Page 34 of Prudence (Balfe Family #1)

“Oh, you’re catering the party?” I asked. Deirdre had been pestering me about taking her to buy a gift for Gigi all week.

“Just the sweet treats,” Tara said, while Nuala put in. “Mam is taking care of the savouries.”

“I’ll look forward to that. Your mam is an amazing cook.”

“So, how have you both been?” I asked before lifting the cup of coffee Tara slid in front of me as soon as I arrived.

“Can’t complain,” Tara shrugged. “The café is doing well. I’ve actually been thinking of expanding and opening another location.”

“Really? That’s amazing. So, this means I’ll have two places to go for the best pastries in town.” I glanced at Nuala, noticing she seemed a little subdued as she fiddled with a packet of artificial sweetener.

“What about you? How’s everything at work?”

“Oh, just the same old,” she responded with a faint smile.

“I’m looking forward to some time off over the summer.

” Nuala was a primary school teacher, and I knew the summer holidays were precious to her.

It was when she got to travel and regroup before the kids returned to school in September.

Something in her tone caught my attention, though.

There was a hint of worry or stress there, a faint strain in her expression.

“Are you sure?” I asked, eyeing her closely.

“Of course, I’m sure,” she said with a slightly forced chuckle before changing the subject. “By the way, I heard about what happened last night.”

“Last night?” Tara questioned.

I blew out a heavy sigh and explained. “Deirdre and Gigi decided to take off and visit some girls they met at a concert. Deirdre left me a note, but I didn’t see it, so Derek and I went into a panic searching for them all over town.

In the end, it turned out that Gigi forgot her phone, and Deirdre’s battery went dead.

Then their train was delayed. It was a whole thing. ”

“Wow, that makes me glad I don’t have children,” Tara said with raised eyebrows.

“They certainly have a way of making life more stressful,” I agreed with a chuckle.

“It’s the teenage years,” Nuala said. “I’m telling you, all the four-year-olds I teach are just the sweetest. Well, except for when they throw tantrums or pee their pants on accident.”

“Oh, stop, that’s heartbreaking,” I said. “It’s been so long since Deirdre was that age. I’ve almost forgotten the tantrums.”

“Even when they’re being troublesome, they’re still pretty much adorable, though,” Nuala said before taking a sip of coffee.

We chatted and caught up some more while chomping on the delicious gourmet sausage rolls that were a favourite among the customers at Christine’s.

When I got back to the hotel, I found myself thinking about Nuala and the tension she’d been trying to cover up.

I’d just stepped off the lift and wandered down the hallway before stopping short.

Derek was outside the door to the Talbot suite.

He didn’t see me coming, and he appeared to be in the middle of mumbling a practice conversation to himself before he lifted his hand and knocked.

“Were you practicing an apology just now?” I asked, and he jumped before turning to me and glowering.

“Bloody hell, Milly. How are you so silent?”

I grinned because I’d taken him off guard, and he deserved it after how he’d behaved last night. Also, this was the first time he’d called me Milly since I’d moved home, and it felt so natural to hear him say my name again. The wave of nostalgia was almost overwhelming.

“Hey, don’t blame me. It’s your fault for adorning these floors with such thick, plush carpets.”

“I’m not in charge of interior design,” he grumped as I pulled out the key card and swiped it over the door entry system.

“Come on in. I believe you had some sort of speech prepared,” I said teasingly, catching his eye as I stepped by him and into the suite.

I placed my bag on the side table before turning and folding my arms. Yes, I was very much going to enjoy watching him grovel.

I deserved it after his boorish attitude towards me last night.

“I didn’t prepare a speech. I was just trying to figure out the best way to tell you that I was a brute last night.

I let my worry for Gigi take over, and I was horrible to you.

For that, I’m sorry, and I hope you’ll forgive me.

” Genuine remorse marked his features, and something inside me softened.

“I suppose I can find it in my heart to forgive you.”

Derek narrowed his gaze at my curving lips, his own twitching with an almost smile. “That so?”

I nodded. “Besides, I probably would’ve been just as mad at you if you’d devoured a Club sandwich and a slice of baked vanilla cheesecake before placing the room service tray it came on over the note your daughter left, thus creating an unnecessary panic for everyone.”

There was another faint twitch at the corner of his mouth. “Is that what happened?”

“I felt pretty silly about it when I got back last night and realised what I’d done.”

Derek rubbed at his jaw, his gaze searching. “Well, I’m doubly sorry because it turns out Gigi was the mastermind behind the whole outing, and I accused Deirdre of being the bad influence.”

“Yes, well, maybe don’t be so quick to lay blame in future. Also, I hope you aren’t going to cancel Gigi’s birthday party. I’ve just heard that Tara’s making cupcakes and your mother’s handling the savoury treats.”

His lip twitch transformed into a tender smile. “Of course I’m not cancelling it. I’m not a monster.”

A small quiet fell as we just stood there staring at one another. Despite last night’s drama, I noticed he looked much better than he had several weeks ago. His eyes were less bloodshot, his skin brighter. “How have you been?” I asked. “I mean, in general?”

His eyebrows shot up. Clearly, he hadn’t expected me to enquire about his wellbeing. “I’ve been good. Better. Well, aside from the fact that in addition to Gigi going missing last night, I came home to my son on the couch with his arm around a girl.”

“Oh,” I winced. “They weren’t …?”

“No, thank God. They were just watching television. But I did have to have a somewhat awkward conversation with my son this morning about safe sex.”

“And how did he take it?”

Derek grimaced. “As awkwardly as expected.”

“Ouch, well, I guess that’s the job of parenting teenagers.”

“Yep. I thought it was supposed to get easier as they got older, but experience is proving me wrong on that front.”

I chuckled, reaching out on instinct to softly touch his arm. “Pablo’s lucky to have a dad who’s prepared to go through the awkward conversations for the sake of him being fully informed. I know a lot of parents who’d rather bury their heads in the sand about that sort of stuff.”

“Right,” Derek said, his gaze lowering to where I was touching him.

I quickly dropped my hand and cleared my throat. “Well, I guess I’ll see you at the party.”

“Yes, I’ll see you then.”

“Bye, Derek.”

He stepped outside then turned back, his gaze trailing over me before he responded, “Goodbye, Camille.”

When he left, my stomach wouldn’t quit doing somersaults. There just something about a man who could put aside his pride and apologise when it was called for. Not to mention, he had on one of the many suits he wore to work, and I found it difficult not to drool when he was dressed so smartly.

So, my old crush had come back with a vengeance, but it was okay.

I just needed to keep it from going too far.

Noticing how attractive I found Derek was one thing, but letting my feelings get involved was another, and I was prepared to steel my heart against him.

It was the only way not to get hurt because even if he was allowing himself to be my friend again, I knew he’d never love me like he used to.

He’d proposed to me, and I’d said no. That kind of rejection caused people to build walls, to resist the thing that once caused them immense pain.

I knew it because even though I was the one who’d rejected him, I felt the pain of losing him right down to the very core of my being.

It was something I’d never forget, and if I knew Derek like I thought I did, he wouldn’t either.

***

A few days later, it was time for Gigi’s party.

Deirdre was practically bubbling over with excitement since she’d managed to find a rare vinyl edition of an older Purple Beatrice album for a birthday gift.

The weather was nice, which was a relief because it was a garden party, and lots of family and friends had been invited.

I wore a flower print tea dress and some leather sandals, with my hair down and blow-dried straight.

When we got there, it appeared that a number of guests had already arrived.

Deirdre had asked if it were okay for her to sleep over at Gigi’s tonight, but I needed to find Derek and clear it with him first. Nuala and her mother answered the door and welcomed us in.

Deirdre immediately sped off, eager to give Gigi her present, while Nuala led me to the kitchen and poured me a glass of wine.

“It’s already hectic,” she said as we wandered out into the garden that was all set up with outdoor furniture and an area for food.

There was even a DJ they’d hired to play all of Gigi’s favourite music, which not surprisingly was mostly Purple Beatrice songs.

I sat next to Nuala and enjoyed a bite of a fancy cheese pastry when suddenly there was an audible squeal of excitement that came from Gigi.

She dashed towards the patio doors leading out into the garden where a beautiful, dark-haired woman had just appeared.

She wore skintight jeans and a flowy, low-cut blouse, her gorgeous face free of makeup and her shoulder length hair in glossy waves.

When Gigi reached her, she threw her arms around the girl and captured her in a feverish hug.

“Wow, I had no idea she was coming,” Nuala said. “She must’ve wanted it to be a surprise.”

And just like that, I knew exactly who the mystery beauty was.

Gigi’s mother and Derek’s ex-wife, Paloma.