“And what am I thinking of?”
“Something that’ll never happen. Not even in another eight years.”
He looks at me playfully, before motioning with his hand for me to continue.
“And now, I’m sat here with you.”
“I think that’s an upgrade.”
“What?”
“From the surgeon, to me.”
And the problem is that he’s so convinced. I don’t think there’s a man on the planet with more self-confidence than Nick O’Connor.
“You keep telling yourself that,” I shoot back.
“I always tell the truth. You know that.”
“Of course. Like the time you said you’d come back?” Now it reallyisthe wine talking.
He looks at me for a few moments, wordlessly. I know he’s considering his response. Alongside his honesty and his spontaneity, I’m starting to think that this man calculates his every move down to the finest detail.
“Do you want to know the truth, Casey?” he says, his tone uncharacteristically serious. “I should never have let anyone else take a place that doesn’t belong to him.”
“Are you talking about a seat in a restaurant?”
He keeps staring at me, but doesn’t respond. He likes what he’s doing – he’s really enjoying it. He’s playing around with me, watching me squirm. He’s pushing me to his feet, before disappearing for another eight years.
Do you like a challenge, Nick O’Connor? Maybe your memory’s gone blank, and you’ve forgotten how muchIlike a challenge, too. Maybe you don’t know that, over the years, I’ve learnt to trick people.
28
Nick
There, it’s all coming out now. Just as I planned.
“I’m talking about everyone who’s sat next to you over the years. About everyone who looked at you, spoke to you, held your hand. Everyone who evendreamedof touching you, and everyone who kissed you. Everyone who upset you, made you cry or made you angry. Everyone who tried – helplessly – to make you laugh. Everyone who tried to get you into bed with them, and everyone who…succeeded.”
She shakes her head and looks away. “You’re always so confident.”
“Confident about the effect I have on you.”
“Oh, really…?” she says, slowly chewing her food. “Is that why you’ve brought along your little entourage of idiots?” She gestures behind her.
A few tables back, hidden, but not quite well enough, are my arsehole brothers. Apparently, they don’t think I’m capable of going for dinner without them. It’s impossible not to notice them.
“Fucking idiots,” I comment, shaking my head.
“So, let’s see… You’re so confident that you asked for their help. The fact that Evan’s here too tells me that it’s no coincidence that Luke was called out for an emergency. Should I ask Martin?”
Okay, so this first attempt was an absolute disaster. But I can still make up for it.
“Doesn’t it just prove how determined I am?”
“About what?”
“You. With me.”
