There were a lot of guests over, most of whom looked like his teammates and their partners, but there was still plenty of space to walk around.
Baird swallowed me up in a big bear hug upon our arrival. Then he excitedly introduced me to his big sister Ainsley, who eyed me carefully as she glanced between Baird and Callan. John came over to say hello and Ainsley made a crack about us looking like brother and sister, and everyone laughed at how uncomfortable this seemed to make Callan, who vehemently disagreed.
After a while, I found myself sitting on a stool at the island chatting with Ainsley about her business. She shared that Baird had renovated the space into a flat, and she’d helped with the interior design. It was her idea to create the mezzanine bedroom. She said this place is the one that put her on the map as an interior designer. We were both self-made and had a lot in common, and she was the prime example of someone who knew how to make social media work for her.
“So, you and Callan, huh?” She leaned against the island, sipping a beer out of a cold bottle. I was drinking the nonalcoholic beer the footballers were drinking because I couldn’t afford a hangover. Ainsley glanced over my shoulder and her sudden, deep frown made me turn around to follow her gaze.
Callan sat on the arm of Baird’s sofa, facing toward us. He was taking a pull of NA beer, his knees splayed, and a young woman stood between said knees. She had long, wavy red-gold hair and her hand rested on his shoulder as they chatted.
Flirted.
Not chatted.
Flirted.
He wore a teasing smirk that he hadn’t shot my way since high school. Whatever he said made the redhead throw her hair back in laughter, and Callan’s gaze darted down her body in interest.
Weirdly stung by witnessing the encounter, I smothered the sensation and turned back to Ainsley with an insouciant shrug.
Ainsley raised an eyebrow. “That shit doesn’t bother you?”
Though I tried to form a blasé smile, I could feel it wobble a bit as I explained, “We’re only pretending to date.”
“Why?”
“Because …” A voice startled me, and I turned to my right as Baird slid into the space beside me and a guy sitting on thestool with his back to us. Baird slung an arm over my shoulders. “Some big shot CEO Beth wants as a client tried to set her up with her son, Beth lied and told her she was dating Callan to get out of it, and the CEO called her on the lie. So, Callan’s pretending to date Beth in exchange for a meeting with her dad about the castle we want to buy from him.”
I stiffened. “Callan told you?”
Baird shrugged. “We’re best pals. He tells me and John everything.”
Since that was kind of nice, I decided to let my annoyance at Callan sharing my personal shit slide. For now. It wasn’t Baird’s fault. “Right.”
“I’m sorry, Beth.” Ainsley leaned in, wearing a scowl. “Why let this so-called client control you, though? Do you really need her business so badly?”
“It’s more that she can blackball me and ruin my business if she bad-mouths me for not wanting to date her son. He must have really chewed me out to her to lead her to do this.” I’d thought about it a lot, and Samuel had to have wound his mum up about me. What an arsehole. All because I wasn’t romantically interested in him.
“Men,” Ainsley huffed. “Wankers.”
“Hey!” Baird dramatically clasped his breast. “Not all men.”
“Your friend is a wanker.” Ainsley jerked her chin in Callan’s direction. “Even if he and Beth are only pretending to date, they came here together and he’s all over Amy.”
“Amy?” Baird glanced over his shoulder. “Aye, Amy. You didn’t tell me she was coming.”
“Who is Amy?”
“The only girl who has ever said no to Baird. She’s my friend from school.” Ainsley sighed heavily. “And she just broke up with her long-term boyfriend and is looking for a casual hookup. Looks like she’s found her target.”
“Well, I’m hurt.” Baird met my gaze. “Wouldn’t you rather hook up with me than Keen?”
“Absolutely,” I said without preamble.
Baird grinned. “Fuck, I wish Keen had heard how fast you said that.” Mischief danced in his eyes. “Come with me.” He held out his hand.
Bemused, I cocked my head in consideration. “Where to?”
“Just come with me.”
