I braced myself. I knew what was coming. The Callaghans wouldn’t be affected by three glasses of wine or champagne or prosecco. I, however, would feel it pretty much straight away and unless I found some resistance, most of Monday would be wasted.
I followed Vic into the kitchen where plenty of food was already on the table: a cheese platter, cold meats, olives, something that looked unidentifiable which meant it had probably come from Claire. I looked round for her but only Lainey, Vanessa and Payton were there so far.
“Any idea what that is and who brought it?” I pointed at the substance.
“Claire and she’s watching the rugby. Apparently it’s guacamole to go with the tacos that are good to be warmed up.” Vic eyed it suspiciously. “It’s probably safe. I can’t see how she’d go wrong with guac.”
“It’s Claire.”
“This is true. Killian prepped the tacos though. Max is putting the barbecue on when they’ve got back from rugby.” She shook her head. “I told him we could get something to stuff in the oven, but he’s having man issues. I guess grilling the shit out of food makes him feel more manly.”
Lainey looked up from the corner of the extended kitchen where there was a velvet chesterfield sofa. She looked happier than the last time I’d seen her, when she was in the bar. I’d spoken to her since, in the last few days, and she’d said she was doing okay. I wasn’t sure I totally believed her though.
“What inner muppet does Max need to spank?” Lainey looked up. “Although I’m happy to eat barbecue.”
Vic shook her head. “Does anyone know if Seph turned up at rugby?”
Smooth change of subject that fooled no one.
“I’ll text Claire. Why do you ask?” Payton reached for her phone. She was Seph’s twin and a self-confessed workaholic. Every so often one of her siblings or her fiancé staged an intervention and booked her into one of the spas for a day.
“He was out with Shay last night and Shay said Seph ended up leaving with two girls. No one’s heard from him since.” Victoria’s tone was dry. Seph had lived with them for several months when they’d first moved in. Now they had Shay there, another of the Green cousins, who was just waiting for the apartment he’d bought to complete so he could move in.
“Claire says Seph’s playing rugby and looks fine. He’s grinning a bit wider than normal.” Payton looked up and rolled her eyes. “I think he should be disinvited. He’s just going to spend the day making vague hints about what he got up to and looking smug.”
“Set up the games console and put some form of tournament on – that’ll keep Shay occupied too.” Lainey tucked her feet underneath her. “I could stay here for days.”
“You’re more than welcome to. Are you heading up north tomorrow?”
Lainey nodded. “First thing once the rush hour’s calmed down. I’m staying at a hotel in the town. Back next weekend maybe.”
Vanessa walked into the room carrying a sleepy looking Teddy. “Didn’t know you were here.” She glanced at me then looked at Lainey. “Is that Severton you’re going to?”
Lainey nodded. “Going to see a man about some horses. Is it the town where you’re from?”
Van nodded and sat down, arranging Teddy on her lap. “Grew up there. My gran still lives there. If you hear any stories about a mad woman who makes gin and terrifies the local men, that’s her and it’s all true.”
“Your gran’s a legend.” I sat down next to Vanessa. “She was the person who introduced me to gin.”
“I think she had a hand in introducing most people who meet her to gin. She might also be why a few people drink it on a regular basis too.” Vanessa accepted a glass of champagne. “Is Marie coming?”
Marie was Vanessa and Vic’s mother-in-law. I liked her very much although she made me realise that the mother I’d been born to had been lacking a few maternal skills.
“They’re on their way. I think they’re looking at selling their London house and buying somewhere bigger.” Vic sat down at the table with a glass herself, the bottle nearby. She didn’t seem her usual self, which worried me.
“That’s to house all these Greens that keep making their way across the Atlantic. Me, Shay, Catrin. You just need Imogen and Maven and you’ll have a full house of us.” Lainey smiled. “Although you won’t see anything of Shay ever, once he starts his job.”
“What does he do?” I knew very little about any of the Greens other than Lainey.
“He’s a paediatrician, specialises in emergency care. Lives to work. And train.” She yawned. “He’s driving everyone crazy because he has too much time on his hands before his job starts.”
“Apart from Seph,” Payton muttered. “Because Seph now has a new best friend forever.”
“Seph has his uses…” Vanessa stopped talking as sounds of footsteps and male voices rang through the hallway. “They’re back. Sounds like they won.”
It did sound like they’d won. A chant rang through the house, one that woke up Teddy who looked about to cry then started laughing. Jackson came in the kitchen first and swooped down, kissing Van’s cheek hard and grabbing his son, lifting him up in the air.
Claire followed him, her little girl on Killian’s shoulders and her bump significantly bigger than it had been in Iceland. I caught sight of Vic’s face – she looked sad.
