me he’d been the same way at the student union last week but I’d twisted it in my overly
romantic little head and called it open and honest.
I looked at my food glumly.
A hand came down on the back of my chair and a shadow appeared above me. I glanced
up to find Adam bending over me, a scowl on his face.
“Where the fuck did he go?” he growled.
God, I loved him.
“His sister went into labor.”
Adam relaxed but didn’t move.
“I’m okay,” I promised him. I wasn’t okay. I wanted to cry. And he knew it.
He straightened and called out to one of the waiters by name. “Can you move us to a
larger table?”
“Of course, Mr. Sutherland.”
“Adam, no,” I protested. “I’m not crashing your date.”
He grabbed my hand and pulled me up. “You got all dressed up, sweetheart. At the very
least you’re going to get to finish your meal.”
Holding my hand, Adam led me to the new table and gave a jerk of his head to his date to
tell her to come to us. He sat next me as Meagan took the seat across from him, her green
eyes flashing with annoyance.
“Ellie’s joining us,” Adam informed her, his tone brooking no argument
“Sorry,” I mumbled apologetically to her.
“Don’t apologize,” Adam replied firmly. “You’ve nothing to apologize for.”
The waiters quickly brought over our plates and as we dug in Adam asked me about
Christian.
“Well.” I sighed after swallowing a piece of tender meat. “Up until forty minutes ago I
thought he was perfect. Forty minutes ago I didn’t know he’d try to order my food for me or
talk incessantly about himself.”
Adam grinned. “Was it about his hair? I bet he could get a good forty minutes out of how
long it took him to get that quiff just right—what styling mousse he uses and why, the
amount he uses in order to get just the right amount of height and curvature…”
I was giggling like an idiot as he continued to tease me. It was true. Christian had a rather
large quiff. Forty minutes ago I’d thought it spoke of his individuality and style. Now, I was
guessing Adam was right. The man probably spent more time on his hair than I did and that
was never a good thing.
Throughout the meal Adam made me laugh until I forgot all about my ruined evening. It
wasn’t until the waiter came to take our plates away and offer us the dessert menu that I
remembered Meagan was even there. She reminded us by scraping her chair back and glaring
at Adam. “I just remembered I have an early morning. Thanks for dinner, Adam. I’ll see you
around.”
Before Adam could say anything she’d turned on her designer heels and stormed out of the
restaurant.
I instantly felt terrible. Adam and I hadn’t included her in our conversation at all. It was
such a shitty thing to do.
Adam must have recognized my guilty expression because he shook his head at me.
“Don’t feel bad, sweetheart. She started complaining the moment I picked her up. If I was
rude, it was only in retaliation.”
I gave him a sympathetic smile. “Looks like we saved each other from crappy dates then.”
He grinned. “Looks like.” His eyes dropped to the menu. “Now, what are you having for
dessert?”
“We don’t need to,” I told him quietly. “We could just pay up and I’ll go home and let you
get on with your night.”
His eyes rose to meet mine and he gave me an “are you daft?” look. “Els, shut up and pick
a dessert.”
I swallowed a smile and lowered my eyes to the menu.
***
We stepped out into the warm summer night, and Adam took my arm and tucked it in his.
“Where to next?”
I blinked in surprise. We’d finished our meal and I’d just assumed I’d be going home.
“Um, where do you fancy?”
“The Voodoo Rooms is only a five minute walk away and I know the bartenders so we’ll
get a seat.”
I nodded, trying to stop my heart from taking off. Adam was taking me out for a drink.
He’d never taken me out for a drink just the two of us before. Recently he, Braden and I
would meet up for a drink or two but never just Adam and I.
As I walked down the street with him, arm and arm, I allowed myself the fantasy that we
were a couple. That’s what other people would see when they passed us. My chest squeezed
with utter longing.
Unrequited love wasn’t nearly as romantic as the books made it seem.
“Who don’t you know in this city?” I teased in an attempt to appear normal around him.
Adam grinned. “There are a few people I’ve yet to meet.”
I snorted at that. Adam and Braden called Edinburgh “their city” and they almost meant
that literally. They had acquaintances everywhere and anytime I was out with one of them we
spent half our time greeting people they knew. Some might say that Adam would never have
had that kind of relationship with the city if he hadn’t grown up as Braden’s best friend.
Unlike us, Adam didn’t come from a well-off family. His mum and dad were ordinary folks
who never really gave the impression that they’d wanted to be parents. Adam had been an
accident. Although they’d never been neglectful or cruel, his parents had been distant, and
he’d spent most of his childhood hanging out at Braden’s and bemoaning the summers when
Braden was off in Europe with his mother. As soon as Adam turned eighteen and moved into
student housing that put him into a lot of debt, his parents had gotten on a plane and moved to Australia. He heard from them once a month. Incidentally, Braden had paid off Adam’s
student debt as a graduation present, something he proudly wouldn’t accept until Braden had
gotten him drunk and recorded his slurred acceptance on his iPhone. I’d heard the recording.
He’d said “Love you, mate, you’re beautiful” so many times to Braden I’d almost peed my
pants with laughter.
I knew Adam well enough to know his difference in background didn’t mean anything.
Even if he hadn’t had Braden there opening all these doors, I believed with his charm and
charisma he’d still be a guy that a lot of people knew, liked, wanted to be or wanted to sleep
with.
When we got to the bar and restaurant, dinner service was just finishing up and the place
was crowded.
“Adam,” a bartender called to him as soon as we walked in and Adam gave him a chin
nod. “I’ll get you a table.”
We followed him as he claimed a table a couple was leaving, wiping it down with a wet
dishrag. The guy eyed me as I slid into the booth and then he gave Adam a smile of approval
that made me blush to my roots.
“What can I get you?”
“I’ll have a Macallan and ginger ale. Sweetheart, what do you want?”
“I’ll have a mojito, please.”
Adam settled into the booth with me, his arm sliding along the back of the seat behind my
head. For some reason I felt incredibly awkward and I struggled to find something to say.
“Sorry your date was rubbish.”
Adam shrugged. “I’ll just celebrate with you.”
“Celebrate?”
He gave me a small grin, looking boyishly pleased about something. I felt that look hit me
between my legs. I needed help. “I’m now a registered architect.”
My lips parted on a silent exclamation and I impulsively threw my arms up and around
him. “Congratulations!”
He chuckled against my ear and I shivered, loving the press of those strong, creative hands
against my back. “Thanks, sweetheart.”
“Does Braden know?” I asked, pulling away.
“Yeah. He congratulated me by giving me a permanent contract.”
I laughed. That was so Braden.
Adam had gotten his practical experience to complete his qualification by working