Three’s A Crowd
1637 Words
Amelia remained exactly where she was, her fingers wrapped tightly around her glass, though she had no intention of taking another sip. She could still feel the adrenaline coursing through her body.
Daniel had walked away. He should have been gone. Instead, he lingered near the bar, his conversation with the man beside him appearing secondary to the repeated glances he sent in her direction. Every few moments she found herself looking up without meaning to, only to discover his eyes already waiting for hers.
Each time she immediately looked away again. Perhaps she was imagining it. Maybe he was simply looking around the room. Or perhaps she was allowing the uncomfortable conversation to colour everything afterwards.
She wished she believed that but her pulse still refused to settle.
The warm, cosy atmosphere she had enjoyed less than half an hour earlier had disappeared entirely. The cheerful chatter surrounding her now seemed strangely distant, as though she were listening from underwater. Glasses clinked together behind the bar, someone laughed loudly near the dartboard and the birthday group erupted into another chorus of applause, yet none of it seemed connected to her anymore.
All she wanted was to leave. She glanced towards the entrance. It was only twenty yards away. She could stand, collect her handbag and walk straight out.
Simple.
Except Daniel was standing almost directly between her table and the front door. She hated that one small detail was enough to make her hesitate.
You are twenty-eight years old, she scolded herself silently. You are perfectly capable of walking past one man.
Even so, the thought made her stomach tighten. She fiddled with her handbag before reaching for her phone and unlocking it, more for something to occupy her hands than because she expected any messages.
Nothing.
Lucy had probably settled down in front of another true crime documentary with a family-sized bag of crisps by now. Amelia almost smiled. Almost. Instead she locked the screen again and slipped the phone back into her bag.
She could ask one of the staff to walk her outside. The thought appeared almost immediately. It disappeared just as quickly. They were busy and nothing had actually happened with Daniel. He had been irritating, persistent and overly familiar but he had not threatened her. He had not touched her.
What exactly would she say?
Excuse me, would you mind escorting me outside because a man bought me a drink I didn’t ask for and keeps looking at me?
It sounded ridiculous in her own head. She sighed quietly. Perhaps if she waited another five minutes he would leave first. She picked up her book again, though she barely registered the words. She read the same paragraph three times before realising she had absorbed absolutely nothing.
A movement near the bar caught her attention. Daniel had finished speaking to the other man. He set his empty glass onto the counter. Then he started walking.
Not towards the exit but towards her again.
Her heart lurched.
Surely not. Surely he had taken the hint by now. She lowered her eyes to the page, pretending not to notice.
His footsteps continued across the wooden floor. Closer and closer until they stopped.
“Changed your mind yet?”
Amelia looked up slowly. Daniel smiled as though they were old friends continuing an interrupted conversation.
“I thought you were leaving,” she said.
“I did.”
He shrugged casually.
“Then I realised I hadn’t asked for your number.”
“I’m not giving out my number.”
“You haven’t even let me try to convince you.”
“I don’t need convincing.”
His smile remained firmly in place.
“You know, first impressions aren’t always accurate.”
“I’m sure they aren’t.”
“So give me a second chance.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary.”
“You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know enough.”
He laughed softly.
“No, you don’t.”
Without asking, he pulled out the chair again. The scrape of wood against the floor seemed impossibly loud. Amelia stared at him.
“I’d rather you didn’t.”
He paused. For the first time all evening his smile disappeared completely.
“Didn’t what?”
“Sit down.”
There was a brief silence. Then the smile returned, thinner than before.
“You’re still upset.”
“I’m not upset.”
“No?”
He tilted his head.
“You seem upset.”
“I’m tired.”
“So let me cheer you up.”
She took a slow breath.
“I’m really going home now.”
She reached for her handbag as Daniel rested one hand on the back of the chair.
“You still haven’t finished your drink.”
“I don’t want it.”
“I paid for it.”
“I know.”
“It seems a shame.”
“I’ll pay you back.”
He laughed.
“I don’t want your money.”
“I know.”
“So stay.”
His tone remained conversational which somehow made it worse. Amelia looked around the room again. People were talking, eating, laughing. Nobody had noticed. Nobody had any reason to. From where anyone else sat, they probably looked like two people having a perfectly ordinary conversation.
She wished someone would look over. Just once. Just long enough to notice the panic steadily building inside her. Daniel leaned forwards slightly.
“I promise I’m harmless.”
“I never said you weren’t.”
“You keep acting like I’m bothering you.”
“You are.”
The words escaped before she had time to soften them. Daniel blinked and his expression hardened for barely a second then the smile returned once more.
“I think you’re misunderstanding me.”
“No.”
“I just want to get to know you.”
“I don’t want to get to know you.”
Silence settled between them. Daniel studied her face.
“I’ve been polite all evening.”
“I know.”
“I’ve complimented you.”
“I didn’t ask you to.”
“I bought you a drink.”
“I didn’t ask for that either.”
His jaw tightened.
“You know,” he said quietly, “most women appreciate a bit of attention.”
“I never asked for yours.”
For the first time, genuine irritation flickered across his face. Amelia immediately wished she had phrased it differently. She hated making people angry even when they deserved it. Especially when they deserved it. Daniel let out a slow breath.
“I think you’re overreacting.”
“I think I’ve been perfectly clear.”
“You’ve been confusing.”
“I don’t think I have.”
“You smiled.”
She frowned.
“What?”
“You smiled at me.”
Realisation washed over her. Her stomach sank. She had smiled because that was what she always did. At cashiers, neighbors, delivery drivers, parents collecting children from school. Anyone. It had never occurred to her that simple politeness could be interpreted as permission.
“I smile at everyone.”
“Not like that.”
“It wasn’t an invitation.”
“No?”
He folded his arms.
“So why let me sit down?”
“I was trying to be polite.”
“There it is again.”
She stared at him.
“You’re too polite.”
Before she could answer, another voice spoke beside her. Warm, calm and entirely unexpected.
“There you are, sweetheart.”
A large hand settled gently against the back of her chair before an arm slipped comfortably around her shoulders with effortless familiarity.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
Amelia looked up. The man standing beside her was impossibly tall, dressed in dark jeans and a charcoal shirt with the sleeves rolled neatly to his forearms. Dark hair framed a face that belonged on the cover of one of the romance novels lying forgotten on her table, while warm hazel eyes settled on her with quiet reassurance. For an instant, something flickered across his face. Surprise or shock maybe. Something so quickly hidden Amelia wondered if she'd imagined it.
For the briefest second, confusion stole every coherent thought from her mind. Then she understood. He was giving her a way out. The relief hit so suddenly it almost made her dizzy. Before she even realised she was doing it, Amelia leaned ever so slightly into the warmth of his side. She barely knew this man, yet somehow he felt infinitely safer than the one sitting opposite her.
“Oh…”
She forced herself to smile.
“There you are.”
The stranger’s expression softened almost imperceptibly.
“I wondered where you’d disappeared to.”
He glanced at the untouched drink on the table before looking at Daniel for the first time. His smile never faltered.
“I’m sorry,” he said pleasantly. “I'm stealing my girlfriend for a while."
Daniel looked between them. His confidence wavered just a fraction.
"Funny," Daniel said. "She never mentioned having a boyfriend."
He looked Amelia slowly up and down.
"And she looked pretty single five minutes ago."
The stranger smiled as though it amused him.
"Looks can be misleading."
The stranger’s arm remained lightly around Amelia’s shoulders. Amelia nodded quickly.
“Come on sweetheart, let's find seats somewhere quieter." he said softly.
The tall man offered her his hand and Amelia looked at it for only a heartbeat before placing hers in his.
His fingers closed around hers with surprising gentleness. Without another glance at Daniel, they walked towards the back of the room together. Only when they were several steps away did Amelia realise she was still holding his hand.
Strangely, she found she didn't want to let go.
- Writer
