suggested.
“Maximums?” She tried to hide her disappointment. He had chosen one of the most exclusive restaurants in Melbourne and she had nothing suitable to wear.
“They do fabulous seafood. You’d love it.”
“I’d like to go, but there’s Lilly…,” she trailed off forlornly.
“Oh, I forgot.”
She could almost hear him drumming his fingers on the desk. “I’ll take you to lunch then, at some child friendly place.”
“Oh, yes, I’d like that,” she agreed eagerly, too eagerly because it made her sound desperate. She couldn’t help it, having never been good at playing hard to get. “When?”
“Tomorrow.” He sounded eager too, and her heart did an excited triple somersault. “There’s a new place opened up around the corner from work, I remember seeing a pamphlet about it. Fabulous Freddie’s, your family friendly fish and chippery.
She laughed. “Sounds just the place for Lilly and me.”
“I’m sorry, I have to go. I’m up to my neck in work at the moment.”
“I didn’t mean to bother you.”
“You’re not a bother. You caught me at a bad time. I’ll meet you at Freddie’s tomorrow at one o’clock. It’s in Russell Street , between Collins and Bourke.”
“I’ll find it. Until tomorrow, Justin.”
“Goodbye. I’m glad you rang.” The line went dead.
Had she done the right thing by ringing him up out of the blue? He sounded keen to see her again, but what if he was only being kind. She wasn’t in his league and never would be. She had no confidence in herself any more. The loss of Robbie and the way the Kirwans wore her down had made sure of that.
***
She found ‘Fabulous Freddie’s easily. You’d have to be blind to miss the huge bright blue fish painted on the window, and the anchor covered in red and white glitter.
Justin hadn’t arrived, but she was ten minutes early. The restaurant seemed quite full. There were a couple of high chairs, so the place obviously catered for children.
As she debated about going inside Justin strode towards them, every inch the executive in a dark suit. It was molded to the contours of his body, but so perfectly tailored it didn’t look tight. He wore a pale blue shirt with a burgundy and gray geometric design tie. Silk by the look of it.
What a gorgeous specimen of manhood. His wide, white-toothed smile caused excitement to curl in the pit of her stomach, made her pulses race. She forced herself to stand still. Gratitude didn’t give her the right to rush towards him and throw herself into his arms.
Justin hated crassness in any shape or form - - always had. Understated elegance was his preference every time, yet when he spied Holly in hipster jeans and a pink top that left her midriff bare, his heart leapt.
A tremulous smile hovered on her sweet, well shaped lips and at this very moment he didn’t care about Freddie’s garishness. God, she looked so beautiful in simple chain store clothes. What would designer label dresses do for her?
Lilly looked cute as a button too, in a pink dress. Her eyes were wide and blue like her mother, and she had the same creamy skin and dainty facial features. Holly’s hair was dead straight, Lilly’s inclined to curl. A legacy from her father perhaps?
He didn’t know why, but every time he thought of the young dead soldier, his gut clenched. The tragic loss of a young life, of course. But it was more – jealousy of what he and Holly had shared? The thought stopped him dead in his tracks. He was entering dangerous territory and if he had even half a brain, he would turn tail and run for his life. When she started towards him, he was lost.
“Justin.” The way she said his name, in a soft almost husky sigh, robbed him of coherent thought.
“Holly.” He kissed her on the cheek, brushing his hand down the length of her soft, flyaway hair. “How are two of my favorite girls going?” He patted Lilly on the cheek.
“Let’s sit over here, near the window,” he
“Maximums?” She tried to hide her disappointment. He had chosen one of the most exclusive restaurants in Melbourne and she had nothing suitable to wear.
“They do fabulous seafood. You’d love it.”
“I’d like to go, but there’s Lilly…,” she trailed off forlornly.
“Oh, I forgot.”
She could almost hear him drumming his fingers on the desk. “I’ll take you to lunch then, at some child friendly place.”
“Oh, yes, I’d like that,” she agreed eagerly, too eagerly because it made her sound desperate. She couldn’t help it, having never been good at playing hard to get. “When?”
“Tomorrow.” He sounded eager too, and her heart did an excited triple somersault. “There’s a new place opened up around the corner from work, I remember seeing a pamphlet about it. Fabulous Freddie’s, your family friendly fish and chippery.
She laughed. “Sounds just the place for Lilly and me.”
“I’m sorry, I have to go. I’m up to my neck in work at the moment.”
“I didn’t mean to bother you.”
“You’re not a bother. You caught me at a bad time. I’ll meet you at Freddie’s tomorrow at one o’clock. It’s in Russell Street , between Collins and Bourke.”
“I’ll find it. Until tomorrow, Justin.”
“Goodbye. I’m glad you rang.” The line went dead.
Had she done the right thing by ringing him up out of the blue? He sounded keen to see her again, but what if he was only being kind. She wasn’t in his league and never would be. She had no confidence in herself any more. The loss of Robbie and the way the Kirwans wore her down had made sure of that.
***
She found ‘Fabulous Freddie’s easily. You’d have to be blind to miss the huge bright blue fish painted on the window, and the anchor covered in red and white glitter.
Justin hadn’t arrived, but she was ten minutes early. The restaurant seemed quite full. There were a couple of high chairs, so the place obviously catered for children.
As she debated about going inside Justin strode towards them, every inch the executive in a dark suit. It was molded to the contours of his body, but so perfectly tailored it didn’t look tight. He wore a pale blue shirt with a burgundy and gray geometric design tie. Silk by the look of it.
What a gorgeous specimen of manhood. His wide, white-toothed smile caused excitement to curl in the pit of her stomach, made her pulses race. She forced herself to stand still. Gratitude didn’t give her the right to rush towards him and throw herself into his arms.
Justin hated crassness in any shape or form - - always had. Understated elegance was his preference every time, yet when he spied Holly in hipster jeans and a pink top that left her midriff bare, his heart leapt.
A tremulous smile hovered on her sweet, well shaped lips and at this very moment he didn’t care about Freddie’s garishness. God, she looked so beautiful in simple chain store clothes. What would designer label dresses do for her?
Lilly looked cute as a button too, in a pink dress. Her eyes were wide and blue like her mother, and she had the same creamy skin and dainty facial features. Holly’s hair was dead straight, Lilly’s inclined to curl. A legacy from her father perhaps?
He didn’t know why, but every time he thought of the young dead soldier, his gut clenched. The tragic loss of a young life, of course. But it was more – jealousy of what he and Holly had shared? The thought stopped him dead in his tracks. He was entering dangerous territory and if he had even half a brain, he would turn tail and run for his life. When she started towards him, he was lost.
“Justin.” The way she said his name, in a soft almost husky sigh, robbed him of coherent thought.
“Holly.” He kissed her on the cheek, brushing his hand down the length of her soft, flyaway hair. “How are two of my favorite girls going?” He patted Lilly on the cheek.
“Let’s sit over here, near the window,” he
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