‘Pig’s arse! Who are you and what’ve you done with my despotic fiend, I mean friend?’ I nudge her shoulder with mine. Maybe she’s ill? Maybe it’s something in the water? An unsure Niamh is just wrong.
‘I just like Rob. Like,reallylike him and I can’t believe I’ve frightened him off!’ A vicious burst of air pushes past her lips. ‘And if I can’t sort out my own love life, I should for sure stay out of yours.’ Shoulders slumped, she stares unseeingly at her hands when her spine suddenly straightens, as though a seed of thought has just taken roots. Her eyes find mine and she studies me through a narrowed gaze. Feeling the full force of her scrutiny, my eyes slide away. ‘Why do I get the feelin’ you’re hiding something?’
Her intuition may be spot on, but I’m not going there. I can’t tell her I kicked him out, let alone why. And then tell her I changed my mind? Nope, not happening.
Give her enough rope and I’m not sure who she’ll hang.
‘It’s not that skanky fuck-pal is it? She’s not sniffing around still?’
And there is still the small additional matter ofthat.
‘It’s all good,’ I answer with a watery smile. ‘Fine.’
She smiles, sort of sadistically, pulling me into her shoulder. ‘Get him to confirm that, will I?’
‘What happened to not interfering?’ I pull away with a frown. Though sorry is the fool who crosses this woman, I’m not sure who I’d put my money on between her and Kai.
‘Don’t worry. I won’t eat the head ‘offa him. Much.’
The glint in her eye tells me I should probably keep them apart. I don’t want her extolling my virtues, Dublin style. It’s distraction time.
‘I suppose there’s one benefit about today. For you, I mean.’
‘Yeah, what’s that?’ She pouts into the mirror above my dresser, readjusting her braid.
‘You’ll probably get to see if Rob’s worth the trouble. All that flesh on display,’ I add in a wistful tone.
‘Anyone with eyes can see he’s ripped, Kate, even in his clothes.’
‘Yeah, but budgie smugglers don’t leave much to the imagination though, do they?’ I make a triangle with forefingers and thumbs at crotch level, suggestive of the tiny swim shorts. ‘Steroids can have a detrimental effect on a man’s bits, you know.’
‘You’re becoming a massive perve, you know that.’ She laughs. ‘See where good sex gets you?’
‘Hey, you can’t helpbutlook when a guy wears DT’s.’
‘DT’s?’
‘Dick-togs. They’re justsorevealing.’
‘No worries there, I’ve already had a peek at the goods.’ She laughs again, this time covering her eyes with a hand, almost as though hiding from the admission. ‘Seriously though, if he turns up in Speedos today, I’m defo movin’ on!’
