“Hmm. Pigeon’s blood, yeah? What region?”
“Mozambique. I picked it up in South Africa after our last game.”
I hit him with a hard stare, just so he knows I’m not impressed that he’s been walking around with fifty grand worth of ring and still managed to lose something far more valuable. Jake stares back, like a puppy pleading for approval. I notice the ruby is held in place with a dozen or so platinum talons instead of the standard four prongs, each sharpened to a vicious point.
“I like the claws,” I say.
He gives me a small smile. “Me too. They remind me of her.”
“How do you know so much about jewellery?” Davis asks.
I wiggle my eyebrows at him. “Another life, love. Another life.”
Des is eyeing me closely. “You, uh, you wouldn’t be expecting something like that if you ever got married again, would you, Aggie?”
“Am I not worth it, O’Malley?”
“I didn’t say that. It’s just, ah, a lot of ring, is all. Especially if a bloke’s on a fixed income.”
I laugh. “I’m just having you on, Des. I haven’t taken you up on a date in years, let alone asked for a ring. But that’s a lovely bit of flash you picked out, Golden Boots. Shame you didn’t hold onto the girl long enough to give it to her.”
Jake snaps the box closed. “You’re not wrong. Well, that’s my fuckin’ sob story. Ada’s gone. I fucked it. End of.”
Silence falls over the booth again, and Jake lets out a breath. “Look, anyone want a refill?”
“Nah,” Davis says, as Des and I shake our heads. I’ve got a feeling Davis has something to ask Jake, and I’m not wrong.
“You think she’ll do it? Cece? Hook up with that prick at the reunion?”
“I dunno, mate,” Jake says, pouring himself another whiskey. “I’m probably the last guy to ask if high school crushes can go the distance. Ada reckons Cece will, though.”
Davis drops his chin to his chest. “Don’t suppose you can stop it?”
“Can’t even stop my own trainwreck. Besides, I’m not going down there this weekend. Fuck the reunion.”
Nerves flick inside me. “You’re not?”
He holds up his glass. “Couldn’t if I wanted to now. No way to get there.”
“I didn’t know that,” I say, louder than I intended. “What about Ada and Cece? They might need someone looking out for them.”
“Ada doesn’t want me there, and after what she told me happened to her, the school can get fucked. I’m only there to be a mascot.”
I turn to Davis. “Are you going?”
He shakes his head. “Why would I?”
“Because someone bloody should.”
“Hang on,” Davis says. “You’ve spent this whole time telling us to respect what the girls want. And what they want is for us to piss off and leave them alone.”
“There’s a difference between smothering and support! I thought one of you would be there to keep an eye on them.”
The men all stare at me like I’ve lost the plot.
“It’s just a reunion,” Jake says. “A stupid high school dance. There’s nothing to worry about.”
But there’s plenty to worry about. I’vebeenworrying about it. For weeks. And Ada might be a firecracker, but the revenge plans she’s been cooking up since the invite landed are far from a few school hijinks. I know because she left her little notebook in the kitchen a week ago, and I peeked.
