His Dancing Star

Chapter 8

"Ow!" said Ed, flinching as Gareth's cap hit him in the face. "What was that for?"

"For being dense," said Gareth, calmly collecting his hat from where it had fallen. He'd whipped the hat at Ed out of nowhere as the two men sat on deckchairs out the front of Ed's office beach shack.

"I'm not dense! I did everything right!" He'd relayed the story of the party night to Gareth in excruciating detail – no point any more in pretending Lina wasn't absorbing his entire brain – and he'd finished by lamenting that nothing had been the same since. He recapped, in case maybe Gareth had misunderstood. "I didn't want to take advantage of the fact she had been drinking. I took her kite surfing yesterday, but I didn't bring anything up to make her feel awkward. I'm doing everything right!"

"Except you said she barely looked at you yesterday the whole time you were out?"

"Yeah. And that sucks. And I don't know how to fix it because I didn't do anything wrong."

Gareth hit him with the cap again, harder this time. "Wake up, Ed. You're clearly dreaming."

"Excuse me, gentle healer – do you mind?"

"Not at all." Gareth slid the hat back onto his head and explained slowly, "Just because you didn't do anything wrong doesn't mean that you've done everything right. You hurt her feelings, even if you rejected her for the right reasons. She opened up to you, and you gave her nothing in return."

"Seriously, man..." He took a moment and removed his head from his own ass. "I think you're right. How did you get so good at this girl stuff? It wasn't long ago I was the one throwing hats at you."

"I'm not an expert, but I know people." Gareth's gentle face lit up with a smile of pure joy. "And I'm about to be an engaged man, if she says yes."

"Man, that's awesome!" Ed leaned over and shook his buddy's hand, genuine elation in his heart. "Have you picked out a ring?"

"Yeah. Check it out..." He pulled his phone from his pocket and swiped up a picture. "Bri's assistant said this is a ring she'd had on her Pinterest board for years."

Ed whistled. "That's a hell of a sapphire."

"It's not going to come cheap, but it's the one she wants. I'll cut into the savings I have for my business – I'll make it work somehow."

Ed frowned; Gareth had been saving for years to get the doors open on his health retreat. With a plan forming, Ed said, "Hey, send me that photo. I know a few guys in the jewellery game – I might be able to get it cheaper for you."

"That would be terrific. Thanks, Ed."

"No problem. Maybe you can help me with this Galina stuff in return."

"No charge for that, but what do you want to know?"

"How do I get things back on track?" He twisted in his seat, uncomfortable to be so raw and helpless in this situation. "She likes me, I know she does. And she said she could picture a relationship with me, not just a fling. And I'm infatuated with her. I never used that word with a girl before, but that's how it is. I want her to make the first move, but she won't when things are so weird like this."

"Why is it so important for her to make the first move? You could just kiss her and go from there?"

"No. She needs this, Gareth. I think she's a victim in her own story, ordered around day and night by everyone who dictates her career. She has no power – I actually think she's hiding from her life at the moment rather than standing up for herself. I'm not saying I can fix all of that, but I know that taking more power from her isn't going to help." He shook his head in certainty.