Page 95 of The Perfect Pick Up

Josh snorted. “I suppose we have broken through the doctor/patient barrier already. Go ahead, then. Be honest.”

With his gaze locked on to Josh’s, he took a breath. “I’m completely and madly in love with your sister. She wants nothing to do with me. And I can’t convince her to give us a go. She won’t even talk to me.”

Josh nodded, a low, resonant noise escaping from his throat. “Right. The first thing you should know is that Thea doesn’t make rash decisions.”

Felix’s mind strayed back to her nude run down the corridor at his hotel. He begged to differ.

“She may come across as happy-go-lucky, but she’s a deep thinker, and she’d never do anything that could possibly hurt Ammy.”

“I know that. I have a son. I understand.”

“Not to mention an interesting ex-wife.” Josh dragged out his words, eyes on Felix.

A searing burn swept over his face. “She told you.”

Josh tipped back what remained of his beer before putting his glass on the side. “Of course. We’re close. There’s little we don’t share.”

Felix swallowed, praying that his antics on the balcony last week had remained a secret.

“Well, for what it’s worth, I’ve cleared up any mess surrounding myinterestingex-wife. Thea won’t be hearing from her again. I’m just sorry your sister ever got dragged into our disagreements.”

At that moment, Daniel rejoined them. “You had her killed?”

Both Josh and Felix stared at him, wide-eyed.

“Your ex-wife? If you don’t want people to overhear your conversations, you should keep your voice down.”

“Daniel, seriously,” said Josh.

“Sorry. But if you want my opinion….” Daniel shrugged.

“Not really,” said Felix, glaring at him.

Daniel lifted his palms up in submission. “Please yourself, but I’ll just say you’re an idiot.”

“What do you mean?” Felix bristled, a burn rising in his throat.

“Calm down. I mean it kindly. Thea is one of the loveliest women I’ve ever met. She’s a saint the way she looks after that hilarious daughter of hers and all those animals. If you want to deserve her, you need to pull out all the stops. It’s the only way Icould get Amber to take me seriously and forgive me for my behaviour. And I’ll be eternally grateful that she did.”

A smile played at the corners of Daniel’s lips. At that moment, his phone rang. “Speak of the angel. She must want the hot water in her bath topping up. I’ll be right back.” He disappeared up the stairs that led to the flat above.

Just then, a scraggly-looking cat jumped up onto the oak slab of the bar. It curled around the glasses, head-butting Josh and staring at Felix with mismatched eyes; one green, one blue.

“Hello, Bolt.” Josh rubbed at the moggy’s fluffy ears. “Look, Thea’s gone through a lot. She’s bound to be cautious. You have very different lives. That trip to London would have been daunting.”

“I get that. But if there was a way to make her see how much I’m willing to do to make her happy. To have her take me and Lucas on, I’d do it.”

“Self-flagellation on the village green?” came a voice. Daniel appeared seconds later, his mouth smeared with an alarming amount of what looked like pink lip gloss.

“Daniel, you’re not helping,” said Felix, resisting the urge to rub his lips now.

“Fine, but I have to say one thing. You better not hurt her.”

Josh coughed. “As Thea’s brother, I’m the one who's supposed to say that sort of thing.” He turned to Felix. “But yes, you better not hurt her.”

Felix sighed. “I’d never hurt her. I think she’s incredible. She drives me mad… but in the best possible way. Just thinking about her makes me smile.”

“Blimey,” said Daniel, reaching his perfectly shaped eyebrows for the sky. “Youdohave it bad.”