I fall back down on the couch and reach for my cigarettes. "Does she even know what you’re up to?"
"What do you think of me? Of course she knows," Jules states impatiently. "Right, Sophie?" She turns around, but there’s no one there. "Sophie?"
"Maybe I should wear something else," she says from the bathroom.
Ah, fuck. I have a bad feeling about this.
Jules takes a few steps back and stops in the open doorway, where she makes a prompting gesture with her hands. "Nonsense. You look great. Let’s go! Get your ass out there, girl!"
"Jules, this is a fucking?—"
"Shh!" she hisses in my direction before disappearing into the bathroom and saying something to Sophie that I don’t understand.
I let my head sink into my hands and close my eyes.
Going out with Jules and Sophie? Not even a herd of wild horses could drag me to this. I’m completely whacked. Besides, a pub is the last place Sophie should be right now. I don’t care if I’m the killjoy, but she’s not going out partying on her third night. That’s going too far.
The girls’ soft voices drift through the open bathroom door before I hear steps. Opening my eyes, I lift my head to tell Jules to forget about that lousy idea, but as soon as my gaze lands on Sophie, who has finally left the bathroom, the words get stuck in my throat.
She’s wearing a simple skintight black dress that ends just above her knees. Jules has styled her hair into large, loose waves that fall forward over Sophie’s shoulder, and she’s gone all out on her face. The eyes are dark-rimmed, and the already plump lips look even fuller thanks to the rich red Jules has painted them with.
Sophie looks absolutely stunning.
"Turn around," Jules demands proudly.
She does so immediately.
"So?" Jules asks, glancing at me as soon as Sophie has finished her turn, and places her hands on her hips. "What do you say?"
Sophie chews on her bottom lip while kneading her fingers. She seems nervous, and when I don’t say anything because I’m at a loss for words, she lowers her eyes and slumps her shoulders.
"I told you it didn’t suit me," she mutters in Jules’s direction, giving her a pained look.
Jules shakes her head. "It looks great on you. He’s just a moron." Then she grabs Sophie’s hand and gives me a withering look. "Come on. Let’s go."
"You’re not going anywhere," I object as I regain mastery of my tongue and stand.
"Can we just fast-forward to the part where you’re done with your bullshit speech, buckle down, and come with us?" Jules gives me an annoyed look as Sophie pulls on a pair of Doc Martens, looking up at me with indecision.
"I—"
"Cole,please."
I look from Sophie to Jules and back again.
They’ll go without me. I know that because I know Jules. Andsheknows that I will eventually give in because under no circumstances will I let them go off on their own if there’s any way to avoid it. Especially not when they look likethat.There are too many assholes out there who would see them as an invitation.
"Fine," I say while hoping I won’t regret my decision. "But you have to stay sober. I can’t drive anymore."
Jules grins broadly, lets go of Sophie’s hand, and runs toward me. Then she stands on her tiptoes and kisses me on the cheek. "You’re the best!"
The small pub is packed. The air is stuffy, the music horrible, and the guests half too young, half too old. It takes me exactly five seconds to remember why I haven’t gone out in years.
I hate being around people. Especiallyhappypeople. Jules, on the other hand, loves it, and I realize that my solitude over the past few years has not only affected my life but hers as well. I don’t know when the last time was that I saw her so excited and euphoric, and the guilt from this realization makes me want to punch myself in the face.
I should have given her more space. That’s probably also the reason she moved out. I looked after her too much and didn’t notice that she’d grown up. But after I found her freezing and half-starved on the street six years ago and took her under mywing, I guarded her like the apple of my eye. And it is not easy to give that up. She has never blamed me for it, but I’m afraid it’s because I simply haven’t been myself for the past three years.
While Jules takes Sophie’s hand to pull her to the jukebox, I head to the bar and claim one of the last free stools. After the bartender has served me my drink, I light a cigarette and turn around again.
