“Thanks for the help,” she moaned. “I thought at least one of you might come and take a glass from me.”
Riley’s gaze darted between the two of them, wondering if she knew, whether Nick had discussed it with her.
But to his relief, Nick looked up at her and winked. “I know how well you handle big things.” He grinned at the eye-roll he got in return, but didn’t mention anything about Riley and Alex.
Riley could have kissed him. As close as he was to all his friends, this wasn’t something he wanted to have a group discussion over.
But apparently, Abi hadn’t given up. She sipped her pint and then fixed him with her I-mean-business glare.
He groaned and put his head in his hands.
“Don’t be like that, Ri.”
She sounded a little hurt, and he immediately felt bad. “Sorry.”
“First Alex can’t make it, now you.” She sighed. “The place is usually booked up through December, but my dad had a last-minute cancellation. I thought you’d all jump at the chance.”
Nick took her hand and rubbed his thumb over the back of it. Riley felt even worse. And to be fair, he did love the lodge. The group of them had been going there for the past six years, as soon as one of them could drive. Just the odd weekend here and there, but it was kind of their thing ever since they left sixth form.
She caught Riley’s eye. “It’ll probably snow too.”
Low blow. Riley loved snow, especially at Christmas, and these days you were lucky to see the odd day of it in Bristol, and never in December. God, he couldn’t believe she’d found a way to guilt him into it without much effort at all. Maybe it wouldn’t bethatbad if Alex wasn’t going to be there?
Or maybe it would be worse? “I guess I could—”
“Yes!” Abi squealed, her happy smile crinkling her eyes.
And Riley knew there was no way he could back out now. “Fine, just tell me the dates, and I’ll have a word with Mum.”
Being unable to get a job he wanted after finishing his degree had left Riley helping out in his mum’s shop, playing delivery boy, mostly. Years of watching her work meant he knew his way around flowers, but arranging them was out of his league. He and Alex might both work for their parents—a constant source of amusement for their friends—but whereas Alex was learning his trade from an expert, Riley was killing time until he found something he was good at. But that didn’t mean he could just take off when he felt like it.
Abi’s sudden guilty expression told him that might not be an issue. “I may or may not have already had a word with her.”
Nick glanced at her sharply. “I thought you were going to stay out of it.”
Ugh. Maybe he’d been wrong. Maybe she did know?
He couldn’t help himself. “Stay out of what?”
Nick gave him an incredulous look, as though asking if he really wanted to go there. Abi wasn’t stupid; if she didn’t already know, she’d soon work it out if he kept talking.
“You haven’t mentioned Alex once today,” she said. “And I know for a fact you haven’t seen him since we came back from Wales.”
“How do you know that?” He’d replied to texts, but that was all. Blaming Christmas for being too busy in the shop was far too easy, and having Charlie come home early had been perfect.
Abi played with the condensation on her glass. “I was in the shop yesterday afternoon, and your mum might have mentioned it. She also said you’ve been a bit miserable these past few days. What a coincidence.”
Riley fidgeted, losing his battle with the beer mat and picking at its edges. “I’ve been busy.”
“Mm-hmm.” Abi glanced between Nick—who’d been suspiciously quiet—and Riley. “Clearly you don’t want to tell me what’s going on, and that’s fine. I won’t pry.” Riley let out a sigh of relief and Abi narrowed her eyes at him. “But Alex knows there’s something up with you, so you need to fix it. He keeps asking me ifIknow anything.”
That had Riley sitting up a little straighter, and words sort of fell out. “Why you? Why not Nick?”
“Oh, so there is something to know, then?”
What?He frowned. “But you just said—”
“I was fishing. Sort of. Yes, Alex is worried about you, but I thought maybe he was overreacting. Apparently not, though.” She looked over at Nick, with a fond smile. “And the reason Al asks me and not Nick is because Nick refuses to get involved between you two. Whereas I don’t care.” She put her elbows on the table. “You and Alex have been inseparable for as long as I can remember, Riley. What the hell’s going on?”
