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‘Excuse me.’ Taking a gulp of his drink, Max stood up and made his way towards the pub door.
Frowning, Brooke watched as he pulled the door open and left. ‘Where’s he going?’
‘I don’t know.’ Molly shrugged before turning to Jude.
‘Brooke.’ Diane shuffled up, sitting in the chair Max had just vacated. ‘You do know why Max has left, don’t you?’
‘No.’ Shaking her head, Brooke looked towards the now closed door. ‘To check on his grandma?’
‘Because he likes you.’ Diane looked at her. ‘He’s left because he likes you and didn’t want to see you setting up another date.’
‘What? No, he doesn’t.’ Brooke laughed. Diane had it all wrong. She and Max had become friends, that was all.
‘Oh yes, he really does.’
Brooke frowned. ‘We’re just friends.’
‘Ollie.’ Leaning across the table, Diane waved Ollie towards them.
‘What’s up?’ Ollie walked around the table towards them, placing a hand on the back of each of their chairs.
‘Tell her Max likes her.’ Diane pointed to Brooke.
‘Well, I...’ Ollie shifted on his feet.
‘See, I told you, we’re just friends.’ Brooke shook her head. She’d known it. Max would have told her if he’d liked her more than a friend.
‘She got a message from that dating app and he left. Tell her, Ollie, before it’s too late.’ Swivelling in her chair, Diane looked up at him.
‘Oh right. Well, it’s not really my place, but think about how he reacted the evening you met that Jeremy guy at the restaurant.’ Leaning down, Ollie spoke quietly.
The way he’d acted? He’d been annoying, that’s what. He’d kept looking across at them and made it completely obvious he didn’t approve. Brooke wrung clasped her fingers around her phone, her knuckles white. Then they’d been the kiss. He’d kissed her back, but he’d just been playing along, hadn’t he? Convincing Jeremy.
‘Remember how he had your food packed up and came after you to check you were okay?’
Brooke nodded slowly. He had. She’d just assumed he was being kind. And he was. It just hadn’t occurred to her it had been anything other than that. She twisted in her seat and looked up at him. ‘You really think he does?’
Ollie held his hands up, palms facing forward. ‘I can’t break a mate’s confidence, but...’ He shrugged.
‘I suppose the question is, do you like him?’ Diane raised her eyebrows and tilted her head.
‘Do I like him?’ Did she? They were talking about Max. The Max who had been completely understanding when she’d thrown latte and cake all over him. The Max who had acted all overprotective when she’d gone on her first date. The Max who had rescued her from her disastrous date, The Max who she’d spent a lovely evening on the beach with. She ran the pad of her forefinger over her lips. The kiss. That hadn’t felt like acting. Not the second one. She’d shaken it off, but she had felt a connection. She needed to go after him. ‘I just need to go...’
Stepping back, Ollie pulled her chair away as she stood. ‘Good luck.’
