‘What the fuck is your problem? Stupid little cocktease.’ The man Lorelai had just been so close to had hardened, his face contorted in anger. The woman swept Lorelai behind her with one move of her arm.
‘She owes you nothing. Now fuck off and leave her alone.’
The woman’s friends crowded round, holding Lorelai up and ready to defend her if they needed to. Clearly outnumbered, the man slunk off but not before spitting on the ground at their feet.
Once the coast was clear, the woman and her friends shepherded Lorelai out of the club, the night air hitting them all like a two-tonne truck. They didn’t say much to each other, but they held hands and didn’t let go of one another until they all felt more stable.
‘Thanks,’ was all Lorelai could manage to say.
The woman smiled back and it was a smile that said so much.We’ve all been there. We’ll take care of you. We’ve got your back.But, as grateful as she was, Lorelai knew the woman who’d helped her would never understand the extent of what she was feeling. Sitting alone in the cab on the way home, Lorelai watched London’s glitzy night lights twinkle through her tearful vision, knowing that no matter how much she wanted it or how hard she tried, she would never be ‘normal’.
Thirteen
Liberty was heaving. After waiting ten minutes outside in the cold night air in their thin dresses and heels, which had already numbed Lorelai’s toes, Lorelai and Joanie stepped through the doors and Lorelai began to survey the crowd. She didn’t intend to drink. It might cloud her judgement and her understanding of what she might see but, for once, she was going to make an effort to talk to people. Lorelai was used to sitting on the sidelines during nights out. She would usually sit at the bar and watch Joanie flirt and make everyone fall madly in love with her. Tonight was going to be different. That night’s crowd seemed the same as it always did. Lots of twenty-somethings grouped together, champing at the bit to win a flirtatious glance from at least one person. Lorelai wasn’t planning on ending up in anyone’s bed tonight, but she did want some good, old-fashioned making out.
‘Anyone catch your eye?’ Joanie gave Lorelai’s waist a tickle.
‘Not at the moment, no.’
Joanie dropped her hands by her sides. ‘Come on, Lollie. You don’t need to be picky. Surely anyone with a pair of lips will do?’
Joanie had a point, and it wasn’t as if Lorelai was here tomake a connection with someone. She was here because of her connection with Grayson, after all, but she was nervous about the evening ahead and what she might see. ‘There are too many people here.’ Lorelai wiped her sweaty palms on her dress.
‘Shall I get you a drink?’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll get these ones.’ Lorelai stood, her legs shaking. ‘See if I can find anyone drunk enough to kiss me right off the bat.’
‘Go forth into the night, fair maiden, and return with a porn star martini and less lipstick than you originally applied!’ Joanie grinned and gave her a thumbs up, and Lorelai felt the butterflies in her stomach flutter again.
She stood at the bar as seductively as she could. She gently rested an elbow on the counter, popped her hip and bevelled her leg but the only vague whiff of interest she received in the ten minutes it took to get served was from a tall blond man who sneered at her over the top of his Corona. She realised she probably looked more like she needed the toilet than a seductress. She readjusted and stood normally, feeling silly.
‘What can I get you?’ the bartender asked.
‘A pair of flats and a fluffy dressing gown?’ she said, clutching the bar unsteadily. He laughed hard at her lame joke, and her interest was suddenly piqued. If he was interested enough to laugh far too hard at a joke that wasn’t funny, then he might be a potential candidate.
‘A porn star martini and a Diet Coke, please.’
‘Let me guess, you’ve been dragged here by a friend on the pull?’ He pushed his hair back from his face and pulled two glasses from underneath the counter.
‘Who says I’m not on the pull?’ She flashed him what she hoped was a sexy smile, but feared she looked a bit mad instead.Who even are you?Lorelai scoffed at herself. She needed to get all of her bad flirting out of her system tonight. Just in case.
‘Are you?’ The bartender was unflustered by her forwardness, obviously used to women flirting with him. Lorelai gave him the once-over. He had sparkling grey eyes, and long hair that was smoothed back neatly. He had some stubble, which Lorelai imagined she wouldn’t like after Riggs’s stubble had left her lips and chin sore. Riggs had come at her quite forcefully, though, so maybe it would be different with…
‘What’s your name?’ she asked.
‘James.’ He smiled, a dimple appearing in his left cheek.
‘Just James?’ Lorelai raised her eyebrow suggestively. At least she hoped it was suggestive.
‘Is there meant to be anything else to the name James?’ He laughed but it had a nervous edge to it, which she very much enjoyed.
‘Just James it is then,’ she said.
James placed the drinks on the black rubber mat in front of her. He didn’t say anything.
‘How much?’ she said eventually. He gave a subtle shake of his head and discreetly waved her card away. ‘Oh, OK. Thank you.’ Lorelai tried to sound as if getting free drinks happened to her all the time. As if men always fell at her feet because she oozed confidence. She gave James another smile, and then walked back to Joanie, free drinks in hand.
‘Anyone?’ Joanie asked, reaching out with both hands for her martini and shot glass.
