‘Just because you can’t see it or measure it doesn’t mean it’s nonsense,’ Jess replied.
‘It just means that you have a vivid imagination and no respect for science,’ Ally retorted, draping her arm around Owen’s neck.
His friend had that goofy look on his face that suggested that he’d been expertly and thoroughly used...and he certainly wasn’t complaining.
God willing, he’d have that same look on his face before long.
When the conversation drifted to the campaign, Luke thought that he’d moved from actively loathing the process of making the advertisements to tolerating the process. He enjoyed the physical stuff—riding the Ducati, surfing, even the mountain biking today had been fun. What wasn’t fun about hurtling down a forest trail at speed?
It was the attention he loathed. The cameras and the people constantly watching him sent him straight back to his childhood. He couldn’t shake the feeling that instead of having just his father waiting for him to mess up, now he had a posse of strangers waiting for him to fail. Jess helped him get through; she had a way of calming his churning thoughts with a quick smile. Hell, just her presence and constant chatter relaxed him...although he’d never admit that to her.
Luke sipped his beer and looked at Jess. He liked her, and it had been a long time since he’d just liked a woman. Along with the liking he also respected her; it took hard work and guts to build what she had, and he admired her dedication and work ethic. Jess, he realised, was not after a free ride from any man.
Luke looked across the room towards the pool tables. ‘A table is finally empty. Who wants a game?’
Owen and Ally nodded and Jess shrugged. Luke pulled her to her feet. ‘You and me against Owen and Ally. That’ll make it a little more interesting.’
Jess frowned. ‘Why?’
‘Two strong and two weak players,’ Luke explained.
Jess stopped in her tracks and looked at Ally, who grinned. ‘And we’re the weak players?’
Luke exchanged a look with Owen. They played most Friday nights and were pretty good at pool. Actually, they were excellent. ‘Uh...yes.’
Jess sent him a look that made his hair curl. ‘Well, let’s make this really interesting. Ally and me against you and Owen.’
Luke shrugged and smiled at Owen across Jess’s head. How could they lose? ‘Sure. What are the stakes?’
‘Dinner at the only Michelin-starred restaurant in the country—the one down the road. Losers pay.’
Again, how could he lose?
* * *
When Jess sank the winning shot, she rested her hands on top of her cue and shook her head at him. Her brown eyes sparkled in the low light of the bar.
‘Make the reservation, Savage, and bring your credit card with the biggest limit.’
Luke shook his head at the empty table. ‘How?’
‘I keep telling you that I have four elder brothers. When are you going to learn?’
* * *
Luke placed his elbow on the table and looked at Jess, who was making patterns in the condensation of her glass. She looked tired, Luke thought, and glanced at his watch. It was close to midnight and the band had switched from dance music to blues. It was freezing out, but a fire roared at one end of the room and the mood in the bar was mellow.
Owen and Ally had made their way back to St Sylve, and he supposed he needed to get Jess home, but he was reluctant to end the evening.
‘Crazy week ahead,’ Jess said quietly.
‘Like the last couple have been a walk in the park?’ Luke responded with a wry smile.
‘We’re filming the family scene at St Sylve on Tuesday, and my own family is coming in on Thursday night.’
He hadn’t forgotten. Luke licked his bottom lip and asked the question that he’d been longing to ask since he’d heard about her family. It was one he’d frequently asked of his friends growing up, trying to capture what it felt like to be part of a group, a clan...a family.
‘Tell me about your family.’
‘What do you want to know?’
Luke shrugged. ‘I don’t know...did you go on family holidays? Did your brothers tease you? What do you remember most about your teens?’
He sounded almost wistful, Jess thought as she put her elbows on the table and cupped her face in her hands. ‘Um...I felt like I was playing catch-up most of my life with my brothers. They were always bigger, stronger and faster, and they gave me no handicap because I was a girl. It was keep up or go home. They teased me incessantly and I made a point of annoying them in retaliation. Family holidays...?’
Jess thought for a moment. ‘We spent most holidays at my grandfather’s cottage at the beach. It was tiny, and we were packed into the house like sardines in a can. We had the best fun: hot days, warm seas, ice cream, blistered noses, beach cricket, bonfires on the sand. My brother John would play the guitar and we’d sing along—rather badly. Those holidays stopped when I was about sixteen.’