“Guys, please don’t try to push us together,” I pleaded.
“What? I’m not pushing anyone.” Ishani swapped innocent looks with Sunny. “Areyou?”
“Me?” Sunny flung up her hands, mock-offended. “I am most definitely not pushing anyone anywhere.”
I groaned inwardly.
Why does this day just keep getting worse?
6
Tabitha
After he’d boughtall four of us drinks at the bar, Tim hovered at a high table next to the wall with an ice water, brooding and silent.
That wasn’t like him. He was not the brooding type. Through the years, when I’d caught sight of him at village events, he was the first one up dancing and drinking and bantering. Well, the tables were turned. Tonight, I was the one who was going to dance, and I was going to drink and banter with whomever took my fancy! My only plan was to give my phone number to a cute, confident, attentive man.
A couple of hours later and drink tally lost, I was chatting up a guy called Westy, who looked solid and assured and handsome. He suggested we go for a quiet nightcap around the corner. I said good night to Ishani, who was getting verycozy with Kingston from the pub, and Sunny, who’d called her girlfriend, Shikha, and was dancing with her.
“Well, we’re off,” I said to Tim. “Thanks for the ride.”
Tim stepped toward us and peeled Westy’s arm off my shoulder.
“No, nope, not happening,” he said to Westy. “She’s been drinking, and you’re taking advantage.”
“Hey. What are you doing, Langston?” I said, steaming mad. “This is none of your business.”
“Who are you, her brother or something?” Westy asked.
Tim threw back his shoulders, straightened his spine, and stepped closer until their faces were almost touching.
“Or something.” Tim jerked his head. “Now, fuck off.”
I looked to Westy, waiting for him to challenge Tim. Only a slight shadow of what might have been disappointment crossed his face. Then he turned tail. Worse, hescurriedaway. The guy I thought was so hot and hulking ran off like a frightened rabbit. How humiliating.
Typical Tim, making my night cringeworthy. It was enough that he plagued my days, questioning everything about my plans for my parents’ house. Now he was bollocksing up my evening too.
I collected my overnight bag from coat check, and stalked out to the front of the bar to call an Uber, watching Westy stride down the steps to the street. Tim joined me, and we both huffed silently.
Despite Westy’s accurate impression of a bunny, albeit a lumbering, big-arsed one, I thought about following him, just to save face and make a point. I went to step forward, then hesitated. My shoulders flushed with—what was it? Relief?
Yes, maybe I was secretly relieved.
After four years of Perry, however dull he was, his flat was clean, and though he insisted his sheets were royalty-appointed,they were clean too. I imagined a one-night stand with a man I didn’t know, in a flat I’d never entered. There would be kissing in his kitchen—but near a sink stacked with dirty dishes? There would be taking off clothes in his bedroom—but with a futon on the floor, football posters on the walls, and half-empty bottles on the windowsill? Ugh. So many more off-putting elements to this one-night stand business than I’d considered.
Not that I was letting Tim off the hook. He had to know I was pissed off.
A large, rough hand clasped around my upper arm.
I looked up to see Tim’s face.
“Get your hand off me.” I squirmed.
“Sorry.” He released me.
“What’s all this possessive caveman nonsense anyway?”
He turned around to face me with more forceful energy. “Let’s get this straight. I’m not possessive. I’m protective. I want you to be safe. However much we fight, I care about you, Tabitha.”
