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“I’m sure they have it all under control,” Hugh said. “The food smells amazing at any rate.”
“It’s your party,” Emmy said. “You should chill out until it’s time for people to arrive.”
“It’s not my party,” Allie told her. “It’s a party to celebrate the reopening of the club.” She’d invited members of the local community and had her fingers crossed for a good turnout. Hopefully the free food and drinks would be a good lure.
As though sensing her nerves, Hugh softly massaged her shoulders.
“You look good, by the way,” she told him, glancing back at him. His white shirt highlighted his tan, and his hair had a gentle wave to it now that he’d let it grow a little.
The sound of Daisy’s voice drifting up from the patio drew her attention to the open window, and she smiled at the distinctive banter between Daisy and Freddie. “Daisy wasn’t even supposed to be working today,” Allie remarked.
“Didn’t you say she’s just had two weeks off?” her dad asked.
“She was supposed to, except she came back after a week, insisting on overseeing the work and bossing the workmen around.”
“Sounds a little bit like someone else I know,” her dad said with his eyes fixed on the chessboard. “Can’t think who.”
“I’m going to get changed and do something about my hair.” Allie gave Hugh a quick kiss, then moved to stand beside the coffee table, taking a moment to survey the chessboard. “She’s got you cornered already.”
“No.” Her dad shook his head as he scrutinised the board. Finally, he looked up at Allie. “I realise you’re trying to get in my head, but it’s not going to work. You can’t rattle me.”
Emmy confidently moved her rook to take Richard’s bishop. “If you’re not rattled, you clearly haven’t figured out my plan. So that’s good.”
Richard looked from Allie to Emmy. “Now you’re just ganging up on me. That’s not fair.”
“Welcome to my world,” Hugh said, smiling at Allie as she wandered away to get ready for the party.
* * *
Allie’s silver dress hugged her upper body, then flowed gracefully to her ankles. As she spent the afternoon mingling with the party guests, Hugh struggled to keep his eyes off her.
The time they’d spent working on the golf course together had been perfect, and as she celebrated the cumulation of all her hard work over the past months, Hugh tried very hard to keep himself from wondering what was next for her. After the excitement of refurbishing the club, would she get bored of living a quiet life in rural Devon? Every time he considered the possibility of her leaving, panic gripped his chest and squeezed.
Watching her float around the party, he batted his fears aside, reminding himself that she’d not given him any reason to think she was going anywhere.
“You’re obsessed.” Damian’s voice pulled Hugh from his thoughts and he returned his attention to his friends around the table.
“Yes.” There didn’t seem to be any point in denying it. Especially not when he’d been caught staring at her yet again. He was absolutely smitten and swung between loving and hating the feeling. “She’s amazing though, isn’t she?”
“She’s pretty amazing,” Amy agreed, and the rest of them nodded along.
Little Alice slipped down from Caitlin’s lap and toddled over to Hugh, who attempted to scoop her up for a cuddle, but she squirmed away and continued waddling around the table.
“I should get going soon,” Caitlin said, checking her watch.
“Stay for longer,” Leo said. “I’ll get you a drink.”
“I can’t drink when I need to drive home later,” she pointed out.
“Stay at my place,” he said.
Caitlin curled her lip. “I need to go home.”
“Why?” Damian asked, giving her a searching look.
“I just do.”
“I don’t know how you can be bothered with a forty-minute drive home,” Damian said. “Not when you could just stay at Leo’s place.” He glared at Leo when he kicked him under the table. “What?” he shot at him.
