Operation Valentine (7 page)

‘Boy?' Chloe finally turned to him with a screwed up nose. ‘What boy? We're talking about V-Day, Dad.' She patted his left arm patronisingly. ‘Haven't you been listening?'

‘Yes, Owen,' Sarah patted his right one with a laugh in her voice. ‘Keep up.' The hairs on the limb she had touched rose at the brief contact and he had to spend a second getting his bearings back.

He'd known all along being friends with her was a bad idea.

Why hadn't he listened to his instincts?

Dumb arse.

Okay, this time she had to be on the money. This guy sounded so interesting and his profile picture was very yummy.

Think positive thoughts.

Think positive thoughts.

Squaring her shoulders, she pushed open one of the double doors to The Blue Saloon and walked in.

For a Saturday night the place had a rather subdued atmosphere, which she liked. It reminded her a little of Owen. Broody and mysterious.

Why are you thinking about Owen? You're here for Damien.

Right.

Damien.

She scanned the room, avoiding the temptation to check the bar to see if Owen was standing beside it, and her eyes alighted on a man who was seated at one of the many round tables in the centre. He raised a hand and waved at her. She smiled, waved back and started walking towards him.

She was glad he'd chosen a table. After her experience at the bar last week, she'd rather be away from prying eyes – if there were any. Again, she refused to look at the bar to check the situation.

Instead, she allowed herself to drink in Damien's broad shoulders, friendly smile and warm brown eyes. He was just as handsome in person, if not more so. Her heart rate stepped up a notch. This could be the beginning of something really special. She
noticed he didn't stand up when she reached the table but maybe she was just being old-fashioned. There was no rule that said a guy had to get up to shake your hand or kiss you on the cheek when you first met.

She slid into her seat. ‘I'm Sarah.'

‘Damien.' He grinned back.

‘Did you find the place okay?'

‘Sure,' he nodded. ‘It's a great little bar. I could see myself hanging out here more often.'

Now if that wasn't a sign, she didn't know what was.

‘Glad you like it. It's one of my favourites too.'

‘Before we get settled in,' he smiled, ‘can I buy you a drink?'

Ah, so he is a gentleman after all.

‘Sure, thanks. That would be lovely.' She kept her voice low, melodic and, she hoped, a tinsy bit flirty.

‘Great, what would you like?'

‘A cranberry and lime sparkler.'

‘I'll be right back.' And then he jumped down from his chair.

Down
being the principal word. Beneath those broad shoulders and muscular arms was a pair of short, stumpy, childlike legs.

She squinted in shock at his pint-sized butt as he waddled off.

Damien is a dwarf!

Her hand flew up so that onlookers couldn't see her gaping mouth as she watched him join the line at the bar. There was only one staff member there and three other people were also waiting to be served. She had never dated a dwarf before. Actually, she'd never met one.

That's all right.

This isn't a big deal.

He's just a bit short.

A lot of women were taller than their partners. It wasn't like it was unheard of. She just had to get used to the idea.

After all, the size of a person had no bearing whatsoever on whether they were a good person.

She jumped as a wash cloth appeared on the table in front of her and a long-fingered, tanned hand began to wipe down the bench.

‘So, do you need me to rescue you again? I can if you want. Just say the word.' Owen's husky voice dripped over her shoulder like honey from a ladle, before he manoeuvred his body into view.

She quickly dropped her hand from her mouth and sat up straighter. ‘Rescue me? Why would I need you to rescue me?'

He lifted the salt and pepper shakers to wipe beneath them, looking up to eyeball her briefly. His eyes literally danced with mirth.

‘I don't know. You just looked a little rattled, that's all.'

‘Rattled?' she repeated self-consciously and then firmly squared her shoulders as she felt her initial shock receding. ‘He's just threw me a curve ball that's all. Nothing I can't handle.'

He grinned at her again. ‘Really? What sort of curve ball?'

She glared at him.

‘Okay, okay,' He straightened. ‘Leaving now. You know where to find me if you need any help.' With a sublime smile he sauntered off.

She quickly averted her eyes from his perfectly proportioned arse and focused on Damien, who was setting her glass in front her, something she actually found a little disconcerting given his eyes were directly at boob level. Luckily, after putting his own drink down, he hopped back into his seat and she was able to relax a little because his size wasn't such a distraction.

‘So,' she sipped her cocktail, ‘I read on your profile that you have a big –' she choked, ‘I mean,
many
members in your family?'

‘That's right.' He nodded. ‘I have three brothers.'

‘Do you all get along?'

He smiled. ‘Very well. It was actually really fun growing up, having heaps of other kids to play with. What about your family?'

‘I have just one brother, actually, and I don't see him much because he lives in Melbourne.'

‘I was born in Melbourne. Lived there till I was twelve. But I love Perth. It's just such a pretty city. I don't know if I'd ever leave.'

She felt her nerves loosen. ‘Me neither.'

They talked effortlessly for another half an hour about inconsequential subjects and she began to really enjoy herself. There were no awkward silences. The conversation seemed to ebb and flow with a relaxing rhythm. The truth was, he seemed like a lovely guy. Certainly really easy to talk to. She was happy that she hadn't let Owen's teasing get to her.

Maybe it was time to step this date up a notch. She lifted her hand, fingering the diamond stud hanging off one ear as she waited for a lull in his description of his next landscaping project.

‘Er, Damien,' she smiled as invitingly as she could. ‘I'm really enjoying your company and I was wondering if you'd like to order dinner here with me tonight?'

His eyes flicked first to her and then lowered to the stem of his wine glass. He sucked in a breath between his teeth like he was trying to find a diplomatic way to express whatever he had to say.

Uh oh. Did I say something wrong?

He looked up. ‘Sarah, I'm really sorry. I just don't think I can do this.'

She blinked. ‘Sorry?'

‘I just feel that you and I aren't compatible.'

She blinked again. ‘But we're having such a nice conversation. I love it that you have a big family and that you own your own gardening business and that you play the guitar.'

‘Yes, and I'm sure you're a lovely girl. But what is that?'

‘What's what?'

‘That.' He lifted a finger and pointed to her hand, which was still holding her earring.

‘Er, a diamond drop.'

‘No, I mean your earlobes. They don't seem right. Actually, you don't seem to have much of an earlobe at all.'

‘Oh.' She laughed, glancing at his perfectly formed free earlobe, with its meaty bit of flesh ripe for pulling. Hadn't he ever seen an attached earlobe before?

‘My earlobe is just connected to my neck, that's all,' she explained. ‘So my lobe is slighter shorter than yours. It's a recessive gene. I think my mother has the same sort of earlobes as well.'

‘A recessive gene?' The idea clearly troubled him. ‘That's what I was afraid of.'

She released her earring and clasped both hands on the table. ‘I don't understand.'

‘If your deformity is genetic then if we ever had children together they could possibly have ears like yours.'

She gasped. ‘My ears aren't
deformed
.'

‘But you don't have any earlobes.'

‘Yes I do, they're just attached to my neck.'

He held up his hands. ‘I'm sorry, I just think it would be better for our children's sake if we didn't tempt fate.'

‘
What?
'

With a sigh, he hastily jumped off his chair. ‘Look, I think I'd better go. We're not really helping matters talking about it. After all, it is what it is.' As he walked past her chair, he patted her arm. ‘It was lovely meeting you, though.'

‘But –'

She turned around to watch him waddle swiftly towards the door.
I don't believe this.

   ‘Okay, so what happened?'

   At the sound of Owen's low timbre she turned to find him already seated at her table.

   ‘You know, you've really got to stop doing that. It's creepy.'

   ‘Doing what?' He grinned.

   ‘Sitting down at my table without me even noticing. What are you, a ninja?'

   ‘Well, I do like the sound of that,' he mused, opening the menu in front of him. ‘Are you hungry? I noticed you haven't ordered yet.'

   ‘No, well,' she threw up her hands, ‘I was going to get some pizza until my date dumped me.'

   Owen laughed. ‘He dumped you! What for?'

   ‘Apparently my ears are deformed.'

   ‘Really?' He stretched out a hand to run a long finger around the edge of one. ‘They look all right to me.' Liquid fire burned a path from his fingertip to her heart and she hastily pushed his hand away and lowered her eyes.

   ‘Stop that. It's just my lobes, they're attached.'

   ‘Attached to what?'

   ‘My neck, of course.' She rolled her eyes.

   ‘And what a lovely neck it is.'

   While she was still trying to recover from his unexpected compliment, he stopped the waitress who was walking by. ‘Joanna, could you get us a couple of pepperoni, mushroom and olive pizzas? She'll have another cranberry and lime sparkler and I'll have a beer.'

   ‘Any one in particular, Owen?' Joanna asked.

   ‘Surprise me.'

   ‘Sure.' She nodded and with a smile at Sarah departed to procure their meal.

   ‘Chloe said she really enjoyed shopping with you.

   Relieved at the change in subject she looked up. ‘Did she? Well I had a lovely time with her too. I don't know how you did it, Owen, but you've raised a sensitive, well-adjusted and confident young woman.'

   ‘That sounds like a back-handed compliment.'

   ‘It's just with your lifestyle I thought she might be a little more …' Sarah shrugged. ‘Cynical.'

   His mouth twisted. ‘I tend to shield her from what I do here at work and after dark. When I'm with her, I'm with her. And when I'm here, I get to have fun.'

   Sarah frowned and glanced away. ‘I guess that's one way of putting it.'

   ‘Sarah, if you want to say something to me, just say it. Since when have you held out on your opinion before?'

   ‘Okay.' She turned back. ‘Aren't you even a little ashamed of leading so many women on and then letting them down?'

   ‘I don't lead women on. I always let them know how much they can expect from me, or should I say how
little
. I just think that some of them reckon they might be able to change my mind.'

   She looked away in disgust. ‘All right then. Don't you get sick of having one meaningless fling after another? Don't you want more than just sex?'

   ‘Is there more?'

   ‘Of course there's more,' she said crossly. ‘You said you were married once. So I know that you weren't always like this. Tell me what happened.'

   This time it was his turn to look away. She noticed that both his fists were clenched and the knuckles had turned white. ‘How did we get on to my love life when we were knee-deep in yours?'

   ‘Because you don't get to make fun of my bad luck at love when yours is just as crap.'

   ‘You're right.' He held up both his hands. ‘I'm sorry. I know that falling in love is a very serious business for you. It's a serious business for me too. That's why I'm avoiding it.'

   ‘Well, I guess you're nothing if not honest,' she murmured.

   ‘So with Damien the Dwarf being a dud, does that mean you need to get back online?' he enquired.

   ‘I guess.' She sighed dejectedly.

   ‘Do you need my help again picking someone out?'

   ‘Given your last two suggestions have been worthless, I think I'll try it myself this time.'

He smiled at her, unable to believe how much fun he was having with his pants on. Sarah was very easy company. So this was what it was like to have a female friend. Maybe he should have invested in one earlier. Just then their pizzas and drinks rocked up. Joanna set them on the table between them.

‘Er, Owen,' she began with a slightly disapproving lilt to her voice. ‘A girl called Chloe just rang the office and Trevor picked it up. She wanted to know if you could get some ice-cream on the way home.'

Before leaving their table, she turned to Sarah and looked down her nose at her as though trying to convey some sort of meaning.