It was impossible to stop Edward from placing his hand on her lower back as they followed Jenn between tables so she held her head high and looked at the back of Jenn’s head.
She didn’t make eye contact with anyone. Obviously Edward had other ideas. He waved and said hello to everyone he knew.
By the time they reached their table, tucked into the back corner of the restaurant, she had come to the conclusion that she’d been played, used for her position within Sydney’s moneyed circles.
Angrier than she’d been in a while, she took her seat and waited for Jenn to leave them alone.
With her friend out of earshot, she leaned forward and beckoned Edward closer. Once he bent over and their faces were only inches apart, she let him have it.
“Don’t ever use me like this again. I have no idea what you’re playing at, but I can tell you now, Edward, I will squash you like a bug if you ever try it again.” Satisfied, she sat back and picked up her menu.
“I, I…” His face flushed and a fine shine of sweat coated his forehead and upper lip. “I don’t know what you mean, Valentine.”
She eyed him closely. Edward had seemed harmless, if a bit of a social climber, but she hadn’t thought he had the brains—or the balls—to use her to elevate himself higher.
He turned his gaze away and picked up his menu. To anyone watching them, he appeared an average man perusing the list of meal options, and she had a niggle of doubt about her suspicions.
Deciding to leave it for now, she concentrated on the menu in her hand. It didn’t take her long to make up her mind.
She couldn’t deny herself the Lobster Mornay. Putting the menu on the table edge she reached for her water glass.
Glancing around, she noticed quite a few of her acquaintances and wondered what they must be thinking.
The last man she’d dated seriously had been from Melbourne, so being seen out with him had been infrequent and no gossip had ever made the rounds.
Before that she’d kept her dates limited to single evenings at public functions. Until this evening the only men she’d been seen with in an intimate setting in public were her brother and Brent.
She sighed.
Accepting Edward’s invitation had been a monumental mistake. And she had no one to blame but herself.
She’d let her anger and frustration at another man goad her into proving she didn’t need him or his approval.
Another sigh left her chest as she resigned herself to suffering the consequences of her actions.
They remained silent until Jenn returned to take their orders. With that out of the way, neither of them spoke and she realized she’d pegged Edward right.
He had used her to advance his social standing. She wasn’t a fool. She knew she was one of Sydney’s most eligible single women.
There were so many obstacles to her dating that avoiding it had been easy.
Of course she knew where Mr Right was. She just didn’t have the courage to catch him.
Again.
The last time she’d connected with Brent had nearly destroyed her and she wasn’t prepared to go another round with him.
Pulled from her depressing thoughts by the appearance of Morgan, she smiled and stood to offer him a hug.
“You okay?” he whispered in her ear.
His concern caused her eyes to sting, but she refused to let this mess of a date get her down. Morgan cooked the most sublime food and she planned to enjoy it even if she couldn’t enjoy the company she ate it with.
Letting go, she stepped back. “I’m good. Better now that I know I’m having your wonderful Lobster Mornay for dinner.”
“I’ll allow your praise to soothe the wound left by your lack of attention in recent months.” Morgan smiled and, reaching over, tilted her chin up so their gazes locked. “Don’t be neglecting me anymore.”
“Oh, stop it.” She brushed his hand away. “It’s been hectic lately, what with moving into Wade’s and organizing the refurb of my house. And then there’s little Davie. He’s the biggest time waster on the planet.”
