Jared watched his friend disappear as suddenly as he had appeared. Caitlin scowled at Douglas' departing back. But before she could follow in his footsteps, Jared reached for her arm to stop her from leaving. Caitlin said nothing. She glared at the annoying man, then spun around. "Just a minute." He caught hold of her upper arm. "We haven't finished." Though what exactly he planned to do was beyond him. He was having difficulty thinking straight.
"Yeah, believe me, we have." Caitlin snapped haughtily. "And let go of my arm." When her demand did not result in the action she wanted, she added with hauteur, "Right now."
"What the hell did you say to Doug?" Jared asked as she scowled at a semi wet Caitlin. He was a man of experience. Being this close to a semi-naked woman should not be having the impact it was having on him.
"Nothing of consequence." She glared. "Now get out of my way!" Looked like their track record of scenes was continuing. The benefits of the walk and the soak in the tub evaporated instantly as Caitlin realized this latest scene would no doubt once again fire up the gossip. Perfect. Just perfect. This latest debacle was no doubt going to circulate like wildfire.
"Then what did he mean I'll leave you to it?"
"He's your friend! Ask him! " She shot back.
"Why the hell were you in Mira's bath?" Jared gestured toward the bathroom. The other one was out of order. The two other bathrooms contained shower cubicles. So he figured Mira was in this one. He could hear the radio playing softly in the background, he noted the light was off but he'd seen through the frosted glass the flicker of candles. Just before he'd stepped into the bathroom he had even smiled to himself in acknowledgment of the effort Mira had gone to. Then he had cannoned into Caitlin.
Caitlin slapped his hand away. She was starting to get goose bumps, standing as she was just wrapped in a towel. "You see, that's why I'm stupid. I didn't realise that water or that tub had a name to it and I must have missed a sign saying Mira's bath." His eyes narrowed at her sarcasm. Caitlin ignored that look. She was starting to get cold, standing as she was with just the towel wrapped around her. "I just turned on the taps and ran a bath for me." She stormed away, livid. No doubt she would once again be the topic of conversation.
She was right. For by the time Caitlin had changed and come downstairs, she was the subject of conversation. None of it was complimentary. Candy and Nigel came over and stood by her in a show of support. Caitlin was tempted to hug them for their stance. These were the kind of people who made the world a better place. For despite their timidity and despite the fact they would be ostracized for hanging out with Caitlin they had still chosen to stand with Caitlin.
Mira and Jared were nowhere to be seen until the group were ready to set off for dinner. Then the two of them appeared, and it was clear that both blamed Caitlin for the latest debacle. Caitlin ignored their frosty looks. Just one more sleep is what she told herself. That's all she had to put up with, then she was going to make sure she steered well clear of Jared. For every time they met, she ended up the topic of speculation.
The group trouped into town for the meal that had been booked at the local Thai restaurant.
"Don't let them get to you." Candy whispered as she and Caitlin made her way toward a table at the far corner. It was clear that the rest of the group were giving Caitlin the cold shoulder.
"Mind if I join you?" Douglas materialised from nowhere. He moved Caitlin's chair and waited for her to be seated before taking the seat beside her. Nigel took the seat beside Candy. Douglas tried to determine whether Caitlin was upset, but her expression was closed. So he decided to be blunt. "Sorry about earlier. I get the feeling I made things worse." He ran his hand through his hair. "I think I misread the situation."
"No harm done." Caitlin lied as she shook out her napkin and placed it on her lap. The others had taken up various seats around the room. She did her best not to scan the room. "I guess Jared suggested you take his spot at this table." She knew from the original seating arrangements that had been shared at breakfast time that they were seated in their teams for the meal at the Thai restaurant. So in theory Jared should have been at the table with Candy, Caitlin and Nigel. But instead it looked like he had swapped places with Douglas.
Douglas looked sheepish, though he managed to bank it down pretty quickly and covered it with a swift, "Why would I turn up a chance to sit and have a decent conversation with two beautiful women." And the two women at the table were beautiful. Candy had toned down the amount of makeup she was wearing and had certainly made an effort to not to dress like a tart. Caitlin was wearing the minimum amount of makeup and had opted for a simple black dress but still managed to look chic. Douglas figured he could use this opportunity to find out a bit more about the woman.
Caitlin's lips twitched. She glanced over at Douglas and said, "Very smooth."
"Why did that sound like an insult to me?" He quirked a brow and feigned puzzlement.
Caitlin shrugged but said no more. Douglas grinned then leaned over and kissed her cheek.
"I think I like you." He announced frankly. What he especially liked was the fact that she looked him the eyes rather than made a study of his scars.
Caitlin couldn't help but grin at his cheekiness. She liked what she had seen when they had met on previous occasions. He was a charming, friendly man, who unlike his friend, seemed to enjoy her company, "Now don't say that in front of your friend or he may have you certified and locked away."
Douglas frowned. It wasn't faked. Nor was his comeback statement. "I don't understand why the two of you don't get on. You have the same warped sense of humor!"
The waiter arrived to take their drinks order. When he left, Caitlin picked up the conversation thread. "I think your friend's interest in females has nothing to do with their sense of humor."
Her eyes flicked over to the table three away from them. Jared had his arm draped along Mira's chair and was listening intently to something she said. You'd think she was the only person in his world. Candy, Nigel and Douglas all turned to look at who Caitlin was watching when she said, "That is quite a skill he has." Caitlin stated as she continued to study Jared's rapt attention.
"He isn't faking interest!" Douglas corrected her quickly, "You' d like him if you took the time to get to know him." Douglas watched his friend, and for the first time in years thought Jared had made the wrong choice tonight. What was more, Douglas was pretty sure that Caitlin and Jared had a lot in common. They might come from different walks in life, but from what he had been able to discern, Caitlin and Jared shared many of the same values. Loyalty. Fidelity. Integrity.
The waiter returned with their drinks and asked if they'd made their selection. Hurriedly Caitlin and Douglas chose their starter and main course. Candy and Nigel had already decided. Once the waiter had taken their meal orders and left, Douglas picked up on his conversation thread, "I think if you just gave each other a chance, get to know...."
Caitlin laughed instantly. He had to be kidding. She knew that Jared wasn't in the slightest bit interested in her, he'd been pretty obvious with his clues! "Douglas give it up, ok." She shook her head and said without any concern, "He isn't interested." With a flirty grin, she turned to Nigel and Candace, "But that shouldn't stop us from having fun this evening."
"Ok, just one question, then we can move on." Douglas decided to take the direct approach.
"Ok. What?"
"What makes you think he isn't interested?" Douglas asked. After his conversation with Jared last night he knew that interest wasn't the issue where Jared was concerned. The issue was that Jared did not think that a woman of her caliber and social status would be interested in a man like Jared. And as a result Jared was making sure that he got his shots in first. Self-protection.
Caitlin laughed loudly, and several heads turned toward her. She stopped, clutched at her side as the stitch worked its way through, and then she wiped the tears from her eyes.
Candy decided to interrupt, "Doug, Jared hasn't exactly been er, well, ehm, you know attentive here, or anything has he? And everyone has heard what he said before." She shrugged, looked toward Nigel for confirmation. Candy liked Jared. She thought he was a decent guy. She, like Douglas, did not understand why Jared and Caitlin did not get on for they were both lovely people as far as Candy was concerned.
"I think he likes you, cause..." Nigel started, fishing around for something positive to say without it sounding like he was nothing but a wimp.
"Nigel!" Caitlin cut him off, then looked across at Douglas as if he needed his head read. She settled for detailing the clues! "The guy thinks a lamp post has more personality. He doesn't believe my father has enough to offer Jared to take me off his hands. He walks into a semi naked me in a bathroom and would rather grapple with a boa constrictor. If he has to talk to me, he tries to do it through a third party. He told you to take his dinner place at our table this evening. He told me my father's announcement in the e-bulletin wouldn't bully him into marrying me! " She bridged her fingers rested her chin on the arch that was formed and said, "Shall I go on?"
"I'm just saying that you might have got Jared wrong." Douglas murmured. They might come from different social spheres, but she clearly did not see those divisions. That had Douglas wondering whether Jared had been too quick to throw in the towel when Fate had put Caitlin in Jared's path.
"Really." The whole weekend debacle caught up with Caitlin, as frustration and exasperation simmered beneath the surface. Douglas defending his friend was not helping her frame of mind. She looked Douglas in the eyes, "And which of his actions do you think I got wrong?"
"He stopped to change your tyre." Douglas pointed out. He was starting to understand just what Jared was up against. This woman might look delicate and fragile but that just hid the fact that she was robust and resolute. She was not back down here. What had Jared said? A straight arrow? That's definitely what she was. Direct. Doesn't mince her words.
"You were the one who volunteered." Caitlin stated flatly. "He was stuck, as he was with you!"
"He took you home." Douglas reminded her warming to the defence of his friend. With a bit of luck Douglas hoped to turn things round between Jared and Caitlin.
"You said it was on his way." Caitlin told him bluntly.
"He tried to fix the problem he'd created." Countered Douglas.
"Which one?" She quirked a brow at him and pouted.
"Er, you know the broadcast." Douglas squirmed. Which under other circumstances Caitlin would have found amusing. A man of his ilk finding her questioning uncomfortable. That was a turn up for the books. For she imagine that Douglas and Jared for that matter had probably dealt with much more trying situations then this one. "The kiss." Douglas reminded.
"The kiss." Candy repeated. She was listening avidly to the dialogue between Douglas and Caitlin and was tempted to jump in to support Douglas. For she shared his view. Caitlin and Jared would make a great couple!
"Yes, everyone knows he kissed Caitlin." Douglas bridged his fingers together and looked straight at Caitlin challenging her to dispute that statement.
"With one ear on your approach, and probably one eye on your departure." Caitlin snorted in disdain. She felt rather than saw Nigel's reaction to the latest round of statements.
"He really kissed you?" Nigel muttered quietly. Then he frowned. At the time he hadn't believed the rumours. Caitlin wasn't the type to kiss any random guy, let alone a guy who had insulted her. Nigel was puzzled for the rumours in this case appeared to be true. Nigel looked at Candy as if to seek confirmation.
"Come on, he was trying to fix it, at least give him credit for that." Douglas told Caitlin.
"Oh, yeah, no problem with giving him credit for that. But it does show that he wasn't interested in me." Now that she had made her point, Caitlin hoped they could move onto a different topic. But it wasn't to be.
"How do you figure that?"
"Probably the fact that he stopped when you made your timely entrance, and the fact that you both seemed pleased with the staging." She tipped her head to one side, "I get that I'm not in your league, you guys have women falling at your feet! I get that. But staging that charity kiss was poor form."
Douglas blinked. He could tell from her words and tone that she was pretty convinced that Jared wasn't interested in her. It was only then that it dawned on Douglas that Caitlin, like Jared might have misread the signals.