26. Chapter 26

Chapter twenty-six

Silas

I t's as if I sensed her coming in.

I was making three pumpkin spice lattes for Gregor Maclean and his crew when I filled another cup and added a shot of vanilla. And then I looked up to see Fenella caught between Mrs. Geordie and Mrs. McKibbon.

The crystal vest is gone, but she still looks like she made an effort. Tight black pants and boots that come up to her knees with a purple sweater cropped at the waist and yet another jacket. This one is big and white and fluffy, and I'm sure it's fashionable, but it wouldn't look out of place in Stella's pet rescue centre.

The expression on her face when she catches sight of me holding the latte though is—

I don't think it's the beverage or the rescue that she's so happy to see.

"Hi," she says, finally wriggling her way to where I stand behind the coffee maker .

"Hi, yourself." I hand her the drink, holding her gaze with mine for as long as I can. "Move-in day?"

She nods. "The car is packed with my bags. A few more than I came with—" She gives a sheepish shrug.

"Who says Battle Harbour isn't a mecca for shopping?"

Fenella laughs. "You're busy today."

"It's because I'm working today," Wyatt cuts in, leaning across me. "It's always like this when I'm here."

"It's because it's the weekend," I correct with an elbow to his ribs.

Since last night, all I've been able to think about is how I wanted to kiss Fenella when I had the chance, and whether I did the right thing walking away. My first instinct is to protect my heart.

It's not easy and it's not fun but I came to the conclusion that it's the right thing to do.

Until Fenella walks in and I can't keep my eyes off her lips which are covered in a pearly pink gloss today.

"Is it true that Prince Kalle was dancing at Ragnarok last night?" Leodie demands from behind the cash register. "Silas won't give details."

"She means I won't show her pictures," I say.

"There's tons of pictures of you out there. Looks like you were having a great time," Leodie says.

"Wait until my party." Fenella winks. "I confirm he was dancing, but I didn't take any pictures to prove it either," she tells her with a shrug. "I gave Gunnar my phone because me with a camera after a couple of shots is never a good thing."

"Silas did shots ." Leodie shakes her head. "What are you doing to him?"

Fenella catches my glance and it's like she holds it gently in her hands. "Showing him a good time, I hope."

"I had fun," I assure her. "I'm glad Stella texted me."

"Me too. I guess I could have, but I didn't have your number until about an hour ago." She grins.

"Bosses always have their employees' numbers," I say, not about to admit I asked Sophie for it last night.

"That's a good thing." She stands at the counter for a long moment, and we just look at each other.

"Silas, flat white," Leodie calls and breaks me from my stupor.

"I'll let you get back to work," she says.

"What are you up to today?" I ask, unwilling to let her walk out.

"Planning my party. Unpacking. Finding stuff to clean," she lists. "I'm coming over tomorrow morning with supplies. You won't even recognize next door when I'm done."

I stop myself from asking her if she's ever cleaned anything before."Sounds good. I'll keep the lattes coming."

"I might need them. What do you have planned for a Saturday night in Battle Harbour?"

"Euchre night," I admit with a touch of embarrassment. "My parents have one once a month. It's a pretty big crowd."

"I had no idea you were a card sharp," she marvels. "I've never learned to play Euchre. Poker yes—anything else, I'm guaranteed to lose."

"Lots of trips to Las Vegas?"

"Strip poker with friends actually. I'm pretty good."

I have to bite my tongue not to comment on that.

Fenella gives a big wave and heads to the door. I watch her go, and then realize Leodie and Wyatt are watching me watch her.

"You like her," Leodie accuses once Fenella has left.

"You totally do," Wyatt agrees.

"Are you dating?" Despite the lineup, Leodie stands with hands on hips, staring at me. I'm not sure if she's offended by the thought of me dating Fenella or that I didn't tell her if I was.

Which I'm not. I'm not dating Fenella. A quick glance out the front window shows her halfway across the square, her white jacket as out of place here as a snowstorm in June.

"It's nothing," I assure her. "We're not dating."

"It would be great if you found someone," she says. "But she's Fenella Carrington ."

"I know who she is."

"Do you really?" Leodie points Wyatt to the cash register before pulling out her phone. With a few scrolls of her fingers, there she is, Fenella talking to the camera as she rubs brown cream on her face with a brush. "Can you see the numbers on this, Si? "

"I don't know what I'm looking at."

"This is Fenella, using Nu-No contouring cream. She got over a million views."

"A million people watched her put cream on her face?"

"That's just one video. She has an entire series for Nu-No. They gave her a hundred thousand dollars to do it. And that's just one thing. Instagram is full of her."

"We're not dating," I tell her, not sounding very convincing, even to myself. Yes, I make a mental note to check out Instagram, but not here. I tap Leodie's phone. "That's great for her."

"She's Fenella Carrington. She's amazing and fun, and funny, and I think it's great she's working here, but she's still a beautiful gazillionaire who has people following her all over the world, not to mention the thousands who think they're in love with her." Leodie gives me a look and I know what she's not asking—am I one of the thousands who think they're in love with her?

It's as if Leodie is giving me a warning, or maybe a wake-up call. The only reason Fenella is here is because she's hiding out from the world. Once everyone forgets about her outburst, we'll never see her again. Or maybe when she's got another scandal splashed across the papers. She doesn't belong here, as much as I wish she did. "She's not a gazillionaire; her father is."

I chose not to comment on the beautiful part. Or the unspoken question of whether I'm in love with her.