Quiet descended and Mia struggled with how to fill it. She felt awful knowing her lack of response had made him think she’d been offended by his messages. Before she could say anything though, he was speaking again.
‘I’d better let you get back to work.’ He glanced into the coffee shop and gave Naomi a wave.
‘I don’t usually see you up and about so early.’ Not before 10 a.m. Mia cringed, wondering how much she’d given away. Here he was, apologising for acting like a creeper with his notes, when she was the one who couldn’t stop staring into his spare room every morning.
But he looked like he had other things on his mind than her voyeurism. ‘Yeah, the bar’s giving me a headache at the moment.’ He laughed softly. ‘And before you ask, it has nothing to do with the radioactive house cocktail.’
Relieved they were back to bantering, she smiled. ‘Ah, so you admit it’s radioactive then?’
He shook his head, eyes amused. ‘I’ll admit to it looking green and packing a punch.’ There was another beat of silence and Luke shifted on his feet. ‘So, I’ll see you around?’
‘No escaping me. I live here, remember?’
His gaze trapped hers, and he gave her a small, wry smile. ‘Hard to forget.’
As she walked back to her flat, Mia did so with a little more lightness to her step. She didn’t know why, but it felt important that she and Luke were still on friendly terms.
Ten minutes after bumping into Mia, Luke was sat in his spare room with his brother, both of them huddled round Phil’s laptop, though only one of them currently staring at it. Luke’s eyes kept straying to Mia’s window.
‘Something important going on over there?’ Phil gave him the raised eyebrow. ‘More important than looking at the big fat hole in your accounts?’
Of course it wasn’t, but as he took a sip of his now lukewarm coffee, Luke couldn’t help but wonder if Mia had finished hers. She’s out of bounds.
Or was she?
‘You were wrong, you know.’ He nodded towards the window he’d been … yes, okay, gawping at. ‘Mia wasn’t upset by the messages I put up.’
Phil heaved out a sigh and sat back on the chair. ‘I thought you said you were going to focus on the bar from now on?’ He scratched at his chin. ‘I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at the quick U-turn. You’ve always been distracted by the opposite sex.’
Luke flinched at the unsubtle dig. Yet even as the barb sunk home, he plastered a smile on his face because that’s what he’d learnt to do. Smile so his family couldn’t see how much their criticism stung. ‘Even you have to admit women are more interesting than accounts.’
Phil frowned. ‘Even me?’
‘You’re the king of the spreadsheet, big brother.’ Luke swigged back the last of the coffee. ‘At one point I thought you’d rather go to bed with one than an actual woman. Then you met Janet and I figured maybe you’d persuaded her to recite numbers to you as foreplay.’
‘That would be funny, if I didn’t feel a bit weirded out that you’ve spent time thinking about my sex life.’
Luke grinned. ‘Not that much time. I’d rather focus on my own.’
Phil gave him a shrewd look. ‘And how’s that going?’
Usually he’d give him a flippant reply, but for some reason the words wouldn’t roll off his tongue. ‘I don’t know.’
‘What about, who was the last one, Tabitha?’
‘Tanya.’ Luke raked a hand through his hair. ‘Yeah, I see her now and again.’
‘And the sales rep?’
‘Vicky’s not been around lately.’ He didn’t like lying to his brother but if he admitted he’d turned down her invite to meet up, Phil might read something into it he didn’t want him to.
‘And here you are, mooning over the girl living opposite.’ Phil shook his head. ‘You do know decent women aren’t impressed by guys who sleep around?’
Irritation pricked. ‘I’m a single guy. The women I’ve been with know the score. Hell, they feel the same way, they don’t want to be tied down either. Nobody’s getting hurt here. We’re just having fun.’
Phil gave him a long, steady look. ‘And yet you don’t look like a man who’s enjoying himself right now.’
Damn Phil and his ability to read him so well. ‘Of course I’m not. You’ve just told me the business I bought has been leaking money like a sieve.’ Anxious to get the conversation back on track, he pointed to the computer screen. ‘Come on, show me what the damage is, so I can work out how many kidneys I need to sell.’
‘Put it this way, if you had three it would help,’ Phil countered dryly, which did little to stem Luke’s growing feeling of being utterly out of his depth.
An hour later, while Phil packed up his computer, Luke put the kettle on. What he needed was a double brandy, followed by a whisky chaser, but a large cup of hot caffeine would have to do instead.
And from the look of things, he’d have to settle for making it himself, ditto all his meals. His days of grabbing take-outs, even in the form of a coffee from Naomi’s, were over. He had to plough all the money he could into the bar. And find a way of increasing the takings by half as much again.
His stomach churned. Shit, why the hell had he ever thought he could run a flaming business?
‘Whatever you’re thinking, stop.’ Phil clasped his arm and squeezed it tight. ‘You’ll find a way, Luke. You know the business inside out. This is just a temporary blip.’
‘An hour ago you called it a big fat hole in the accounts.’
Phil gave him a sympathetic look. ‘That was before I saw you looking so shell shocked.’ He turned towards the window. ‘So what are you going to do about the girl who lives opposite? Try another message?’
Luke shovelled a large spoonful of coffee into the mug. ‘I think I’ve got enough on my plate at the moment.’
‘Probably a wise decision.’
‘Probably? This coming from the guy who told me I’m too easily distracted by the opposite sex?’
Phil smiled. ‘Probably, because while it’s the right decision for your business, I’m not sure it’s the right decision for you.’ He shifted his glasses further onto his nose and gave Luke a quiet study. ‘I’ve not seen you quite so keen on a woman for a long time.’ Before Luke could correct him – he wasn’t keen on Mia, just intrigued by her – Phil marched towards the door. ‘I’ll see myself out. Give us a call if you need anything.’
‘Yes, and Phil?’ Luke waited for his brother to turn round. ‘Thanks for going through everything with me, for finding the issue. For having my back.’
Phil nodded. ‘Always.’
It was true. His brother had been there for him when his parents hadn’t. Was still there for him. As for their parents, Luke could almost see them shaking their heads in disapproval at this latest fuck up.
He felt a brush against his feet. ‘Hey gorgeous.’ Putting down the mug he’d been holding, Luke bent to pick up his furry friend. ‘Come to tell me you have my back too, huh?’ Stroking her ears, he walked them both back to his desk in the spare room and settled her on his lap. ‘Right, no weights today, we’ve got work to do. We need a plan for how to increase business at the bar, or it’s no more carrots for you, and no more roof over our heads for both of us.’
Straightening his shoulders, he opened a blank Word document.
That’s when Pickles nudged his arm with her nose.
‘Hey, I can’t stroke and type at the same time.’ When she looked up at him with her big brown eyes, he huffed out a laugh and resumed stroking her ears. ‘Okay, message received. One-handed typing it is.’
Briefly he glanced over at Mia’s window.
Then he forced his attention away from where he wasn’t sure it was welcomed. And back to the computer, where it was needed.
Chapter Eight
It was the two-month anniversary of her move to Manchester.
Mia glanced down at the mug of tea in her hand. Sad or sensible that she was spending the Saturday by her
self in her flat?
It hadn’t been the plan. At one point her sister had been due to join her for, as Elle had put it, ‘my last taste of freedom for a while’. But Dave had apparently put his foot down and told his wife she wasn’t hightailing it up the motorway by herself at thirty-eight weeks pregnant. He was happy to come with her, but that would mean bringing their daughter Caitlin too. And just like that, Elle’s idea of them shopping till they dropped around the Trafford Centre had fizzled out.
This morning, Mia had been ready to drive down, even though she was aware celebrating being in Manchester for two months by not being in Manchester, wasn’t exactly confirmation of the brilliance of her decision to move.
Anyway that idea had been squashed, when Elle had calmly announced that she thought her contractions had begun.
‘And no, I don’t want you driving down today. Let me push The Wriggler out first. Come and visit when I’m back from hospital and looking serene with my newest cherub nestling quietly in my arms.’ She’d finished the call with the classic comment, ‘I don’t want you stewing in your flat by yourself. Go to that bar with your new chums tonight. See the dishy owner you’re pretending not to like.’
Mia really wasn’t sure she could stomach an evening of Chloe fawning over Luke, or Tanya relating yet another tale of when she and Luke couldn’t keep their hands off each other. All while she was worrying about her sister.
Of course the girls could have chosen to drink somewhere else, and Mia would be left drinking at the bar, worrying alone.
Then again. Maybe she could persuade Stan out? And yes, it came to something when she was considering asking her pensioner neighbour out for a drink, but wasn’t it better than the alternatives?
Pushing the mug onto the kitchen work-top, she snatched her keys and headed next door to ring Stan’s bell.
He opened it cautiously, the safety chain in place. ‘Oh, it’s you.’
‘Yep. Your friendly neighbour.’ When he didn’t move the chain, she started to laugh. ‘Err, you do know I’m friendly, yes? You can safely release the chain and I promise not to push you aside and storm inside.’
‘Sarky woman.’ He huffed as he released it, then stood in the doorway with his arms crossed. ‘What do you want?’
‘I’m here to invite you over to the bar for a drink.’
His shaggy grey eyebrows shot up. ‘You’re asking me out?’
‘In a manner of speaking, yes.’ His eyes widened to the extent she worried they might pop out. ‘We’re talking you and me, in the bar, having a drink instead of sitting on our arses all by ourselves in our respective flats. We’re not talking candlelit dinner and coming back to bonk.’
He chuckled so loudly his chest rattled. ‘Damn shame, that, though might be for the best. It’s been so long since I bonked, not sure I can remember how to do it.’
Mia tried not to laugh, but in the end the situation was too ridiculous not to. ‘Crap, Stan. That’s no good. Maybe if you come with me to the bar we can find you someone.’
‘Offering to be my wingman, are you?’ He gave her a sly look. ‘Or maybe I’m your wingman, and you’re there to catch the Chipmunk’s eye, huh?’
Again, Mia found herself laughing. ‘That’s wrong on so many levels, but what the heck. If it gets us both out of our flats for a few hours, let’s do it.’
He looked down at his clothes. ‘Do I need to change?’
His shirt had a smear of what she assumed was brown sauce, and his jeans had a hole in the knee that was more old age than design. Still, she wasn’t looking so great herself, though at least her T-shirt was clean, and her jeans were from this decade. ‘Not on my account. Just grab your wallet and keys.’
‘Wallet? You invited me.’
‘That I did.’ Was she really this desperate for company? Apparently.
When she directed him towards the stairs, Stan gave her a baleful look. ‘Why aren’t we using the lift?’
‘Because the exercise will do us both good.’
He huffed and puffed his way down, muttering words like evil woman and I didn’t sign up for this torture. When they finally got to the bottom he halted, crossing his arms across his chest. ‘What’s this really about?’
And just like that, her confidence crumpled. ‘Sorry, you don’t have to come with me. I just…’ She sighed. ‘I should be with my sister this weekend, but right now she’s in hospital, giving birth, and if I stay in all I’ll do is worry and sit by the phone. The last couple of times I went to the bar I met a few girls and they might be there, but they mainly talk about guys and tonight I’m really not in the mood.’
He waggled his eyebrows. ‘You’d rather talk bus passes, the good old days and hip replacements?’
‘If that’s what it takes to get you to come with me.’ A lump of sadness caught in her throat. ‘You’re in the unlucky position of being the closest I’ve come to a friend up here, Stan. And right now, I need one to take me out of my head for a while.’ Luke would have done that for you. She pushed the unhelpful thought away.
His craggy features softened and he held his arm out for her to take. ‘Then let’s go and get that drink, love.’ He winked. ‘And don’t forget, you’re paying.’
‘I won’t.’ Slipping her arm through his, they walked towards the bar. ‘Maybe once I’ve got a few drinks down you, you’ll tell me how well you know Naomi.’
He came to an abrupt halt. ‘She owns the café.’
‘I’m aware.’ Tugging on his arm, she encouraged him to keep walking. ‘She asked after you today. Said she had some custard donuts in for you.’
‘She did?’
Mia tried not to laugh at Stan’s hopeful look. ‘She did, so you’d better get down there tomorrow.’
‘Aye, I might just do that.’
Her own love life was in the doldrums, but Mia took comfort from the fact she might have helped nudge two other people together.
Luke tried not to stare at Mia too often, and mostly he succeeded. Old Stan was an unusual choice of companion for an attractive young woman on a Saturday night, but then again little about Mia was expected or conventional.
So far he’d only managed a quick smile in her direction. Mateo had been the one to serve her and it had been a rushed job – yes, Luke had been watching – because, hallelujah, the bar was heaving.
Still, it didn’t stop him clocking when Mia’s glass was empty. Nor did it stop him making sure he caught her eye as she weaved her way back to the bar.
‘Hey.’ He nodded to where Stan was sitting at the back. ‘He’s not pulled the dodgy hip excuse to get you to buy him a drink has he?’
She smiled, but the spark he’d come to associate with her big blue eyes, was lacking. ‘I invited him, so I buy the drinks.’
‘Then he’s lucked out twice tonight.’
Her gaze dropped away from his and down to the two empty glasses she’d brought back. ‘I’m not sure about that. My company’s a bit crap, to be honest. Hence the need for a refill.’ She pushed the pint glass forward. ‘He’s on the house bitter. And I’m on merlot.’
‘No problem.’ He took a clean glass and slid it under the bitter pump. ‘Everything okay?’
Her gaze bounced back up to his. ‘Yes. Why?’
He shrugged. ‘You seem a bit flat.’ Sliding the full glass onto the bar, he shot her a grin. ‘And crap is not a word that could ever describe your company.’
‘Thanks.’ It looked like she was about to say more, but then Chloe – bloody Chloe – muscled in next to her. ‘Mia, I didn’t realise you were here tonight. How’s it going, love? You want to come and join us? We’re over in the usual corner.’
‘Thanks, but I’m with Stan.’ Mia waved over to where Stan was sitting and Luke had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop from laughing as he watched Chloe’s mouth gape open.
‘The old geezer?’
Mia nodded, her face perfectly straight. ‘He’s good company. Tonight I’ve learnt all about how hard it is to live off
the state pension.’
‘You’re having me on, right?’ Mia simply smiled, and Chloe laughed. ‘God, you probably have talked about that. Me, I prefer my men built and a hell of a lot younger.’ With that she winked at Luke. ‘Speaking of, how’s my favourite bartender?’
She wasn’t the woman he wanted to be flirting with, but Luke pasted on a smile. ‘Mateo’s gone to wash some glasses. He’ll be back in a minute.’
Chloe laughed. ‘Dead funny. You know I mean you.’
‘I’m good, thanks. Busy, but not going to complain.’ He glanced to where Donna and Tanya were sitting. ‘If you want to go back to the others, I’ll come and grab your orders when I’ve finished here.’
‘Ooh, personal service. Tanya will be chuffed. Apparently you’ve been a naughty boy and not replied to her last two texts. She thinks you’re avoiding her.’ She waggled her fingers at Mia. ‘Ta-ra for now love.’
As she tottered away on her spikey heels, Luke smiled at Mia. ‘I’ll bet a fiver she’s gone to tell them you’re dating Stan.’
‘I’m not taking that bet. It’s too obvious.’
Earlier her eyes had lacked their usual spark. Now the smile she directed at him looked strained. ‘What is it?’ he asked quietly. ‘What’s wrong?’
She shook her head. ‘Nothing.’ Then handed over her card.
Together with the closed-off expression, it was a clear signal their conversation had come to an end.
Feeling unsettled, he watched her walk back to Stan. Did she simply not like him but was too polite to say? Did she like him, but was pissed because Chloe had made it sound like he and Tanya were an item? And shit, that was something he needed to tackle. Or was Mia simply indifferent to him? He was the bartender she didn’t mind bantering with, but in between her appearances at the bar, he dropped off her radar?
And why, when his business was crumbling round his ears, was he obsessing about any it?
Shoving thoughts of Mia to one side, he went to serve Chloe and the rest of the gang. ‘Ladies, what can I get you?’
Mr Right Across the Street: The perfect escape for lockdown and from one flat to another share in the most feel good romantic comedy of 2021! (The Kathryn Freeman Romcom Collection, Book 4) Page 6
