The Fisherman's Promise: A Romantic Suspense Novel by Olivia Snow

Author:Olivia Snow [Snow, Olivia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-04-17T16:00:00+00:00

16

JAMES

I can't keep my eyes off Ella as she tells Beth and Paul her story. I can see the pain on her face and would do almost anything to take it away. No one should have to live through what she has.

I've been struggling with that damn pain in my abdomen since we first arrived here, my stomach churning like a wrung-out washcloth. I press my hand into my side, gritting my teeth as I try to suppress the pulsing ache; Beth and Paul are thankfully too engrossed in Ella to notice my distress. At least I have my follow-up doctor’s appointment tomorrow, so I should get some answers.

I smile at Ella as she looks over to me, squeezing her with my free hand again to show her that I'm here for her. She had seemed so timid when I picked her up from her cottage, but Beth's enthusiasm is contagious, and it's great to see her blossoming into a much more confident version of herself around my friends. She looks as comfortable and content as could be as part of our circle.

"Right, are we ready to actually win this quiz tonight?" Paul asks, looking at Ella with a grin on his face. "James tells me you're our secret ingredient to success, Ella, so I have high hopes."

Ella laughs, and I smile as I see a blush creep up her cheeks. "Oh god, I hope I can live up to my reputation."

The quiz starts, and I find myself distracted again, my eyes wandering around the pub as I try to focus on quashing the pain in my stomach. The girls from last week are here, chatting animatedly at the bar, and the guy we took out on the fishing boat earlier today sits not that far from them. He looks at me and gives me a stilted smile which I return half-heartedly.

"You should know this one, mate," Paul says, distracting me back to the table.

"Huh?"

"Who has been Sonic the Hedgehog's rival since 2001?"

Ella looks at me hopefully as I dig into my brain for gaming trivia.

"Shadow," I say, and Paul high-fives me dramatically across the table.

"Knew you'd get it," he says.

I look down at the sheet and notice we've got an answer for every question so far. Makes a change.

"Here, why don't you write for a bit?" Beth says, pushing the paper over to me. "I'm off to the bar for another drink. Anyone else want one?"

"I'd love another glass of red," Ella replies, standing up. "Here, I'll come with you."

I watch as Ella and Beth head to the bar, Ella's long skirt drifting gracefully behind her.

"Looks like you've finally found yourself a perfect girl, mate," Paul says, winking at me.

"She's great, isn't she?" I reply.

"And she obviously likes you too. I can tell by the way she looks at you."

I smile and nod, feeling a warmth radiating from the centre of my body.

"She's got a lot going on at the moment," I say, watching Ella as she twists her fingers nervously at the bar.

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