“Trust me, she’s not one to miss a party,” I snorted, turning my attention back to my phone.
“Did I tell you I’d asked Louise and Jackie over too?” Oliver asked.
“I haven’t seen either of them in ages. They’re back from travelling?”
Jackie and Louise were our lesbian friends from college. They’d been together for years now – practically married couple status.
“Yeah, me either. I think they’ve only been back a few weeks.” Oliver smiled and began tapping out a text message on his phone.
“I’ll text Becca now.” I opened up my messages.
“Tell her to come over about eight,” Oliver replied.
MAX: Alright, Smell? Come over for eight tonight.
I didn’t have to wait long for a response. I watched her typing a message back.
BECCA: Smell? Charming! Eight sounds great. Do you want me to bring anything?
MAX: Booze?
BECCA: Consider it done.
“Becca’s in,” I said, without looking up at Oliver.
“Great, I’ll go give Jackie a call to make sure they’re still up for it. I’ve invited a couple of other friends.”
I wrinkled my nose. That meant Oliver had invited his stoner mates. Great. When Oliver disappeared, I lay back against the sofa and wondered what the evening would have in store. I was certain Oliver and Becca would end up fooling around with one another at some point. Becca was definitely Oliver’s type and Oliver… Well, he was handsome enough.
One thing was for certain, though – the flat was going to be in need of a good clean tomorrow.
???
Eight o’clock had come and gone, but Becca was still nowhere to be seen. Our modest flat was full of people – Oliver had clearly underestimated how many people he had invited. I squeezed past a group, drink in hand, as the intercom chimed.
I pressed the button down. “Hey.”
“Hey Max, it’s Louise and Jackie,” a familiar voice replied.
“Come on up.” I pressed the release button, holding it down for a long moment. When I heard a knock at the door, I opened it and was almost immediately dragged into a tight hug.
“Oh my God, Max!” Louise planted a kiss on my cheek, her lips sticky with lipstick. “How are you? You look so good.”
“Thanks, you look amazing as usual.” I grinned, “Check that tan.”
“I know.” Louise beamed, doing a little twirl. I hugged Jackie and ushered them inside, closing the door behind them. Jackie held up a bottle of prosecco and I beckoned for them to follow me into the kitchen.
“Did you have a good time in Africa?” I asked, taking the bottle from them and popping the cork from the neck.
“Amazing. Honestly, it was the best thing we’ve ever done.” Louise smiled over her shoulder as she made herself at home, hunting through my cabinets for a wine glass.
“Seriously, Max?” Jackie chided as Louise handed her a pint glass. “You don’t own a wine glass?”
I shrugged and grinned, gesturing to my bottle of beer. “Not really any need for them.”
The girls laughed and I poured out what I estimated to be roughly a wine glass of prosecco into their glasses. They each took a sip.
Although I liked Jackie, I’d always been better friends with Louise. We had met in a compulsory pottery class when we were in school, both of us being the only two students who had their pots explode in the kiln. We’d been good friends ever since.
