Page 25 of Standing Still
We decide to meet at seven, to give the festival enough of a chance to get going and I also feigned needing some time to work. I did write a good few chapters. Something had come over me that had me going straight to my laptop when I got back to my new room at the Hyatt.
After showering and changing, and a fairly lengthy call with Kevin about the current situation, I called Dawn to let her knowwe were coming to the festival. She got a babysitter lined up while we were on the phone and said she couldn’t wait to see us. I’m looking forward to meeting her husband. She’s talked so much about him. Plus, seeing them will leave a buffer between Ben and me.
I can’t stop thinking about what he said in my dad’s kitchen. ‘take a chance on coming back.’
Should I?
Can I?
Well, whatever the outcome, I’m at least trying it. And Kevin is all for it. He wants me to live a little, to get out of my comfort zone.
We managed to get a few things boxed up in my room earlier, but Susan did most of it before we got there. She left her phone number on the note for me, explaining that she chose not to touch my room, because she was sure I wouldn’t want a stranger going through my things. I called her to thank her, and she hushed me but said she’d maybe see me at the festival too. Turns out everyone is heading there tonight.
It's still light when I arrive in my Uber. I’m planning on drinking tonight, letting loose for once. Kevin is right, I’m always so buttoned up. Even on the recent book tour I went on, I never really let go.
Our last night in Dublin had been a bit of a party, given I’d just found out I hit the New York Times list, and we went to Temple Bar to celebrate, but that ended up being cut short when Jenna had a crisis and we had to leave before things got out of hand.
The wind whips my dress around my thighs as I step out of the cab. I scramble to grab the hem to keep from flashing anything to the crowds that are already gathering. I’m not entirely sure I succeeded in keeping my panties covered, even if only for a split second.
I glance about, hopeful no one saw. My cheeks blush bright red when I see Ben leaning against the side of a seafood truck, Jedisitting patiently at his side. He saw the whole thing, and he was grinning at me.
Despite the embarrassment, I can’t help but note how damn hot he looks tonight. He is wearing a short-sleeve shirt, a pale blue linen with the top two buttons open, his arms on show again. I’m almost imagining how strong and hard they’ll feel if I ran my hand over them.
He’s wearing navy shorts and sneakers and has a backward cap on his head, making the outfit seem a lot less formal than it should be. I glance at the dog and see he is wearing a black and green bandana around his neck, and I smile as I head towards them, choosing to push my panty flashing moment out of my head.
“Hi,” I say, then bend and stroke Jedi, whose tongue is hanging out of his mouth, his tail thwapping against the floor. “Hey boy.”
“I swear this dog gets more attention than me.”
“Somehow I doubt that,” I say, straightening and giving his chest a quick glance. His eyes are sparkling when I look back up at him. “Shall we?” I say, clutching my purse to my hip as I avert my eyes. He laughs quietly but falls into step with me.
“You hungry?” he asks.
“I could eat.”
“Good, Craig has a stall up. He’s serving some pretty awesome fish tonight.”
“Let me guess,” I say with an eye-roll. “George’scatch of the day.”
He grins back at me, tugging Jedi with a click of his tongue to bring the wandering dog to heel. I’m not even a little surprised by how well-trained Ben’s dog is. We head to the stall where Craig and another man are busy cooking up food for their customers.
He spots us approaching and waves with a big grin, looking between the two of us. We get in line, making small talk about some of the bands on tonight, and I let him know Dawn and Tom will join us at some point.
When we get to the front, Ben goes with old-fashioned fish and chips, which are served in a small cardboard box, with a slice of lemon on top. I opt for the cod loaded fries with teriyaki glaze and spring onions. It smells amazing. Craig tosses a few crunchy fish bites into a bag for Jedi. We grab two bottles of beer and walk across the grass to where tables have been set up.
It’s busy and we have to slot onto the end of a table that is already occupied. They wave us into the seats with huge smiles, a couple of them greeting Ben warmly.
Music is filtering through the air from the early shows and there is a lot of laughter and chatter, people out enjoying themselves in the late summer evening sunshine. It’s still warm for now but it will cool in an hour or so. Luckily, I remembered to bring a large scarf, which is big enough to wrap around me, folded up in my purse.
I tuck into my food and moan at my first bite, closing my eyes. “God, this is delicious,” I hum. “Who knew Craig would turn out to be such a good cook,” I laugh as I look at Ben. He’s squeezing the lemon over his fish but looking at me as he does it. His eyes are focused totally on me.
“He learnt on the job, started out as a dishwasher, then worked his way up.”
“That’s impressive,” I say, popping another fry into my mouth, savoring the flavors. “He’s really good. I’ve been to overpriced seafood restaurants in New York that don’t hold a candle to this.”
“He’ll be pleased to hear that. Course, he couldn’t do it without the finest ingredients.”
“Going for the hard sell?” I look up at him.