Lottie ushers us into the dining room as apparently getting your doctorate is worthy of using theformal dining room. The long table has benches rather than proper chairs, which surprises me given that I’ve been to her country estate, where the furniture is so lavish it’s practically regal. This is simpler, yet still refined. The table runner is forest green, matching the trees that peek in through the windows. White candles of different shapes and sizes are perfectly laid out together. Fir tree sprigsand pine cones are woven between them. The warm glow of the candles sparkles off the golden cutlery.
“This is amazing,” I say as Alfie helps me onto the bench.
“It’s not every day you become a doctor. Welcome to the club.” Lottie smiles.
“Well, I thought it was a prerequisite for Dinner Club, so I thought I’d better get on with it.” I wink, catching Jonesy’s smirk opposite me to the right.
“Well, we were willing to amend the rules to keep you, but now we don’t have to rewrite the bi-laws,” Katie chirps. As she and Jonesy are sitting on the same side of the table, she doesn’t see his mouth twitch up.
Lottie begins to serve out the food, and Alfie explains that Caleb is working at the hospital tonight so won’t be attending, but he says congratulations.
“Have you got your graduation date yet?” Katie asks, digging into her meal now that Lottie has sat down.
“Not yet. It should be a few more months. I’m hoping to have a job by then at least. I’ve already given Alfie my resignation.”
Katie and Lottie giggle, and Jonesy barks out a laugh.
“Given all he did to keep you around, I bet he’s pissed about that,” Jonesy says.
I turn to Alfie, who has a hint of pink highlighting his cheeks. “You told them about Texas?”
“Of course. I missed Dinner Club that week, and you can’t not show up without a decent excuse. Getting my employee—”
“And the love of your life,” Lottie interjects.
“—back was apparently deemed an acceptable absence,” he continues without flinching.
My heart flutters like it’s taking off and leaving my body entirely. Everyone freezes and if I wasn’t on the edge of my seat waiting for someone to acknowledge what Lottie just said, it would be rather comical. He’s not denying it… he’s notacknowledging it either. When five seconds pass with deathly silence, I decide, it’s definitely not a good sign. It’s been less than twenty-four hours since I told him I love him. He hasn’t said it back and I meant what I said that I don’t expect him to. But to know we’re heading in that direction would be appreciated. I don’t want to look like an idiot by declaring my love for him to say we’ll be better off as friends. I feel his love all the time, but a girl has needs, and some words of affirmation would definitely be appreciated.
“Don’t think about it too much, Dr. Sinclair.” He bends down, his lips grazing the shell of my ear.
Heat floods my cheeks as I try to decipher what he means by that. Does he love me or not? The rest of the table look around the room awkwardly, pointing out nonsense things under their breaths.
He captures my mouth in a brutal kiss, and I melt, completely and utterly melt. He might not say the words but that kiss tells me everything I need to know. If he doesn’t take me up to the library after dinner, I’m going to drag him there myself.
As we break apart the table claps and I push my nose into his neck to hide my pink cheeks.
“We really thought the house was a bit excessive, but Alfie insisted he wanted you close by.” Jonesy laughs, and Alfie stiffens next to me. I look at him, his face sinking within seconds.
“The house?”
“Yes, the house he bought for you.” Jonesy nods.
Wait. What?
“I’m confused…what house?”
The table falls into stunned silence, and I feel like I’ve been left out of a terrible joke that no one is willing to share.
“Alfie, I’m so sorry, I thought Mia knew,” Jonesy rasps.
“What house, Alfie?” I repeat.
“You didn’t have anywhere to live, and I knew you wouldn’t accept it…” he mutters.
I suck in my cheeks, my tongue tasting sour in my mouth as realization descends.
“The couple whose house I’m living in. They aren’t really in Australia, are they?”
