“Hello Anna?” Hugo waves his hand in my face. “Earth to Anna? Anyone home.”
I startle awake and blink. “Yeah huh what?”
“You were off on another distant planet.” He smiles at me then gestures to a table and chairs. “Everything okay.”
“Yes.” I say instantly, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. There is no way on earth I’m telling him I was daydreaming about him.
“You sure?” He says as he gestures to a booth with the plushest looking chairs I have seen in… forever.
“Oh my god”! I cry out loud without realising. “Comfortable chairs!” I dive head first into the booth as much as a pregnant whale can. “Oh comfortable chairs how I love you!”
“Glad you like them.” Hugo chuckles just as Jaydan comes up behind him with a pitcher of water and a glass. “I'm sure they will like you to. Jaydan will take care of you until I come back okay?”
“Sure.” I smile at Jaydan as he places the glass and pitcher in front of me along with a menu. My stomach grumbles in response. Hugo and Jaydan laugh. “Don’t dis the pregnant lady boys.”
“I’ll be back.” Hugo smiles at me and with a squeeze on my shoulder he turns to go. Then stops and looks back, like he can’t be sure he actually wants to leave.
“Go dude.” Jaydan nudges his brother. “I had to give the guy a double scotch – the good stuff – to get him to stay. You owe me!”
“Yeah yeah,” Hugo nudges him back as he takes off. “Who does all your produce sourcing? I don’t owe you squat.”
Jaydan chuckles quietly. “Sometimes I’m surprised he can dress himself properly.” He mutters affectionately.
“Why?” I ask more curious then I probably should be.
“He has scatter brain so bad.”
“He seems super sweet.” I feel I need to defend Hugo. “He was a true gentleman when I hung out with him.”
“Hugo? That Hugo?” Jaydan looks surprised, but not at the same time. “A gentleman yes but did you really hang out with him for a week?”
“Yes.” I frown, “Why?”
“Oh nothing, he’s just usually not into more than a night is all.”
“Well he was a gentleman.” I repeat ferociously. “He practically spent every single night and day with me for a week.”
Jaydan holds his hands up in surrender. “I get it.” He says quickly. “Not doubting you I’m just surprised. You must be special.”
I frown at him and then turn my attention back to the menu. Jaydan takes a seat opposite me and I look at him pointedly.
“I’m waiting for your order.” He grins at me, not at all flustered by my sudden mood swing. “I have a feeling it may take a while.”
“Listen here mister.” I grin at him back, knowing he is just teasing me. The big goofy grin on his face is a dead giveaway. “You just met me, no insulting the whale while she's hunting.”
“Anna you’re not a whale!” Jaydan exclaims. “Why do you keep saying that?”
“I will have the house burger with fries and can I like drown them in tomato sauce please?” I say instead of answering him.
“Sure.” He says and waves a waitress that comes out of nowhere over. “VIP order of house burger and fries and bring me the tomato sauce bottle.”
“Sir the tomato sauce bottle?” She says raising her eyebrow.
“Yes one of the tomato sauce bottles. Bring the whole thing.” Jaydan repeats with a pointed look. “To this table.”
“Yes sir.” She says again and hurries away.
“You must like that hey?” I say, eyeing him carefully.
“Like what?” He asks, feigning innocence.
“You know what.” I retort. “Having girls practically kissing your feet.”
“Who Amanda?” He looks at the waitress who is staring at him from back behind the bar. “She doesn’t like me I’m her boss. She has to do what I say.”
“Dude I’m a girl. I know these things.” I laugh at him. “You’re a hot living breathing male. She's into you.”
“Oh.” He says dumbly.
“You act like you don’t know that?”
“Don’t get me wrong.” He starts playing with a napkin. Something I know means a person is nervous. “Girls throw themselves at me all the time. But I see Amanda as an employee.” He looks straight to a seat at the bar, that although empty, his face shows more then he realises. “Nothing more then that.”
“Before,” I say, feeling like poking my nose in seeing as they feel they can do it with me. “When you said you know what it feels like to be invisible…”
The walls in Jaydan’s eyes slam up. “Yeah...”
“Tell me about her.”
“I don’t wan…”
“Jaydan stop.” I smile at him gently, but my voice holds a note of determination. “Please don’t lie to me and especially not to yourself. How long?”
“How long what?”
“Jaydan...” I warn with a low growl in my throat. I take a drink of water to prevent myself from saying anything more then I should. I know I barely know the guy but I feel like I have known him forever already. It must be something about the Baker boys because I had the same problem with Hugo too.
“Fine.” He sighs, refusing to meet my eyes. “About six months.”
“And she doesn’t like you back?”
“I have no idea to be honest.”
“Why not?” I demand, surprised that he seems to be all shy and timid now.
“I have given her hints but she seems to shrug them off or something.” Jaydan sighs as he starts ripping the napkin apart. Clearly uncomfortable now. Interesting. “And then sometimes I catch her looking at me in that certain way that makes you wonder – you know like the more open girls do? – and I wonder…”
I nod my head, completely understanding. Her words tell him no but her actions say something completely different. I catch him looking at the seat again and have to ask, “Does she come here?”
“Yes. Every Friday night with her friend. They have a drink together and sometimes I’m lucky enough that the friend goes early and I get her all to myself.”
“Oh honey you got it bad.”
“I do.” He nods. He seems relieved to be able to tell someone. Clearly the big brother has some explaining to do. “But I really don’t think she likes me back the same way.”
“Have you ever actually asked her straight out?”
“Oh my god no!” He exclaims, horrified. I have to have another drink to hide my laugh. For a confident hot guy it’s nice to see he can be just as insecure as the rest of us mere mortals.
“Why not?”
“She’s shy, and nervous. It takes me forever to get her to open up and usually when I do the club starts to get packed and she leaves. You wouldn’t be able to tell most of the time but sometimes I see a fear in her eyes when big crowds start to appear here and guys approach her.”
“Think about what you just said from an outsider’s perspective.” I say, able to read between the lines, obviously a lot better than Jaydan can.
“What?” He asks puzzled.
“Dude think about it. It’s been six months, and you said so yourself she's shy and nervous around men. I bet you anything she's had a bad experience before and I also reckon she thinks your way out of her league.”
“How is that even possible?” He gasps, clearly a foreign concept to him. “She so is my league!”
“She may not know that.” I point out and he looks at me like I have two heads.
“That’s just ridiculous! She's stunning and sweet and intelligent and….” He sighs and looks at me dreamily. “Just awesome.” He adds.
“Then tell her so.” I smile at him just as his eyes are suddenly trained on the door.
“Oh my god there she is.” He gasps, suddenly all flustered.
“Convenient.” I laugh as I turn to see a pretty black haired girl with shining blue eyes walking arm in arm with a girl with honey brown hair
and an obvious wedding band on her hand. “Jaydan.” I whisper and shake him to get his attention. “Go get her.”
He looks at me like I have two heads before saying triumphantly. “Your right. I have nothing to lose.”
“That’s right.”
“I want her and I’m done wondering. I have no idea what’s going on in her head maybe she really does like me too.”
“Also right.”
“So I’m gonna go get her.”
“Yes you are!” I smile up at him as he stands up tall and proud. “Can you bring me a lemonade first but please?” I grin at him and poke my tongue out.
He laughs. “I can see why my big brother might have spent a week with you little lady…”
“Big whale.”
“I don’t know why you got that in your head but you’re most definitely not a whale, you’re absolutely stunning.”
My mouth goldfishes. What am I meant to say to that? Jaydan gently pats my arm and walks off towards the bar the pretty girl and her friend have taken a seat at. She’s looking around to and I grin to myself. She so likes him to!
“I hope you get her.” I raise my glass to him and smile at his back.
“Anna?” Hugo says sneaking up on me. I startle so my belly hits the table.
“Ow!” I cry, rubbing the sore spot.
“Oh my god I’m sorry are you alright?” He practically jumps on top of me to squeeze me all over. At first I am startled but then he gets me under the ribs… or at least where the ribs are meant to be…
“Hugo stop.” I laugh as he grabs a rather ticklish spot. “I’m okay, it was more a scare then a hurt. Hugo stop! That tickles.” I laugh so hard I’m in danger of peeing myself. That thought has me panicking. “Hugo!” I cry, all laughter gone. I push him off me as hard as I can.
“Okay okay!” He says grinning. “I’m sorry! I really didn’t mean to scare you.”
“It’s okay.” I say sucking a much needed breath in. He’s watching me and I just stop moving to stare back. We both stare at each other lost in the past and then the present. It is several moments before I feel awkward so look away. “Did the meeting go well with the supplier?” I ask. Anything to break the ice!
“Yes.” He says just as a favourite song of mine starts playing over the speakers.
“Ohhhh I love this song!” I squeal a little louder then I should.
“You like Willow Greene?” He asks looking slightly amazed.
“Who doesn’t?” I gush, zoning him out to listen. “I met you, Prince charming, you swept me off my feet. You flattered, you smiled, you said I’m what you need.” I sing along forgetting everything but the words. This girl’s voice is beautiful. Hugo stays quiet, watching me discreetly as I close my eyes to hear the music. “You said the, the other girls meant nothing, nothing to you. You said you forgot them the moment you saw me. I trusted you, I liked you, I let you share my secrets and feel my intimacy…” I pause, realising what I am singing.
“You have a pretty voice little lady.” Hugo smiles at me and I jump, eyes flying open.
“Oops.” I laugh, my cheeks glowing red. “I just love that song.”
“I can see that.” He smiles at me. “She is pretty good.”
“She so is better than good.” I gush again. “Willow Greene is like taking the world by storm right now!” I say just as one of the babies kicks me really hard in the ribs. “Ow!” I cry, tears springing to my eyes.