A Lonely Soul - Horsemen Series

Chapter Two

Craig uncurled his legs as he climbed out of Loren's city hopper. She'd apologised as he'd folded himself into the front seat and allowed him to drop the chair all the way back for comfort – you don't realise how many people hate it when you move chairs until your six foot four.

The carvery was in an olde English pub, the roof was thatched and there was a quaint beer garden behind it. "This looks nice, do you come here after work?" he asked, remembering the number was on speed dial.

He turned and saw her cringe. "I live alone, when I don't feel like cooking I come here." She admitted.

"When I don't feel like cooking I go to my mums." He said, trying to make her feel better.

"My mum's in Spain." She stated, pushing the door open and speaking to the waitress in her fake happy voice. It was very convincing, but Craig had always been good at reading people.

"It's nice and quiet." He observed, breaking the silence as the waitress grabbed the carvery tickets from another till. "I can imagine it gets busy here."

"Yes, the schools have just gone back after Easter." She agreed, "It was heaving last week."

"Aren't you fond of cooking?" he asked just as the waitress returned.

"You can go and grab your food anytime." She smiled, sitting them at a table and disappearing with their drinks order.

"I am, I love cooking and baking." Loren told him, "But unless I bring it in to work and leave it in the kitchen, it doesn't get eaten before it goes stale or off."

"What meat is it?" he asked, feeling a pang of sympathy for her.

"Beef and Gammon I think." She said, craning her neck as she packed her coat and scarf into the corner of the booth. "What are you going to go for?"

"Both." He grinned, enjoying the reaction he got from her.

Her blue eyes widened a fraction, her breathing hitched just a touch and Craig fell. He fell hard for the woman opposite him. "I'm just going to wash my hands before I grab some food."

Craig nodded as she left the table, the second she was out of sight he rang Harry. "I thought you were away on business all day." Harry's voice carried through the phone. "Miss me already?"

"Fucking hell, Harry." Craig whispered, "I've found her."

"Found who?" he asked, although the jealousy in his voice gave him away.

"Her, my soulmate." He hissed, "The woman Pippa has been teasing me about for the last four years."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked quietly.

"God yes." He grunted. "What the fuck am I going to do? I'm in bloody Norfolk!"

"Chill out." Harry laughed, "All you need to do is tell her."

"She's human."

"You're fucked." He grinned. "Oh, this is good, I'm going to enjoy watching this."

"Drop dead, Harry." He huffed, shutting the phone off as Loren arrived with the plates for the carvery. "Waitressing now too?"

"I passed her." she shrugged, "Is everything all right? You looked stressed on the phone."

"My best friend is a dick head." He grunted, following her through the restaurant.

"Have you been friends long?" Loren asked, keeping her back to him as she spoke.

"Over twenty years." He nodded and she graced him with a smile. This time it sent a shiver racing down his spine. "You're piling your plate wrong by the way."