Mr Right Across the Street by Kathryn Freeman

Author:Kathryn Freeman [Freeman, Kathryn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780008462253
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Chapter Twenty-One

Mia felt a sense of heavy anticipation as the last of the customers meandered out of the bar.

Just Bill to go, and then she’d be alone with Luke again. Her belly fluttered as she remembered what had happened the last time she’d stayed behind after the bar had closed.

Bill walked past her, picking up stray glasses. ‘Waiting on our Luke are you?’

He gave her a teasing smile and Mia laughed. ‘I’m hoping he’ll wait on me.’

‘And so he should, lovely lass like you.’

‘Hey, Bill, hands off. You’re too old for her,’ Luke shouted from where he was rinsing out glasses.

‘Maybe she likes older men.’

Luke pointed to Bill’s rounded stomach. ‘And overweight older men?’

‘Some women go for the teddy-bear look.’ Bill waggled his brows at her. ‘What do you reckon?’

What Mia reckoned, was she’d never felt more attractive, had such a fuss made over her, than she had today. First Luke’s friends, now Bill, all sweetly flirting with her. It said a lot about Luke that the people in his close circle were so friendly, so warm and welcoming, to a virtual stranger.

Luke put his arm round Bill’s shoulders and tugged him towards the door. ‘Come on old man, time to get you home. Pamela will be wondering where you are.’

‘Shh, keep your voice down,’ Bill said in an exaggerated whisper. ‘I think I might have pulled that lovely lass back there with the blue hair.’

As Luke turned and gave her a sweetly exasperated glance, Mia burst out laughing. She’d heard Luke talk about Bill, about how he’d taught him everything he knew about running a bar, and the affection he had for the older man was obvious.

‘Make sure you don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,’ Bill crooned as Luke waved him out. ‘Leaves you plenty of scope, mind. Or it would have, in my day. The hips are a bit stiff now, and the ticker not as good as it was. Still, a little blue pill and—’

‘Goodnight, Bill,’ Luke interrupted firmly. ‘I messaged Pamela to say you’re on your way, so no dawdling.’

Bill touched his hand to his forehead in a salute, then gave Mia a final wave before heading off.

‘Crazy old man,’ Luke muttered as he locked the door.

‘Yeah, but you love him.’

Luke laughed softly, shaking his head. ‘Yeah, I suppose I do. He’s been a hell of a lot more of a father to me than my own, that’s for certain.’

Mia raised her eyebrows. ‘You’re not close to your dad?’

He shrugged his powerful shoulders and she tried not to stare as the muscles flexed beneath his tight polo shirt. ‘Not particularly close to either of my parents. Phil still keeps in contact but I was always, well, a bit of a disappointment, I guess.’ He pulled a stern face, the next words clearly mimicking his father. ‘Doyles are professionals. Not barmen.’

‘Being a bartender is a profession,’ Mia argued, annoyed for him. ‘And now you’re a business owner.’

‘Yes.’ The single word was delivered in a heavy tone, and Mia knew they were about to touch on the subject he’d not wanted her to know about.

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