Page 49 of Journey to Cheshire Bay
Tucking the schedule into the back pocket of my jeans, I gazed across the pub again, ensuring all was well with the dozen or so customers.
From the back of the pub, in the corner, the jukebox started playing an all-too-familiar guitar rift; the song Holden said could’ve been written with me in mind.
Heartbeat pounding, once again I scanned the room, narrowing my eyes at the customers lingering near the machine. Who pressed it into play? It was a song that cut to the heart, and it needed to be removed from the play list. I didn’t care how popular it was in the late nineties.
Suddenly, someone twisted out of his chair and rose, and my jaw hit the floor. How had he snuck in? When?
As a stranger in these parts, the customers all turned to take in the tall, handsome man striding across the pub in my direction.
I quickly glanced behind me to Amber, my breath frozen in my chest.
Both her and Antonio were leaning against the bar, watching the scene unfold, curiosity stretching across their faces.
I gave him my full attention and took him in from head to toe as my heart fluttered in excitement. “Holden.”
“Iris.”
“What are you doing here?” The lump in the back of my throat grew, nearly choking me as the words struggled to break free. It was impossible to remain aloof, which was my failing goal.
“I came here to find you.”
I didn’t know how to answer with anythingbuta smart assed reply. “Well, here I am.”
His hands hung by his sides, shaking like a leaf in the ocean breeze. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”
Slowly, my head nodded, even if the same could be said about my thoughts of him. They were non-stop.
“I need you. I need to explore what happened between us, to see it grow.” He stepped closer, and I breathed in his spicy, masculine smell.
“But…” Seriously, my brain needed a reboot as it failed to compose any words.
He reached out his hand and wrapped a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers trailing down my cheek. “These past couple of months have been incredible, and I’ve been given everything I’ve worked hard for, even everything I didn’t want. I’m truly beyond blessed.”
My head bobbed slowly once more as I was happy for his successes.
“Only thing, with all of that, something’s missing.” He covered his chest with his hands.
A tingling thrummed in the pulse of my heartbeat.
“The one thing that’s missing…” Those dark green eyes of his stared into the depths of my hardened soul. “Is you.”
I broke eye contact and looked around as I swallowed my gasp.
All the customers were staring at us as the song played loudly in the background. No one moved or whispered, and I hated the feeling of being in the spotlight.
“But…” Really, I needed to have a better word to stutter. “But…”
“My grandparents?” He vocalized the question for me and took a half step back. “Despite a civil conversation of breaking customs and living in the twenty-first century, they cut me off. But whatever, I can manage it. The university pays well enough that I’ve moved out on my own and have altered my career path just a touch as I now head up their Planetary Sciences Department based in Spirit Bay.”
Spirit Bay wasn’t far from here, in the ballpark of forty minutes; a helluva lot closer than Victoria.
The pounding rush of adrenaline drowned out the sensible words slowly starting to form, but my mouth was as dry as the desert, so they couldn’t be given life even if I wanted to. My jaw opened slightly, and I rolled my bottom lip between my teeth with cautious hope.
“I explained things to my parents, to get their full support and they’re coming around. Slowly. They stood by my side as I did one of the toughest things ever and stood up to my grandparents.” His hands formed into a steeple, and with the closest finger, he touched his lips. “I broke off the engagement, if you will, with the explanation of needing to know the person before I could marry. They misinterpreted and introduced me to Dahlia. Everyone, from my grandparents to my parents to family and friends, agreed she was a perfect match, and her family comes from a strong background. We are well suited for each other.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. Here I thought he was trying to win me over, instead, he was gloating about his idyllic life and circumstances.
“However…” He inhaled sharply, his contact never breaking. “It didn’t matter how perfect they thought she was for me; she lacked the spark you just feel in your soul when you meet someone. There was nothing between us, and it was easy to understand why. It was common sense.” He winked. “She wasn’t you. You’re the one I want.”