so. She could hardly ask for honesty from Rory and be dishonest herself. Adrian was part of her history, and a good part of her reluctance to dive into another relationship. “Two years ago.”
“And you’re still not over it?”
Was that impatience or horror ringing in his voice? She swirled the wine and took a sip. “I am over it, thank you. But as I said, I’m not about to make the same mistake again. You’ll have to be patient with me. Or take me to the airport.”
In the silence that followed, other diners wandered in and took their seats. She took another sip of wine and went back to her fish. Perhaps Rory would take her to the airport tomorrow. An early return to the UK might be a wise move. The mill was lovely, but almost certainly haunted.
Rory cleared his throat. “In the pool at lunchtime, you kissed me, if you remember.”
The memory brought a flush of warmth, and she couldn't help but smile. “I know, and I don’t know why. I apologized, if you remember.” She made her tone light and playful. If they had to part, better to do it on good terms.
“You give out mixed messages.”
She couldn't argue with that. She'd surprised herself with the kiss. “You’re right. I apologize again. I’ll try to be unmixed from now on.”
Rory put down his knife. “I’d appreciate that. Otherwise, what chance do I have?”
He was staring at her again. Deliberately, Melissa stared back and resisted the feeling of guilt creeping up on her. “If I had a fixed message, it would be easy. But I don’t. How can I?”
“Pretty easily, I would have thought.”
“In any relationship there are bound to be good times and bad times. When we have a good time, I’ll feel good about you. When we have a bad time—”
“You’ll feel bad about me. So?”
Patiently, she drew breath. He was keen to know her answer, that was all. He wasn't trying to be rude. “I need time to really know my feelings, the median rather than the highs and lows. Don’t you get it?”
“So that means…give me some idea.”
“Rory, this is going in circles. You asked me that when we came in, and I said I didn’t know. Why are you in such a hurry?”
He sat back and folded his arms. “I can stand celibacy as well as the next man, but I’d rather not. Why don’t you take a chance? I did, when I met you at Jonny’s party.”
But all he risked was a turn down to his invitation, not a year of heartbreak. She decided not to get side-tracked. “You did. And I took the same chance on you by accepting your invitation.”
That silenced him. He obviously hadn’t considered her side of things. “You could have been an axe murderer for all I knew, though I suspect Jonny wouldn’t have introduced you in that case. He certainly wouldn’t have invited you to his party had he known that.”
His mouth struggled not to smile, but his eyes were warm with hidden laughter.
“There are lots of things about me that you don’t know. How can you possibly be sure you will really like me?”
“Well, here’s your big chance. What don’t I know about you that would send me rushing out of the room?”
She liked him. She liked him a lot, but if she told him she was illegitimate, had never met her father and hated cruelty to animals, he might get up and leave. She could add that she had lived with paranormal experiences up to the age of twelve and now, at the mill, those senses seemed to be waking up once more. That would really send him rushing back to London. But it all sounded a little dramatic for so early in the relationship. Better to take things quietly, and move step by step.
“Sad films make me cry. Buckets.”
~~~
Melissa woke next morning with a thumping headache and Rory’s hand shaking her shoulder. Groggy with sleep, she looked up. A willow pattern coffee mug hovered inches from her nose. She collapsed
“And you’re still not over it?”
Was that impatience or horror ringing in his voice? She swirled the wine and took a sip. “I am over it, thank you. But as I said, I’m not about to make the same mistake again. You’ll have to be patient with me. Or take me to the airport.”
In the silence that followed, other diners wandered in and took their seats. She took another sip of wine and went back to her fish. Perhaps Rory would take her to the airport tomorrow. An early return to the UK might be a wise move. The mill was lovely, but almost certainly haunted.
Rory cleared his throat. “In the pool at lunchtime, you kissed me, if you remember.”
The memory brought a flush of warmth, and she couldn't help but smile. “I know, and I don’t know why. I apologized, if you remember.” She made her tone light and playful. If they had to part, better to do it on good terms.
“You give out mixed messages.”
She couldn't argue with that. She'd surprised herself with the kiss. “You’re right. I apologize again. I’ll try to be unmixed from now on.”
Rory put down his knife. “I’d appreciate that. Otherwise, what chance do I have?”
He was staring at her again. Deliberately, Melissa stared back and resisted the feeling of guilt creeping up on her. “If I had a fixed message, it would be easy. But I don’t. How can I?”
“Pretty easily, I would have thought.”
“In any relationship there are bound to be good times and bad times. When we have a good time, I’ll feel good about you. When we have a bad time—”
“You’ll feel bad about me. So?”
Patiently, she drew breath. He was keen to know her answer, that was all. He wasn't trying to be rude. “I need time to really know my feelings, the median rather than the highs and lows. Don’t you get it?”
“So that means…give me some idea.”
“Rory, this is going in circles. You asked me that when we came in, and I said I didn’t know. Why are you in such a hurry?”
He sat back and folded his arms. “I can stand celibacy as well as the next man, but I’d rather not. Why don’t you take a chance? I did, when I met you at Jonny’s party.”
But all he risked was a turn down to his invitation, not a year of heartbreak. She decided not to get side-tracked. “You did. And I took the same chance on you by accepting your invitation.”
That silenced him. He obviously hadn’t considered her side of things. “You could have been an axe murderer for all I knew, though I suspect Jonny wouldn’t have introduced you in that case. He certainly wouldn’t have invited you to his party had he known that.”
His mouth struggled not to smile, but his eyes were warm with hidden laughter.
“There are lots of things about me that you don’t know. How can you possibly be sure you will really like me?”
“Well, here’s your big chance. What don’t I know about you that would send me rushing out of the room?”
She liked him. She liked him a lot, but if she told him she was illegitimate, had never met her father and hated cruelty to animals, he might get up and leave. She could add that she had lived with paranormal experiences up to the age of twelve and now, at the mill, those senses seemed to be waking up once more. That would really send him rushing back to London. But it all sounded a little dramatic for so early in the relationship. Better to take things quietly, and move step by step.
“Sad films make me cry. Buckets.”
~~~
Melissa woke next morning with a thumping headache and Rory’s hand shaking her shoulder. Groggy with sleep, she looked up. A willow pattern coffee mug hovered inches from her nose. She collapsed
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