“No.” He popped the rest in his mouth. “Seren is. Maybe we could put a note beside them in case she comes later.”
“I had no idea she was allergic to peanuts.” Rebecca called out to Cadan across the room, demanding to know why he hadn’t volunteered that information. He was deep in conversation with Felix and only shrugged in response.
“I’ll definitely put a note beside them,” Rebecca said, opening a drawer and pulling out a notepad and pen. She frowned as she surveyed the food. “I think they’re the only thing with peanuts.”
“Would you mind if we just put them away?” Kit asked. “Sometimes Seren’s throat gets scratchy just being in a room with peanuts.”
“Okay.” Rebecca got a container and helped Kit load the brownies into it.
“Thanks,” Kit said as she stowed them in the fridge.
Holly thrust a beer at him and pulled on his arm. “Come outside with me.”
“What’s going on?” Kit asked, as they stepped out through the patio doors.
“Gavin’s here! I had no idea he’d be invited. I think he’s friends with Cadan, but it didn’t occur to me that he’d be here.”
“We can always leave if you want.”
“No, it’s fine. I’d just rather have another drink in me before I speak to him. Let’s wander down to the beach and watch the sunset.”
Kit glanced back inside, checking for Seren but thinking she probably wasn’t going to turn up.
CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT
After a long day at work, going to Rebecca’s party was about the last thing Seren felt like doing. She was very tempted to curl up in bed instead. It was only the thought of seeing Kit that enticed her. Then again, watching him with Holly on Wednesday evening hadn’t exactly been fun. She’d hardly been able to take her eyes off them. Kit had insisted he and Holly were only friends, and there hadn’t been anything in the way they interacted that suggested otherwise, but that didn’t stop Seren from feeling sick with jealousy.
What if she got to the party to find Kit was too busy hanging out with Holly to even notice her? Shaking her unhelpful thoughts away, she forced herself off the couch to shower and change.
Taking the car seemed to be a sensible idea since it meant she could leave quickly if she needed to. Obviously the downside was that she wouldn’t be able to drink. In the end, alcohol won out and she set off walking. As she left the town and followed the curve of the road, the steady incline got her heart pumping faster. With the warm sea breeze driving against her she felt invigorated and paused to take in the view when the road levelled off. The setting sun had turned the sky a heavenly shade of pink and tinged the listless sea as well.
Continuing on her way, Seren’s stomach fluttered at the thought of seeing Kit. She quickened her pace until the house came into view.
Felix was out on the patio, chatting to a couple of guys. She tipped her chin in greeting and slipped inside before he could corner her.
“There you are,” Cadan said, breaking away from a cluster of people she didn’t recognise. “I was starting to think you weren’t coming.”
“I got held up at work.” Her eyes darted towards the living room but there was no sign of Kit. Maybe he’d decided not to bother with the party. If that was the case, she wouldn’t hang around for long.
“There’s loads of food.” Cadan tipped his chin towards the table. “Rebecca went a bit overboard if you ask me, but she’s a good cook. Are you hungry?”
“I ate at the pub. A drink would be nice though.” When she stole his beer, he rolled his eyes and went to get another one.
“Did you see Felix?” Cadan asked, perching on a stool at the counter. “He’ll be happy you made it.”
Ignoring the comment, she craned her neck to look further into the busy living room. “Is Kit here?”
“Yeah. I saw him earlier.”
Felix loped up beside Seren and draped an arm around her shoulders. “The littlest Treneary?”
“Don’t call him that. You know who he is.”
He rolled his eyes. “He just walked down to the beach with his girlfriend.”
“I presume you mean Holly,” she huffed.
“I guess so. How many girlfriends has he got?”