Happy Hour (A Romantic Comedy)

Chapter 12

Oh fuck.

The phone starts ringing. "I'll grab that, let you two get acquainted," Calum says. "Emilia, can you grab Chris a welcome pint please? On the house." He rushes off.

We're still locked in the handshake. Effectively holding hands.

His hand is smooth and as cool as his voice.

"This is starting to become a habit, you hiding behind things," he comments.

"What can I say, you must bring it out in me," I say sarcastically, pulling my hand out of his and moving to pour him a drink. I don't ask what kind of pint he wants, I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Anyway he's technically not a customer but a colleague... apparently.

"It's not something that's ever happened to me before," He's watching me as I move about the bar.

"You sure about that?" I snipe, furious with myself that my heart is still racing. "Maybe the others are just better at hiding than I am."

"Touché." He pulls himself onto a bar stool directly opposite me and shoots me a mock salute. I'm assuming it's meant to be a sign of respect but it feels anything but that right now.

"There's plenty of spare tables you can sit at, you don't need to sit at the bar," I point out huffily.

"I should save those for paying customers," he drawls. "Anyway, aren't we meant to be getting to know each other better?"

"I kinda feel like I already know enough about you." I bang his pint down in front of him and back off several steps, leaning against the back of the bar and watching him through narrowed eyes.

I'm not really sure why I'm so mad but I am. For the second time in less than a fortnight he's caught me on the backfoot and it's very unsettling. He's making me feel young, silly and very much like the teenage girl who had the unrequited crush on him, and I don't like that feeling at all.

And now I have to work with him?

"Thanks Em." He picks up the pint and has a quick gulp of it, before having a quick assessing look around the bar.

Despite myself, I take this opportunity to examine him, grown-up Christopher O'Brien in the flesh. I didn't have much time to do so the last time, being behind a hedge and all, I just saw enough to recognise it was him and he was still hot. Close up though, he's dynamite.

He'll be 34 now but he's gotten better looking somehow. His face has leaned out a bit but his angular cheekbones and the slight cleft in his chin are no less appealing to me. Dark blond stubble lightly dusts his chin where once he was always clean-shaven and I itch to run my fingers along it. The only concession really to being older are the very faint lines that crinkle at the sides of his eyes and bracket his mouth, a hint to the fact that he must smile more often than I would have ever expected. Given I was only ever awarded one smile, that really does surprise me.

But then, maybe I brought that inability to smile out in him, the same way he makes me want to hide.

So intent was I on my undercover assessment of him, I've failed to notice he's now watching me too... until our eyes meet again. Our gazes lock like magnets and I feel that tingle move lower, much lower, in my body.

One thing that most definitely hasn't changed is the power of those bright hazel eyes to reduce me to a puddle of mush. And I can't help but think of the last time I was looking into them, right after he kissed me and walked away 15 years ago.

Suddenly all I can think about is how much I want him to kiss me again and this makes me absolutely furious with myself.

"I like the glasses," he says softly after a moment of tense silence. The corner of his lips quirk upwards again. "You've got a bit of a hot librarian vibe going on there."

He's definitely mocking me. He's also reminded me I'm not exactly feeling my best self today, and I feel myself shrivel a bit under his scrutiny.

"Thanks. I think," I mutter. Someone else thankfully appears at the bar at that moment. "Excuse me," I say, moving away from him, using the chance to take some deep breaths and try to calm my heart rate.

I'm praying Calum will be done with his phone call by the time I finish serving the paying customer but unfortunately - although I stall as long as I possibly can - he is still chatting away, gesturing animatedly as if the caller can somehow see him. So after I stick the money in the till I have no choice but to walk back towards Chris. He's looking at his phone as I walk back but when he sees me coming he looks up and slips it back in his pocket.

I don't really acknowledge him but pick up a couple of bottles and rearrange them unnecessarily. I'll have to move them back into their proper place when he's gone but anything to keep myself busy.

He clears his throat and when I glance up, he's looking awkward for the first time. "I wasn't taking the piss there." His voice is low. "I do like them." He indicates the glasses.

I feel my face flush. "Well, I usually wear contacts, so you'd better enjoy them while you can," I say grumpily.

That mouth quirk again; the balance is restored. "Oh, I will," he says calmly, his eyes resting on mine. I feel my cheeks redden further.

What the fuck is going on?

Thankfully Calum chooses that moment to end the phone call and come back. "You two getting on okay?" He asks, oblivious to whatever is actually going on between me and Chris.

"Turns out myself and Emilia are old friends," Chris says easily, smirking at Calum. "So I'm sure we'll get on like a house on fire."

I've never really understood that expression and I still don't. I'm tempted to set him on fire though.

"Great!" Calum claps his hands together. I suspect he's barely listening. "Emilia, Chris will be starting tomorrow night so if you can get him to shadow you a bit that would be appreciated. 5.30 tomorrow okay?" He adds as an aside to Chris.

Chris nods, draining his beer. "Sounds good to me, see you then mate." He slides off the bar stool, and turns back to me. His eyes rake across my face one last time. "See you tomorrow, Em," he says softly, unsmiling. Then he turns and walks straight out the door.

I sag against the bar wondering how the hell I'm going to cope with this.