“Hey guys. Having a good time?” I sidle around the group till I’m in the darkest corner, hoping I’m hidden.
“Yeah. Great party. What a view, man,” says Brad, one of the art directors, gazing out over the harbour.
“What’s the go with the blonde?” Sean gets straight to the point. He’s really taken a liking to Greer and seems to be keeping an eye on me. Not sure how to feel about that.
“Nothing’s the go with the blonde.” My words come out defensive.
“Right. Gotcha.” Fiona’s voice is soaked in a nice combination of disapproval and disappointment. Apparently, the Greer effect hasn’t only worked on the guys.
The sound of Greer’s laugh has us all turning at the same time. Fuck, she’s beautiful. Even her belly laugh is sexy. I can’t take my eyes off her. Which is a problem for a whole lot of reasons. Not least because I don’t see Lexi approaching until it’s too late, and she’s sliding both arms around my waist and pressing her sticky, glossed-up lips against my ear. Which is when Greer turns. Even in the dim light, I can see the surprise and hurt ripple over her face.
“So, Josh, I was thinking maybe we could get out of here? Go back to your place?” Lexi is rubbing her almost bare body against me. Not sure what part of ‘moving in party’ she didn’t get.
“I live here. Remember?” I’ve told her this more than once. To say she has the brain of a goldfish would be insulting to goldfish. There was a time in my life when it wouldn’t have mattered to me. And it isn’t lost on me when, exactly, it started to change.
“Oh. Okay. Well, we could go to mine then.” She beams like this is the best idea ever.
“Yeah, thanks, but no thanks.” Predictably, she pouts her unnaturally full lips. I’m aware I’m being borderline rude, but all I can think about is the look on Greer’s face. I push Lexi away and look around for Greer. There’s no sign of her.
In a move guaranteed to double his Christmas bonus, Sean takes Lexi’s arm and leads her over the balcony railing. “I hear you’re an influencer …” he starts as I make my escape.
“Where’s Greer?” I ask when I finally find Will in the crowd.
I must look a little frantic, and maybe Will isn’t as drunk as I thought because he gives me a look I can’t quite interpret, but I decide to ignore it. I have bigger problems than puzzling out my friend’s moods.
“Ahh, dunno. She might have gone home? I think she said something about a headache. But she seemed alright. Maybe she’s gone to hook up with that guy she was with the other week?”
I know for a fact that isn’t the case becausethatguy is still standing right here. Feeling more like a piece of shit than he ever has in his life. Which is saying something.
Chapter Thirty
Greer
It’stimetoraisethe white flag.
Jessie is the best not-quite sister a girl could have. I didn’t even have to say anything. She took one look at my face and got me out of there. Thank God Ethan’s away at a conference.
It’s about a half-hour walk from Will’s place to mine. We could’ve grabbed an Uber, but I needed to move, and Jessie let me storm along without a word, waiting for me to be ready to talk.
It took till we were in my living room in our pyjamas before I let fly. And by let fly, I mean break down in great heaving sobs alternated with angry ranting.
Like magic, a box of tissues, a block of chocolate and a bottle of red wine appear on the coffee table in front of me, and Jessie cuddles me until the bawling slows to a drizzle.
“How could he? Right in front of me.” It’s a good thing Jessie speaks fluent Greer because I’m pretty sure the average person wouldn’t have been able to make out what I said, between the blocked nose and the hiccupping sobs.
“What did he do? I hardly saw him all night.”
“He was …. He was flirting. With a girl.”
“What a rat bastard. Who?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know her. Will said her name was Lexi.”
“Was it just flirting? Or did they hook up?”
“I don’t know. I couldn’t stay and watch. She was all over him. He’s probably having hot animal sex with her right now.” I take a messy slurp of wine and snap off a whole row of chocolate squares.
“I’ve said it before. I’ll say it again, Gee. It’s past time you called it with him.” Not only is Jessie Team Greer, but she knows when it’s time for some tough love.
