‘No.’ Seb shook his head and I swallowed hard.
Lady Carstairs smiled and slid her arm to his waist. ‘Oh, I am glad. I hate to have to steal him away, but I’m still waiting for the dance Seb promised me as consolation for taking himself out of the auction.’ She gave a tinkly laugh, although I wasn’t sure at what. ‘You are a naughty man. And after I’d promised all that money too.’
Seb said nothing, his gaze drifting over to the exit. Maria was slipping into an expensive looking coat, assisted by her fiancé.
‘It’s a good job you’ve got other ways of persuading me to part with my money.’ Her voice had dropped an octave as she gazed up at him.
Seb frowned for a moment, then cleared his throat. I felt my face burning as emotions hurtled around inside me.
‘I should leave you to it,’ I said.
Seb focused back on me, paused for a moment, then gave a short nod. ‘Shall I call you a cab?’
I shook my head. ‘No. Don’t worry. I’ll sort myself out.’ I reached into my clutch for my phone and went to press Jess’ contact. I didn’t know if her and Harry had left yet, but I was hoping not.
‘Lottie?’ Seb asked.
‘Yes?’ I glanced up from the phone.
‘Is everything OK?’
‘Perfect. But you’re right. I’m tired and should get home. I mean… back to the hotel.’
I dialled and Jess picked up almost instantly. I turned slightly and asked her where she was.
Two minutes later, Harry and Jess found us and we said our goodbyes. Jess gave me an enquiring look at Genevieve Carstairs’ possessive arm around Seb’s waist. I returned it with a tiny shake of my head and she surreptitiously gave my hand a gentle squeeze.
‘Bye, Seb.’ I gave him a peck on the cheek and he made no show of being surprised, or of having expected anything more. In a way, that made my decision easier. Or harder, depending on the way you looked at it.
‘Is everything all right between you two?’ Jess asked, a question I knew was full of as much restraint as Jess possessed.
‘There is no “us two”,’ I stated as I clambered into the back of the black cab.
Harry handed Jess in and followed, giving the driver the instructions as he did so.
Jess gave me a surprised look. ‘That’s not how it looked earlier. Especially not on the dance floor.’
‘Looks can be deceiving then, I guess. There’s nothing.’
‘I wouldn’t worry about Ginnie,’ Harry ventured. ‘She’s a terrible flirt but nothing ever comes of it.’
Having already been through three husbands, two of whom had started out as someone else’s husband, if Jess’ previous information was to be believed, I was disinclined to agree with this well-intentioned statement. It was common knowledge she had set her sights on Seb and if marriage vows were no obstacle to her, then whatever fledgling thing Seb and I had momentarily possessed certainly wasn’t. Especially when Seb himself wasn’t prepared to stand up for it.
I knew something was off with him. That seeing his ex had sparked something. Something I didn’t understand. Hadn’t been given the chance to understand. But I was still hurt. Hurt and angry with myself for not sticking to the decision I’d made earlier in the year. I’d said no to him once before and that’s what I should have stuck with.
‘Lots? You all right?’ Jess took my hand.
‘Yep,’ I said, taking it back. Right now, Jess’ concern was making me feel a little wobbly and I was already doing my best to hold it together.
‘But I thought—’
‘I did too, Jess, but I guess I was wrong.’
‘What’s going on?’ she asked.
I leant my head back against the seat of the cab and watched the neon signs of London flash past. ‘Can we not talk about it right now, Jess?’ I looked over at her. ‘Please?’
She reached across and took my hand again and this time I let her. ‘Of course. But you know where I am if you want me.’
