‘Gigi told me that her “doctor” neighbour worked there.’ I made little quote marks with my fingers but smiled as I did so. He grinned back.
‘Oh! So, you finally believe me?’
‘You have to admit you don’t look like most doctors.’
He gave a little shake of his head. ‘I don’t? I guess I didn’t get that particular memo.’
I gave a shrug before waving my hand up and down at him, encompassing the leathers and … well, general gorgeousness, but I wasn’t going to spell it out. Although, to his credit, and honestly my relief, he only picked up on the motorbike reference.
‘I did used to have a car, but the bike’s better for getting through the traffic in the city. I can get there and home much quicker now. It suits me better.’
Oh my, it did suit him. That was for sure.
‘I’d like to see you strap that on the bike,’ I said, pointing towards where his surfboard was propped up in a corner.
He laughed again and I smiled at the sound. ‘Yeah, that’s the only issue. Mostly I just surf here when the sea’s right but sometimes a group of us go somewhere, in which case I just grab a lift with a mate.’
‘What about shopping?’ I was nothing if not practical.
He smiled, apparently amused by the interrogation. ‘I’m not exactly a whizz in the kitchen so ready meals fit pretty well in my backpack.’
‘Surely that’s not all you eat.’ Going by how he looked, I was thinking more along the lines of ‘my body is a temple’ sort of food. From where I was sat, it was abundantly clear that Gabe’s body would be pretty damn easy to worship. I suddenly realised he was saying something.
‘Sorry?’
‘I just said, pretty much. Well, fruit and stuff too, but in the main …’ He obviously caught the look on my face and misinterpreted it. ‘I know it’s not ideal and I do want to try and get better. I’m just not that great at cooking. I need to try and find some time to practise a bit more. Last time I tried, it didn’t work out too well.’ His face had taken on a bit of a sheepish look that, if possible, made him look even more attractive.
‘Oh dear. Well, why don’t you start with something really simple? Like boiling an egg?’
‘That’s what didn’t work out too well.’
‘Boiling an egg?’
He pulled a face and I couldn’t help the smile that teased the corners of my mouth.
‘I know! I can qualify as a doctor, but I can’t boil an egg.’
‘What happened exactly?’
‘It got left on for a little bit too long, I think. A colleague rang me and we got stuck into discussing a case. By the time I remembered the egg, you could have used it to play cricket with.’
‘Oh dear!’ I said again, laughing.
‘Pathetic, eh?’
‘No! Not at all. It happens to the best of us. And it wasn’t like you got distracted by something inane.’ Like watching videos of cute puppies on YouTube. Yep. I definitely wasn’t ready to share that deeply yet. I smiled up at him. He returned it and then shoved himself away from the banister.
‘I’d better get a move on.’
‘Hot date?’ Please, please tell me I didn’t say that out loud.
‘Something like that.’ He grinned.
Oh God. It was out loud.
Avoiding his eyes and glancing down at my phone, I jumped up. ‘Is that the time?’ I said, quickly grabbing my stuff off the lounger. ‘Sorry. I’m running a bit late.’
‘Hot date?’ He returned the question and I felt myself blush from my bare feet upwards.
I paused and turned back briefly, rolling my eyes. ‘Oh, I really hope not,’ I said, before dashing back into the house and running upstairs to the shower.
In the past, my brother and his wife had made a variety of attempts to set me up on dates. Clearly, they considered my ability to choose men with about the same level of disillusionment as I did myself. Unfortunately, their choices for me also often left something to be desired, so perhaps it was a family trait. Although, thinking about it, Gigi had managed to choose a pretty wonderful man for herself, and Mum couldn’t have picked anyone who would have worshipped her more. Then there was Ned, my brother, who had a gorgeous, funny and very loving wife whom I adored. OK then, so it was just me with the crappy taste. Good to know.
They hadn’t specifically said they were setting me up with anyone this time. They never did. A friend just always ‘happened’ to be free so they’d ‘invited him along’. I’m pretty sure they knew I didn’t believe a word of it but they continued to try. Which was sweet of them but I really had no interest in meeting anyone. By now I was completely fed up with my inability to find a decent man so it just seemed like the best plan was not to bother even attempting it.
I’d come to this decision when my last relationship had ended spectacularly badly around eighteen months ago after I’d found out my boyfriend was ‘technically’ still seeing someone else. This revelation came about when his ‘technical’ other girlfriend walked in to the restaurant where the company Christmas do was being held. It wasn’t pretty. I’d walked out, head held high, and hadn’t crumpled until I was safe within the walls of my own flat.
But the whole thing had hurt like hell because he’d been so wonderfully handsome and charming, and I’d really, really liked him. I’d trusted him and let him into my heart. It was something I’d been so careful about before but Paul had said all the right words, done all the right things, and I’d believed him. The error of that particular judgement had been painful in its proving and I had absolutely no intention of making a similar mistake ever again.
‘Four place settings,’ I said, unable to keep the sigh out of my voice as I picked up a fork from the table and began twirling it in my fingers.
‘Yeah. We’ve got a friend coming. I hope that’s all right,’ Ned said, concentrating on the deliciousness in the pan in front of him on the stove.
‘A friend,’ I said, putting the fork back and wandering over to where my brother was adding a touch more seasoning to the food.
‘Try that,’ he said, handing me the spoon. I did. It was, as always, beyond yummy. I made noises to this effect and Ned smiled. Glancing at me, he caught something in my expression. ‘Oh! No! No, I promise this time, it’s most definitely not a set-up. I’m pretty sure you’re not his type anyway. His last girlfriend was an absolute stunner.’ My brother was, as always, the epitome of tact. I whacked the spoon on his forearm.
‘Oww! What was that for?’
‘I imagine it was because you just insinuated that your sister isn’t beautiful.’ Carrie came into the kitchen, smiling, and gave me a big hug, her posture a little awkward as the large bump that was my niece or nephew came between us. ‘Which she totally is,’ she finished.
Ned shrugged his shoulders and went back to stirring the food.
‘But he’s right on the other part. This isn’t a set-up. We had this planned before we knew you were coming down. It really is just four people having dinner. We kind of decided that maybe we weren’t so great at matchmaking after the last incident.’
‘Whatever gave you that idea?’ I asked, an innocent look on my face.
Carrie grinned. ‘Oh God, I know it was bad. But he seemed so normal and nice!’