Among the Heather (The Highlands, #2) (65)

I grimaced. “You think?”

“I was drunk. But it would explain why she keeps sliding into my DMs and stalking my favorite pubs. I am excellent at cunnilingus.”

I stood up abruptly. “I need a drink.”

Theo gave me a smug grin. “Don’t be jealous, old boy. Some of us are just gifted.”

I flipped him off and his laughter followed me to the bar. People had turned to stare as soon as I’d walked into the Roe, but as if used to the odd celebrity spotting, they’d returned to their conversations and food. However, they parted for me at the bar, giving me friendly smiles I returned. Usually, I didn’t like to take advantage of my well-known face, but I was hungry and in need of a drink, so I allowed them to skip the queue as the bartender came over for my order.

“Loved you in King’s Valley,” the bartender said as he poured me a pint.

“Thanks, mate. I appreciate it.”

“On the house.” He pushed the pint toward me.

I slid money along the bar as a generous tip. “That’s very kind, thanks.”

The bartender took the cash with a pleased gleam in his eyes. “Cool. We’ll bring your burger over when it’s ready.”

“Did you order food?” Theo asked as soon as I returned to him.

I nodded. “I’m starving.”

Theo considered me. “You do look like shit, mate. What happened?”

After taking a refreshing chug of beer, I explained the day’s woes to my friend.

He exhaled wearily when I was done. “I don’t even want to acknowledge it because you know I find romance tiresome, but has this got anything to do with the luscious Aria?”

“You know it fucking does,” I grumbled. “I’m a bloody coward who ran away from the first problem we encountered.”

“Her breaking it off is rather a big problem, though.”

I glowered at him. “I should have fought for her. Now I’m like the walking fucking wounded. I try to be Daniel, but I can’t stop thinking about her, so I’m always North.”

“Is it because you miss her or because you’re worried about her? There is a big difference.”

“I know you’d quite like it to be the latter,” I huffed. “But nothing has happened to either of us since the attack. Nothing came of it.” The plates on the Defender that tried to mow us over were false, so we couldn’t track the vehicle to the attacker. “There’s been no more letters. Everything has gone quiet.” I’d been checking in with Walker several times a week just to make sure. With no leads, there was no choice but to carry on with life as I knew it.

Life without her.

The pain in my chest flared, and I rubbed it absentmindedly as I took a sip of beer.

“How are the rest of the cast? Have they noticed you bungling it?”

“Blake has. We had a word. But everyone else is just going with it. Eden doesn’t join us until Berlin.” I referred to my costar and leading lady Eden Gabriel, a French actor who’d smashed international barriers to find global fame. We’d met months ago at a table reading and she’d flirted her arse off with me. I’d been seeing Cara at the time, so I wasn’t interested.

Now I feared I’d never be interested in any other woman ever again.

Aria Howard had fucking broken me.

Not that I’d admit that aloud. There were only so many hits I could take to my ego and masculinity.

“Ah, Eden Gabriel.” Theo swirled his drink. “She’s rather beautiful.”

“I’m not going there.”

“I’m not advising you to.” My friend leaned forward. “My number one rule is never fuck anybody on your film set. Costars, crew, no one. Too much money involved for the drama it invites. If the attraction is great, you can always fuck them once the film wraps.”

“Nice to know you have some principles,” I replied sarcastically.

“You are in a charming mood.” He grimaced. “Okay, I’m only saying this because I find you more tolerable than most people, but—fuck, I can’t believe I’m saying this—have you considered a grand gesture to win your lady back?”

Surprised he was trying to give me romantic advice, I raised an eyebrow. “Grand gesture?”

“Yes. You said the reason you broke up with the delightful Ms. Howard is because she has trust issues. Why don’t you prove you trust her beyond any doubt? Perhaps in doing so, she’ll feel moved to reciprocate.”

Huh.

My mind raced as I considered his advice and what I could do that would break through Aria’s walls.

What I did know was that I couldn’t go on like this.

Every day had become about missing this woman. The only solution was to get her back.

I opened my mouth to thank Theo, but a deep, American voice cut me off.

“Cavendish!” A tall, familiar bloke with dark hair and light eyes appeared at our table and clapped a hand down on Theo’s shoulder. “Imagine seeing you here.”

It took me a second, but the reason for his familiarity became clear.

Preston Holden, of all fucking people.

“Preston.” Theo gave the American a tight-lipped smile. “What brings you here? I hope you lot aren’t trying to infiltrate my local?”