‘So, how long have you two been a couple?’ Rosabeth asked with her gaze firmly fixed on Bram.
‘This is our first official date,’ Caitlin replied.
Rosabeth’s eyes were still narrowed on Bram. ‘You look ever so familiar.’
He blushed. ‘Aye, I was at the singles mixer, up in Broadford.’
Rosabeth’s eyes widened. ‘Oh yes! That was the night that poor woman fell flat on her face, wasn’t it? I think I would’ve wanted the ground to open up and swallow me if that happened to me.’ She threw her head back and laughed. ‘She looked so utterly ridiculous there on her hands and knees. I know I shouldn’t laugh, but it was hilarious!’
Bram scrunched his brow. ‘Oh, I missed that. Poor lass. I bet she was mortified.’
As her face almost spontaneously combusted, Caitlin wanted Archie’s garden to open up and swallow her. She lifted her chin and made eye contact with a panicked-looking Archie, pleading with her eyes for him to keep his mouth shut. The last thing she needed was to be outed as the ‘poor woman’ Rosabeth had just been ridiculing.
‘Come and get food!’ Archie blurted.
And Caitlin exhaled, grateful that he had understood her unspoken plea, but still a little hurt by the callousness of Rosabeth’s amusement.
Rosabeth ran her red-painted nails down Archie’s arm. ‘Oh, he’s so demanding,’ she said in a sexy purr that made Caitlin feel physically sick – although it could still have been the ridicule.
‘Aye, I’m starving,’ Bram replied as he followed in the direction Rosabeth and Archie walked.
Before Caitlin could take a step, she was stopped by her friends Ruby and Jules.
‘Wehaveto get rid of her!’ Ruby stated with determination.
Feeling incredibly sorry for Sophie, Caitlin gasped. ‘You can’t say that!’
‘We bloody can. She’s awful! And he just can’t see it,’ Jules said. Her face in a crumple of disgust. ‘She’s using him.’
‘She’s only just got here, give her a chance,’ Caitlin pleaded.
Jules shook her head and pursed her lips. ‘Look, you weren’t here earlier for her display. I’m telling you; she is going to make Archie’s life a misery.’
‘But… But…’
Ruby folded her arms across her chest. ‘Seriously, Cait, we’re not joking. She has to go. I’m not prepared to give her a chance. Not after what she did earlier.’
Caitlin was perturbed. She thought her friends would be willing to accept Archie’s new position as a dad. And although it was going to take Sophie a while to acclimatise, they were being unnecessarily harsh about the child in her opinion. ‘Whatever she did earlier, I think you need to consider her age and what she’s been through,’ Caitlin replied with a scowl.
‘I’m not ageist in the slightest and, to be honest, the fact she’s four years younger than him means nothing. But she’s already flirted with Reid, and she basically fawned all over Mitch,’ Ruby said indignantly.
The penny dropped and Caitlin covered her eyes with her hand. ‘You mean Rosabeth.’
Jules frowned and shared a confused glance with Ruby. ‘Who else would we mean?’
‘I thought you meant little Sophie.’
Jules’ eyes widened. ‘Oh god, no! She’s adorable! Rosabeth, on the other hand, is a disaster waiting to happen. You’ll have to say something, Cait. You’re the closest to him and he’ll listen to you.’
Caitlin scoffed. ‘Not a chance. He’s an adult and he’ll make his own decisions and mistakes, thank you very much. I am his friend, but I have no intention of interfering. Imagine how that would look!’
The other two women shared another disgruntled look. ‘He’s going to get hurt, Cait.’
‘Ruby’s right,’ Jules agreed. ‘She’s a massive flirt. Look!’
Caitlin glanced over to see that Rosabeth and Bram were huddled in a corner chatting. Rosabeth was eating a hot dog rather too seductively for her liking and Bram appeared to be hanging on her every word. Luckily, Archie appeared and dragged Rosabeth away.
Her friends were right, Caitlin decided, Rosabeth looked too good to be true and evidently was. And what kind of influence would someone like that be on little, impressionable Sophie? She shivered at the thought but knew she couldn’t really interfere… could she?
