the night they spent together on the cruise ship. Before he’d run into her, he’d hoped and expected that the cruise would ease his way back into the dating scene. Instead it had the opposite effect. He hadn’t been with anyone else since that night. He’d lost interest in flirting. If a woman he met in the bar or at a friend’s house got too interested, he politely moved away. It was driving him crazy. The last thing he wanted was to be hung up on his ex-wife.
Emma walked into the pub around eleven o’clock. Even knowing she was seven months pregnant, Darcy wasn’t prepared for the sight of her round swollen belly, clearly defined by her blue dress. Her face had rounded, too, softened by the few extra pounds she’d gained in pregnancy. Nor was he prepared for the way she made him feel protective and resentful at the same time.
“Hey, Emma.” He closed his laptop. “It’s nice of you to patronize my establishment, especially tonight when I’m competing with the wine bar opening.”
A pink flush crept up her neck into her cheeks. “I, uh, I’ve just come from there. Um...someone’s blocking my car in your parking lot. A black Hilux with lights across the roof.”
“You parked in my lot and went to the wine bar.”
“Darcy, I’m sorry. I know it was shabby of me.” She pushed back the red hair curling loosely about her shoulders. “The venue was Alana’s choice. She organized the party. I shouldn’t have parked in your lot. I just...” She waved a hand, looking beautiful and tired, as if at any moment she would be on her knees with fatigue.
Darcy pulled out a chair at his table. “Sit down. The Hilux is Tony’s. I’ll get him to move it. If you give me your keys, I’ll bring your car around. I see a parking spot has opened up.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“It’s not a big deal.” He dragged another chair over. “Put up your feet.”
Emma sank onto the chair and slipped off her shoes before
“They’re making a bloody mess,” Tony said. “The little paper plates they’re serving food on are all over the place.” He reached for his draft, took a long sip then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I’m surprised you’re not complaining.”
“Things will settle down after tonight.” But it was annoying. Litter from the wine bar was being blown onto his side of the street and collecting against the brick wall of the pub. Twice now he’d gone out to clean it up.
Half of his parking lot was taken up by wine bar customers. He’d noticed it when someone had complained about being blocked in. What was he going to do, call the cops and get everyone pissed at him? It was the wine bar’s opening night and he was making allowances, but this better not continue.
Even Emma had parked there. He knew her turquoise Barina by the dainty metal chimes dangling from the rearview mirror. That she’d chosen to go to the wine bar on her birthday instead of the pub didn’t exactly shock, but it stung a little. She hadn’t even stopped in to say hello.
The pub, normally packed on a Friday evening, was only half-full. Business was so slow that Kirsty, Elise and his weekend bartender, Brad, were able to handle the drinks by themselves. Just as well. For once Darcy wasn’t in the mood to chat or make jokes or entertain his customers with his cocktail-making skills.
Instead he sat at a table with his laptop and opened up his online banking account. He’d accepted that it was too soon to pay child support. After all, the baby wasn’t even born yet. So he’d started a college fund and was making regular payments into that. He’d never set up a college fund for Holly. Why was he doing it for this baby? Out of guilt, to make up for not being a husband to Emma and a proper father to the baby? Or was he simply trying to have a connection with Emma?
He couldn’t stop thinking about her and about the night they spent together on the cruise ship. Before he’d run into her, he’d hoped and expected that the cruise would ease his way back into the dating scene. Instead it had the opposite effect. He hadn’t been with anyone else since that night. He’d lost interest in flirting. If a woman he met in the bar or at a friend’s house got too interested, he politely moved away. It was driving him crazy. The last thing he wanted was to be hung up on his ex-wife.
Emma walked into the pub around eleven o’clock. Even knowing she was seven months pregnant, Darcy wasn’t prepared for the sight of her round swollen belly, clearly defined by her blue dress. Her face had rounded, too, softened by the few extra pounds she’d gained in pregnancy. Nor was he prepared for the way she made him feel protective and resentful at the same time.
“Hey, Emma.” He closed his laptop. “It’s nice of you to patronize my establishment, especially tonight when I’m competing with the wine bar opening.”
A pink flush crept up her neck into her cheeks. “I, uh, I’ve just come from there. Um...someone’s blocking my car in your parking lot. A black Hilux with lights across the roof.”
“You parked in my lot and went to the wine bar.”
“Darcy, I’m sorry. I know it was shabby of me.” She pushed back the red hair curling loosely about her shoulders. “The venue was Alana’s choice. She organized the party. I shouldn’t have parked in your lot. I just...” She waved a hand, looking beautiful and tired, as if at any moment she would be on her knees with fatigue.
Darcy pulled out a chair at his table. “Sit down. The Hilux is Tony’s. I’ll get him to move it. If you give me your keys, I’ll bring your car around. I see a parking spot has opened up.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“It’s not a big deal.” He dragged another chair over. “Put up your feet.”
Emma sank onto the chair and slipped off her shoes before
Similar Books
