One month later Gabriella and Amelia went to a local social to celebrate the cycle camp and to generate more money for the charity. Though Ella sat at the same table as David, they said very little to each other and when he did include her in the conversation, his tone was full of derision.
Jack and David stood at the bar to collect the order for the table. Jack glanced at his foster brother. He'd never until tonight noticed that David deliberately set out to annoy Gabriella. Avoid her yes. But annoy, that was new. But then it was only tonight that he realised that it was very rare for David and Gabriella to be in each other's company.
"You want to tell me what's going on?" Jack planted his forearms on the counter as they waited for the waiter.
"What about?" David feigned ignorance.
Jack narrowed his eyes. "Don't try to bullshit me, Dave. Remember Gabriella? Amelia's friend."
David said nothing.
Jack leaned back and turned around to look at David. "Dave?"
"Yeah, I know she is Amelia's friend. So what?" David looked away, pretending to get the attention of the bartender.
Jack knew that if he started to sound too confrontational, David would shut down the conversation. So he said in a conversational tone. "If you were to ask anyone in town to describe you, they'd say, nice guy. Good humoured, kind hearted, ladies man."
"Yeah, I agree!" David retorted.
"That is if you ask anyone but one particular woman." Jack watched the emotions that flashed through David's eyes, "Given the way you've been treating her this evening, I can understand why she does not endorse that view." Jack glanced at David, ignored the anger and said, "So why are you baiting her tonight?"
"I'm not."
"Dave I was there when you were caustic about her social skills." Jack reminded his brother. As he remembered his brother's words, Jack wondered at the vitriol that threaded through each word David spoke to Gabriella.
David said nothing. Ok, so perhaps he shouldn't have been so derogatory about her conversation input. The problem was that tonight showed him that he would have to change his approach to Gabriella, because, before tonight, he didn't have a choice. Tonight they had to sit on the same table. Amelia was on the cycle trip group table, and with Amelia, came Ella. And David knew if Jack and Amelia became a couple, that would mean that David would meet Ella more often. Not a good idea, acknowledged David as the evening went on.
"Then you decided to take pot shots at her appearance. She looked amazing. But you shot her down with that ridiculous statement about her hair." He persisted even though David was now glaring.
David looked away. Yes, that was definitely way off. He basically told her she looked like she'd worn something from a decade back, and that it complimented her hairstyle. But of course she knew she was beautiful, so his snide remarks may have generated some laughter from those around, but his statements would not have done her confidence any harm.
Jack shook his head, in utter bewilderment. "Then you decided to use her as the fall guy in one of your ill conceived jokes." Jack tapped David's shoulder, "This isn't you. What's got into you?" Jack waited for David to respond, "Why pick on her?" And seeing the acknowledgment in David's eyes that he had picked on Ella, Jack ran his fingers and his palm over his jaw.
That was the truth, David recognised Jack's statement. But he said, "Just leave it."
"Leave it?" Jack asked incredulously. Jack shook his head as he contemplated the ramifications of David's actions on Amelia, given she was Ella's best friend. This was not David. He had good social skills and never pulled women down. He normally indulged, pacified and supported women. Basically a good guy. However, tonight, David's behaviour got Jack stumped. "A lesser woman would have been reduced to tears by now, given half of what you've dished out tonight."
David thought about it for a second, and questioned, "A lesser woman?"
"What? Are you kidding?" Jack knew that his family had no qualms about speaking their minds. "Yes, a lesser woman. You basically...."
David looked over his shoulder and interrupted, "She's an iceberg, or have you forgotten that?" He reminded Jack, "She can handle pressure."
Jack shook his head. "Dave, I get that. We all know she is polite and cool." Jack thought that Ella had two different sides to her character: With friends she was open and with the public she was aloof. "But that is no reason to flay her alive in public." Especially not tonight. In any case, Jack was pretty sure that Ella was actually an easy-going woman and Jack couldn't remember his brother treating any woman so badly. Usually David charmed them, regardless of their appearance, sophistication or manners.
The waiter placed their order in front of them, and David, thanked him and handed him some notes to cover the cost.
"Leave her alone. Stop using her as a target." Jack ordered David and nodded towards the two trays. David could hear, from Jack's tone it was pretty obvious that he was not going to tolerate dissent.
They reached for the trays. "Why the sudden defence? You interested in her?" David questioned Jack, even as David's eyes twinkled because he was pretty sure that Jack was not interested in Ella: Jack had another fish to fry.
"She's Amelia's friend." Jack snapped in frustration, as he recognised David's strategy to move the topic.
David nodded sagely, albeit his eyes still twinkled. "I know. So?" Jack ignored the question. David stopped and looked at his foster brother, his eyes conveying exasperation. "For fucks sake, Jack!" He finally snapped. "Yeah, I know she is Amelia's friend. But if you are interested in Amelia, do something about it!" As the light dawned. "Hanging around with Jane, isn't going to give Amelia the right message." He was pretty sure that Jack was in love. David added cheerily and wasn't at all surprised to see Jack throw him a glare. "Jack, just ask Amelia out. Properly."
"Like she's going to say yes." Jack grouched. He simply could not imagine life without her, but at the moment, getting her to share her life with him was a dream.
"She might if you weren't doing a limpet impression around Jane." His voice held a smile, but then David frowned. "Come to think about it. Why are you doing a limpet impression?" He added with pointed reference, "You do know that woman is a bloody nuisance!"
"Yeah, tell me about it." Jack complained dryly.
"So dump her." David told him matter-of-factly. He remembered them as kids, making decisions just hoping that their decisions would present them in a good light. But they were young kids, but now as adults, surely Jack knew this was not the right way to woo Amelia.
Jack flicked a glance at David, "She'll make a scene."
David couldn't help the grimace. He knew exactly what Jack was talking about. They could nominate Jane for an Oscar, albeit for a nomination for the supporting actress award. "Yeah, so what?"
"Then how the hell am I supposed to impress Amelia?" Jack shook his head, as he contemplated what he knew.
David couldn't help the frown, "Jack, pretending to be a limpet to impress Amelia, is not a good idea."
"My plan is to show her I may not be educated like Amelia, but I can be a gentleman."
David told him, "Well hanging out with Jane isn't doing you any favours." Jack was definitely agitated, thought David. David couldn't believe that his brother and him had issues with women, they had good skills in that department, and yet, here, at a local social event, they were behaving like adolescents on their first dates.
"I'm not hanging out with Jane." Jack was disconcerted by the situation and added, "She just commandeered the seat next to me."
David laughed. "Yeah, and a, you are an adult, and b, you have experience to avoid uninvited company!" Jack snort in response. David shook his head, "Just ask Amelia to dance. That's a better start that sitting with that piranha."
"Easy to say." Muttered Jack.
"You appeared to have lost your skills." David stirred. "And, Jack, your reputation is falling apart!" And David walked away with a tray of drinks for their table. Jack followed behind David, and came to a decision.
David asked Amelia to dance later. But when he suggested to Amelia, that she could ask Jack to dance, she'd negotiated a trade. David had insisted he was not going to ask Ella to dance, but when Amelia left him, that left David with a whole heap of misgivings. Amelia and Jack waltzed away, so David asked Ella to dance. She politely refused. And Ella ignored the warning in David's eyes and she walked away, leaving him in the middle of the dance floor. David watched in pensive silence, reined in his temper, remembered where he was at this very moment, and the fact that this was a social event, so he walked away in the opposite direction to Ella to avoid an argument.
But at least, Amelia danced with Jack, and from the looks of things, they were finally getting things sorted. David watched his brother escort Amelia out for some air. Progress, David thought and couldn't help the grin of satisfaction despite the fact his eyes were still furious with Ella.