“Photos. Books. Toys…” I said. “You had quite the collection.” Ava and Victoria were distracted by Max and Jackson who had just turned up.
He shrugged. “My favourite flavour has never been vanilla. What can I get you to drink?”
I looked at the half-full glass of prosecco. “This is sitting well. Maybe something fruity and sweet. Or a margarita?”
“On it.” He grinned and headed to the bar and I noticed a couple of the women from work looking in his direction. It disturbed me. He was single and there was no reason why he wouldn’t go home with one of my colleagues or someone else tonight and take them to bed. We were friends and that was it.
I headed over to where my brothers were. There was some girl hanging off Callum; Seph looked like he was drinking lime and soda, which was an interested turn of events, while Max and Jackson were nursing whisky. There was no plan for the evening. I suspected the Callaghan Green crew who were out would drop off to go elsewhere, while my brothers and a couple of their friends would head to the whisky bars and restaurants they favoured. Killian’s brother was out too with his girlfriend who was heavily pregnant herself, as were a couple of friends of Vanessa’s, Jackson’s wife.
“Here,” Owen said, passing me a margarita. “Congratulations on becoming an auntie.” He lifted his whisky to clink my glass.
“Cheers,” I said. “To nearly a week of knowing each other.”
He laughed. “Is that all it’s been? It feels like I’ve known you forever. And that’s a good thing.” His free arm slipped around my waist, his hand on my hip and I let him shift me closer into his side. The bar was busy enough for no one to really pick up on it and I enjoyed the feeling of him being close far more than I wanted to admit.
“Are you mad I hunted through your stuff?” I said.
“No. I have nothing to hide. If I did, I’d hide it better. My mother has no concept of privacy. Any questions on what you found?” he said, taking a drink of the golden liquid.
“Plenty,” I said. “You have a kinky side?”
“I’m not sure a butt plug and handcuffs are kinky.”
“Do you use the butt plug or…”
He laughed, his arm tightening around my waist. “I’ve used them on a couple of girlfriends. The ones in the drawer are new though. I take it you haven’t used one?”
I shook my head. “No. Not something that’s been in my repertoire. And I think we should leave that conversation here.”
Maxwell headed over and the conversation turned to rugby, Elijah joining in. Another round of whisky arrived with a couple of jugs of margaritas for me, Ava, Victoria and Vanessa and the night slipped into a happy dance of drunkenness and conversation and eventually—for everyone except Jackson and Max—dancing.
For the first time in forever I felt relaxed, comfortable in my own skin. I wasn’t looking at the men in the room or thinking about what I should be doing, instead I was liking being who I was.
Owen had a drinking competition with Callum and took Seph outside to throw up. That was when we found out his lime soda had vodka in also. Killian managed to check his phone just twice an hour and only had one conversation with Claire where she told him to ‘fuck off and leave her alone for a few hours.’ That caused another round of shots and by midnight only a few of us were still standing. Seph was asleep in a corner; Ava had long since disappeared; Jackson and Vanessa had slipped off and Eli had disappeared around the same time as Ava.
I sat down next to Victoria who was watching Max with interest. “I haven’t seen him this drunk for a long time,” she said. “This means he’ll spend most of the day in bed so I can go shopping without him.”
“Does he usually go with you?”
“Most the time. He says it’s to keep me company, but we always end up in Victoria’s Secret and he insists I get a basket and he slips things in. Then asks me to model them when we get home to ‘check they fit.’” She smiled as he swayed a little.
“I wouldn’t have thought he had it in him.”
“You’d be surprised. I’ll spare you the details though. Owen’s lovely. He says you’re just friends though.”
“Yeah. I’m thinking that was a stupid idea now,” I said. I liked Victoria. She was feisty and argumentative and very clever: everything my eldest brother needed.
“There’s still time to change your mind,” she said. “I’d best get Max home. No chance of getting him up the stairs.”
“Good luck with that.” I stood up with her and looked about the bar for Owen, aware I hadn’t seen him for some time. I had no messages on my phone to say he’d headed home or gone to meet up with other friends.
Then I saw him in a corner with a tall, slim dark haired girl. Her hand was on his chest and they were chatting intently. I watched, unable to take my eyes away, a bit like passing a car crash. I had known him less than a week and seeing him chat, flirt, with someone else was cutting me up.
“I’m going to head home,” I said to Victoria. “I’ll see you later.”
“You sure you’re okay?” she said, looking concerned. Max was starting to look a little nauseous.
“I’m fine. Just tired. I’ll see you a week on Sunday at yours, if not before,” I said. She nodded and started to coax Max outside into the fresh air. I looked up one more time to where I had seen Owen. This time he saw me and caught my eye. He gave me a grin and started to untangle himself but I pretended not to notice and instead slipped out of the bar onto the street.
