The Spark - Jules Wake Page 0,59

she thinks she can say what she likes.’

‘I can,’ said Bel to Sam in a confiding manner. ‘And I know all her worst secrets.’

My smile was brilliant as Bel and I laughed together, but when our eyes met, there was a promise in hers that she’d never reveal them. She, Lynn, Richard and Shelley were the only other people who knew about my darkest days as a child and my mother’s mental breakdown.

‘What’re you drinking?’ Sam flicked a thumb to their half-empty drinks.

‘I’ll get these,’ I said laying a hand on his forearm. Another thing I loved about him was his generous spirit. What he had, he shared, even though he probably earned a fraction of what accountants Bel and Dan did.

‘Sure?’ he asked.

I headed to the bar and as I was waiting to be served, I looked back to where he sat with Bel and Dan, catching him mid-laugh, his head thrown back, his mouth open. My heart stuttered just a little. What was it about him that had made me fall so fast and hard for him? Yes, it had been that punch of attraction, but there was so much more. Would I feel as desperate as Victoria if he left me? I blinked for a second, determined not to think like that, and when I turned back to watch them again, Dan was laughing too, and Bel was smiling with fond indulgence like a mother with two idiotic schoolboys. Looked like Sam had hit it off with them already.

By the time I returned, Dan and Sam were deep in conversation about some cricket match they’d seen, and I sat down next to Bel.

‘Nice,’ she murmured. ‘Very nice.’

‘Thank you,’ I said. ‘So, I have your permission to continue?’

‘Absolutely.’ Bel sounded positively wicked – well, as wicked as a good girl like her ever got. I studied Sam, trying to look at him with new eyes as if seeing him from her point of view. Tonight he was wearing faded navy cargo shorts and a navy T-shirt – nothing fancy but you couldn’t help but notice the way the jersey fabric stretched over his broad chest. Animation danced over his face as he chatted to Dan, flashing smiles and nodding with enthusiasm, but in his usual relaxed, I’m-not-trying-to-impress-anyone sort of way. He looked up, caught my eye and his smile widened.

It got me every time. The brief flash of intimacy, the I-know-you’re-there. It made my heart quiver, every damn time. I smiled back and then seamlessly we both tuned back into our respective conversations.

‘Oooh, you’ve got it bad,’ said Bel, nudging me with a quiet laugh.

I tried to shrug, but I couldn’t hide the glow of happiness that just seemed to leak out of its own accord.

Bel stared at me, surprise narrowing her eyes. ‘No! You really have got it bad.’ Her arms clutched my shoulders. ‘Oh my God.’ I couldn’t look away from her careful assessment of my face. ‘You really are … I’ve never seen you like this before.’

‘He’s lovely,’ I whispered.

She threw her arms around me and hugged me hard, saying in a fierce whisper. ‘I am so glad. You deserve to have someone lovely.’ She pulled back and gave me another study. ‘About bloody time too. I was worried you’d never give anyone a chance to get through.’

‘What do you mean?’ I asked, a little startled.

She sobered and raised a challenging eyebrow. ‘Come on, Jess.’

I shrugged. ‘In my job I see the unhappy endings. No wonder I’m a little cautious.’

‘You were cautious way before you started work. I’ve always worried that your mother’s… Well, you know, she’s not exactly pro happy-ever-after.’

‘You mean she personifies bitter and twisted,’ I said, taking pity on her tiptoeing attempt at diplomacy.

‘I was trying not to say that. Although it’s a wonder you’ve turned out to be glass-half-full. You’ve always kept men at arm’s length but,’ she smiled, ‘not this one apparently.’ She squeezed my hand. ‘I’m chuffed for you. You look all…’ she waved jazz hands in a very unBel-like way, ‘lit up. I’m glad. It’s about time too.’

‘Thanks, Bel. I’m taking him to meet her this weekend.’

Bel’s eyes widened but she didn’t say anything. Probably just as well. The thought of it already was giving me kittens and puppies.

As if sensing that the serious bit of girls catching up was done, Sam turned to us. ‘Jess says you’ve been working in York for a month. I was there last year on a residential trip. Did you get to