Under My Umbrella

Chapter Five

Claire isn’t exactly what I expected. Even after Shane described her as ‘sweet and homely,’ I was secretly hoping she would be some leather-clad biker chick with blue hair and a tongue piercing.

That may not sound like Rob’s type, but neither is the girl in front of me. I suppose she’s pretty in a delicate sort of way with pale skin and red hair twisted into a long braid. Wearing a white lace dress and strappy sandals, she looks like a fragile doll.

“Act natural,” Shane reminds me as he steers me through the pub.

I wriggle away from him as soon as I spot Rob. He’s wearing a blue polo shirt and dark jeans with his hands in his pocket and a disinterested smile on his face as a young couple greet him.

“That’s Sarah.” Shane nods at the dark-haired girl pulling Rob into a hug. “She’s Claire’s best friend.”

He turns his head away as Sarah spots him and waves us over and I let out a breath and try to remain neutral as we head over to a stretch of booth seating in the corner.

Rob’s ordering at the bar when we reach the table and I hover behind Shane while his sister squeals about how exciting it is to see him.

“Come and meet Shane!” she calls to Rob, who promptly returns with their drinks and offers Shane a friendly nod before his eyes land on me.

He stares at me with his mouth opening and closing as Shane puts his arm around my shoulders, keeping up the pretence that this is all a big coincidence.

“And who’s this?” Claire turns her attention to me.

“Hayley,” Rob says before Shane or I can do anything.

Claire looks between the three of us, her gaze settling on Rob. “Do you know each other?”

Rob looks down at the carpet. “Yeah, we…um…”

“We know each other.” I flash Claire my most assertive smile. The one I use at work to get things done. The one that says ‘I mean business.’ “I’m Rob’s ex-girlfriend.”

Of course, I’m expecting her to say something like “Oh, you’re that Hayley. Rob’s told me so much about you” but she barely acknowledges that I’ve spoken.

Her head remains tilted in Rob’s direction when he looks up. “What are you doing here, Hayley? How did you know where to find me?”

“I didn’t. When Shane invited me to come and meet his sister, I had no idea that you’d be here!” I smile and reach out to touch his arm. “But it’s good to see you again.”

Claire narrows her eyes. “How do you know Shane?”

“I guess we just bumped into each other and hit it off, didn’t we?” Shane squeezes my arm.

“That’s right.” I smile but keep my eyes on Rob. “So this is your fiancée, Rob?”

He nods. “This is Claire.”

“Have you been together long?” I direct my question at Claire, knowing that the answer will be ‘no.’

“It was kind of a whirlwind romance really.” She gazes up at Rob. “But they say when you know, you just know.”

“That’s cute,” I say, but really I want to throw up or yell at them both for thinking marriage will be all rainbows and butterflies.

Not that I’m a marriage expert myself, but look at my parents!

“I have loads to tell you about Australia. Why don’t we sit down?” Shane takes Claire by the arm, leaving me alone with Rob.

It’s strange to see him here, not looking much more grown up than the eighteen-year-old I left behind when I moved to America.