“I know that you’re really smart. You wouldn’t be able to run an antique shop if you weren’t. You like literature too.”
“I also like silly mystery novels,” I pointed out.
“Why do you wear sunglasses so often?” Duncan asked, ignoring my comment.
Had I worn them a lot around him? “I have a sensitivity to light.”
“Your eyes are very pretty. ‘Whose luminous eyes, brightly expressive as the twins of Lœda,’” he quoted with a grin.
“Ah, thanks,” I replied, ignoring the heat rising to my cheeks.
Duncan was still smiling widely, looking terribly excited. “Is your head okay?”
“My head?”
“You got hurt,” he said with a worried tone.
“I’m fine—how did you know it was my head?”
“I heard the bookstore woman mention it.”
“Beth? Ah, yes, I’m fine. Thank you for asking.”
Our meals came fairly quickly after. Thank God, because my stomach was about to let out some of those cavernous growls, like a monster from the depths coming up to feed. The waffles were delicious. Warm, with melted butter and syrup. The bacon had just the perfect crunch to it too. I had devoured half of my meal within minutes.
I listened to Duncan talk about books, a subject he was quite passionate about, and gave my polite comments in between bites of food. To be honest, between the bacon and my curiosity over Greg’s large bid that he was financially unable to see through, I was only half paying Duncan any attention.
“Sebastian?”
“Hmm?” I quickly wiped my mouth on a napkin. “Sorry. What?”
“I asked what you were doing this evening.”
Uh-oh. Time to let the guy down. “I was thinking about going to Beth’s shop. She’s having some big book unveiling.”
Duncan tilted his head curiously. “Really…?” He set his fork and knife down. “Can we go together?”
Crap.
“Actually,” I said slowly. “Duncan, you’re a really sweet guy, but I think I’m a little old for you.”
“No, you’re not,” he said simply.
“Well, I mean to say that there may be someone else—”
“But you told me you didn’t have a boyfriend.”
“I don’t. Not really. But there was someone I met before you.”
“How?” Duncan asked, with such a desperate tone you’d think I had absolutely broken his heart. “It’s that fucking redhead, isn’t it?”
I blinked in surprise at his tone. “Hey. Come on. Don’t be rude. How do you even know who it is?”
Duncan shook his head and grabbed his scarf and jacket. “I can’t believe you would do this.”
“Do what?” I asked defensively.
“Betray me!”
