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Bill claps Tim on the shoulder and leads the way toward the wilderness walk. Maxwell, Beaumont and Ryan trail after them. Okay. I will quietly bring up the rear, feeling awkward for intruding on a family walk.
Apparently not, though. I blink in surprise as David falls into step beside me. “Did Tim show you all the sights of Oxford?”
I glance over at him, my eyebrows shooting up. You can hardly blame me for being wary. I haven’t had many interactions with David so far this trip, but those I have had have been a little bit hostile.
I think it stems back to that first night with Robyn. That’s his problem, not mine, so I’ve let it roll off my back. This is different. This sounds like he’s trying to befriendly. Friendly, and waiting for my response. Oops.
“Uh, yes, he did. Then we spent too much time at his little pub, drinkingfartoo much mulled cider.”
David chuckles, a fond look crossing his face. “Ah yes, The Cock and The Crow. Timmy used to drag me there when I went over to visit him. Since we weren’t legally allowed to drink back home, we used to spendhoursat that place. Good food, from memory.”
“It was. Then we played board games in a board game café this morning. It was fun.”
“I’m sure it was,” David drawls as he glances over at me and sighs. “Listen….”
I watch him, wondering where this is going.
“I wanted to firstly… apologize for being such a major ass to you these last three weeks. I shouldn’t have been such a dick, and you were incredibly professional to let it roll over you.”
I shrug, offering him a small smile. “Not at all. I’ve had worse.”
David watches me for a beat and snickers, nudging me with his elbow. “This is about the time Timmy would catch your eye, point to me and mouth ‘apology accepted’.”
I blush. Shit. They all saw Tim do that yesterday when Ryan apologized, and I was so flustered. That’s… embarrassing.
“Apology accepted,” I drawl back at him, trying to play off my awkwardness. David laughs softly, nodding toward the front of the group.
“I also wanted to say that Timmy looks happy.”
Glancing around sharply, my mouth falls open as I stare at him, my cheeks ruby red.
“Uh, excuse me?” I squeak, my mind racing. Tim looks happy? Is he implying that Tim’s happy with me? Because that’s not… we’re just…. David takes one look at my face and snickers. He shrugs, shoving his hands deep into his jacket pockets and turning his face upward, as though for inspiration.
“I only mean, Timmy’s always the most serious of the lot of us. He’s the firstborn, so he’s always had a lot of expectations loaded on his shoulders. They’re broad enough to take it, but this vacation, when he’s with you….” David pauses again, squinting over at me, “he seems like he’s not carrying the weight of Uncle Bill’s legacy on his shoulders, you know?”
I blink at him, my heart pounding in my chest, trying to work out exactly what he’s trying to say to me, and exactly how I feel about it. Hell, that cliff is beckoninghard.
“W-well, I’m glad I’m able to be a distraction for him.”
David studies me quietly and shakes his head.
“That’s not what I meant,” he murmurs, blowing out a breath. “I think Timmy might like you.”
My heart is definitely thudding now. I assume Tim does like me. We’re sleeping together. But I don’t think that’s what David is trying to imply.
“Like,reallylike you,” David concludes. Yep. That’s what I thought he was hinting at. I actually stumble slightly as I gape over at him. I can’t say that this is how I saw this conversation going when David first fell into step beside me. Tim is hisbrother. Surely, he knows him well. No. I shouldn’t read into this. We’re having a holiday fling. That’s all this is. That’s all this can ever be.
When it becomes obvious that I’m too stunned to speak, David continues with a deep sigh. “Just don’t hurt him. When all this is over, okay?”
I nod, blinking rapidly because, for some reason, I feel like I’m about to cry. How could I possibly hurtTimothy Brooks Westerhaven? Excuse me, but I’m the one going home nursing a broken heart. We all know that.
Before I can respond, loud laughter jerks us both out of our little moment, and we turn to see Beaumont and Tim roaring with laughter while Max grins at them.
David taps me lightly on the upper arm with the back of his hand and points at them. “Come on. Enough serious shit. Let’s go joke around.”
Nodding, I pick up my pace to match him until we’re falling into step with the rest of the group. Tim grins down at me, dropping his arm over my shoulders and pressing a kiss into my hair briefly. Too soon, he shoves his hands into his pockets.
“Everything all right?” he murmurs softly, so the others, who are busy teasing us about our little display, can’t hear.
