“You won’t want to go back up there then.”
“No. Not tonight anyway, not when we have a big comfy bed, oh, and that horse was just my sort of guy, strong and opinionated.” Tasha softened further against Jim and began to drift off into a deep sleep immediately.
Chapter 25
Lying on the bed with his legs loosely crossed at the ankles Jim was watching Tasha carefully, maybe too carefully.
“You’re staring,” she accused, reaching forward for the dress on the bed.
“You’re mine, I’m allowed to stare,” he replied with a small frown as the lacy A-line skirt fell to where it finished just above her knees. “You look seriously sexy, baby.”
“Thank you.” Tasha smiled as she took in her reflection and thought that the high neckline that gathered with a string of fabric that circled her neck then tied at the back in a bow was the right mix between sexy and safe.
“It’s not too late to cry off,” Jim told her as he drank in his wife in navy blue lace that had a slim-fitting bodice that really did flatter her post baby shape, especially with its wide waistband and looser skirt that gave Tasha an enviable hourglass figure.
“I have no chance of crying off. Abby and Lucy wouldn’t even accept death as a good enough excuse, and I think Philip might need looking after.” Tasha sighed as she dropped down to sit on the bed and quickly found herself wrapped in Jim’s arms and pulled up the bed to sit next to him.
“Tasha, I love that you want to take care of Philip, but I’m not convinced going to a bar drinking is what is best for him right now. He is all over the place. He and Juan seem to be in a strange place and when Philip is in a good place he doesn’t make the best choices in bars and with drink so in his current weird place—”
Looking up at her husband’s concerned expression Tasha began to regret her decision to invite Philip along, to cheer him up. Moving so that she was straddling Jim’s hips, Tasha stroked away his furrowed brow before leaning in to kiss him, gently. With her forehead resting against his she released a long sigh.
“I’m off booze so I will keep his alcohol intake to a minimum and it won’t be a late night. I promise if Philip is getting out of his depth that I’ll come straight home, we both will.”
The sound of Connor crying forced Jim to move and ultimately ended the conversation they were having about Philip. Tasha knew her husband was concerned for his oldest son and so was Tasha. Things were a little rocky between Philip and Juan and although Tasha didn’t really know the details she knew Juan struggled to completely resist the mounting family pressure he was under. The pressure to conform. The fact that Philip was still staying in their house each night confirmed he was struggling.
“Hey, buddy, come and say hi and bye to Mommy. She looks really pretty,” Jim told the little boy from the other side of the baby monitor before reappearing in the bedroom where Tasha had added her shoes and bag.
“Hey, baby,” she cooed to a very vocal Connor who was babbling at her with a smile. “You be a good boy for Daddy, Mommy will see you later,” she told him before leaning in to kiss him as Philip called to her that Abby had arrived.
“Yes, and you be a good girl, too,” Jim told Tasha who was landing a chaste kiss to her husband’s cheek before heading for the stairs.
“I’ll try,” she called back to a frowning Jim.
The bar Abby had chosen was a new place, but very expensive and exclusive which Tasha was grateful for because she knew the last place she wanted to be was in a packed and overpopulated bar, especially with Philip. Lucy and Amanda who lived in the same neighbourhood had met them there.
With the first round of drinks ordered and them all sitting at a table they began making small talk. Philip was quiet and a little subdued causing more concern than his usual slightly over the top persona.
They had been there for probably only half an hour when a young woman approached the table and it soon became apparent she was an old friend of Philip’s. She asked about Jim, Sara and Lizzie before looking around the table and asking about Juan. Philip simply said he was out of town before introducing her to everyone as an ex-girlfriend of Ricky’s, Juan’s brother. Tasha invited her to join them, an invitation she declined but she did invite Philip to join her friends, an invitation he jumped at. Tasha was relieved that he at least looked happier now, but was a little concerned that he might end up on tequila slammers and she had vowed to take care of him.
With Philip gone the four women very quickly settled into easy and slightly lewd conversation, especially when Lucy began to rate the waiting staff, a game Abby quickly and enthusiastically joined in with.
It was after a slightly older and very attractive member of the waiting staff had delivered a round of drinks that conversation became more personal with Amanda comparing the waiter to Bobby. Tasha thought it was very sweet that Abby actually checked out the man again and then dismissed him as being nowhere near as attractive as her husband.
“So, how did you and Bobby meet?” Tasha asked.
“Through work. I was new to the company and I’d seen Bobby a couple of times around the place but had never been brave enough to speak to him.” Abby smiled and added, “He can be quite scary.”
The other women laughed.
“Yeah, we get that, Abby. He is a Maybury after all,” said Tasha.
“I never spoke and then one day we were in the elevator together and Bobby just stared at me. Still no words were exchanged and by the time I got out on my floor I was ready to pass out, throw myself at his feet or throw up, maybe all three and he just laughed.”
“So?” squealed Lucy who was on the edge of her seat now.
With a laugh Abby continued, “There was a corporate gym and that’s where we met next. I was sweaty and red and Bobby, well he was glorious in his workout gear, not that he’d started his workout…and beyond that my lips are sealed.”
Abby slumped back in her seat while the others all stared at her, Tasha and Lucy open mouthed.
