Chapter Seven
Ria
I open my eyes, my head feeling groggy. I swallow. The stale taste of tequila making me heave.
Water, I need water and Advil.
I reach out my hand to find the bottle of water I always leave next to my bed, my hand knocking my phone to the floor as I move.
Groaning as I try to retrieve it, squinting one eye open, I feel a shooting pain in my head.
Tequila is the devil”s drink.
My phone lights up. 10.08 am. Shit, I can”t remember the last time I slept in this late.
When I manage to focus on my phone, I have a couple of messages from Anne saying she hopes I had a great night and a photo of her making cupcakes with Lexi, while Elle is in the high chair covered in yogurt. The girls are so lucky to have them, and so am I.
Then I notice a message from ‘Jack’. I bolt upright and my stomach rolls. A groan comes from under the duvet and I look over to see Ali and Gabby are also in my bed, spooning.
“Don”t make sudden movements, Ri. It hurts my head,” Ali mumbles.
“Excuse me. Why do I have Jack”s number, and why does he appear to have mine?” I say, louder than necessary. My heart races and my head thumps in time with each other.
Shit, shit. Did I embarrass myself last night?
“You gave him your phone, and he added it and then you kissed,” Gabby tells me, barely moving her mouth.
“Sorry, what?” I shriek, leaping out of bed. “We kissed?” I press my hand against the wall to steady myself, the room spinning because of this killer hangover.
Ali sits up and rubs her eyes, hair everywhere and squinting to look at me.
“If you are going to be this hysterical, this early in the morning, I’m gonna need a Starbucks. Who wants?”
“Me,” Gabby mumbles, sticking a hand in the air. Ali reaches for her phone and I know she”s about to DoorDash our order.
Nerves flutter in my stomach as I open our message history and sink to the floor, my back resting against my bedroom wall as I read through them.
Ria
Home, thank you for your fancy driver, duck he’s cute ail thinks he”s a daddy
Jack
LOL I will let Graham know. Glad you got home safe. I hope the hangover isn”t too bad in the morning, DRINK WATER please.
Ria
Okay daddy!! I don”t want to brush my teeth. I want to keep the taste of tequila and you in my mouth forever.
Jack
Careful calling me that, sweetheart *winking emoji* *laughing emoji* Happy to give you another taste. Just say a time and a place.
Ria
My house tomorrow, bring a bottle *winking emoji* *eggplant emoji*
Jack
It”s a date sweetheart winking emoji
“Fuck my fucking life. I told him I didn’t want to brush my teeth because I wanted to keep the taste of him and tequila in my mouth and sent him an eggplant emoji. Oh, and I called him Daddy. Fuck!” I groan, getting up off the floor, stumbling to the bed and flopping face-first onto it.
“Smooth, honey, real smooth,” Ali says, laughing
I look up, my untamed hair falling over my face. Ali is sitting up in bed wearing big black sunglasses, rubbing her temples with her fingertips.
“Look.” I pass her the phone. “And I invited him over for more tequila. Oh God, my first night out as a single woman, and I’m offering myself up on a plate. Why am I like this? Why didn”t you stop me?”
Ali lifts her glasses while she replies, looking at me with her bloodshot eyes. “Don”t blame me, boozy. You know what you get like on the tequila and you had three more after that body shot.”
The memory of licking salt from Jack’s body floods my mind and I feel like I’m going to be sick. “Fuck” I shout. “I can’t see him again. I’m such an embarrassment.” I cover my face with my hands, shaking my head and groaning as I get up off the bed.
“A shower. I need a shower. I need to wash away the memories of last night. Do you reckon if you scrub hard enough you can wash away regret?” I’m speaking so fast, I sound like I”ve been put on x3 speed.
I’m spiraling
“Ri, indoor voices,” Gabby mumbles from under covers.
“Gabs, I”m having a crisis here. Jack now likely thinks I’m an alcoholic who doesn”t brush her teeth.” I begin pacing the room. My stomach rolls. Shit, I need to eat something to soak up this alcohol.
“I”m sure he doesn’t think that. Just text him back and say you don’t remember anything and that drunk Ria and sober Ria are very different people,” Gabby says as she sits up, rubbing her eyes.
“Yes, good plan.” I take my phone back from Ali, and just as I start to type a text, my doorbell chimes.
“Wow, that DoorDash was quick,” I declare as I head for my bedroom door.
“I haven”t ordered yet,” Ali replies, sounding confused.
I walk down the stairs, stumbling as I trip over something sharp. Looking down, I notice the heels I was wearing last night.
“Damn shoe,” I mutter, kicking it down the stairs. Heading for the front door, weaving in and out of moving boxes, I haven”t unpacked, I open it to be greeted by a man holding three large Starbucks bags and a tray of what smells like vanilla lattes.
“Ria is it?” The driver asks with a smile far too big for this time of the morning.
“Yes, but I haven”t ordered anything,” I mumble.
“There”s a note in the bag. Enjoy your breakfast,” the driver says, handing me the bags.
I kick the door shut and head for the kitchen, placing everything on the white countertop of the breakfast bar before I dig around to find the note.
Pastries, muffins, fruit pots, granola, and hot bacon rolls fill the bags, and my stomach rumbles in response to the delicious smells. I am starving.
“Oh, my God, who sent all this?” Gabbys asks as she strolls into the kitchen and takes a seat at the breakfast bar, followed by a very hungover-looking Ali. “It smells incredible. Gimme.”
I find a note at the bottom of one of the bags and pull it out.
Ria, I thought you might need a little pick me up after all that tequila. Thanks for making my night. Tequila is my new favorite drink. Don’t be a stranger… Jack a.k.a your action man.
“Oh my fucking God, is he for real?” Ali screeches. “Marry him.”
“Little problem, babe. I’m still married,” I deadpan.
“Well, pull your finger out your ass and sort that divorce, then invite action man over for another round of body shots,” she says with a grin.
The girls dive into the bags and start attacking the food like feral animals.
This is the most thoughtful and sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. I pick up my phone to send him a text.
Ria
Morning, I am so sorry about my texts last night *emoji with hands over the face* our Starbucks just arrived. You really are the sweetest. Thank you. Xx
Within minutes a message bounces back.
Jack
You”re welcome, sweetheart, and no need to apologize. It made my night. I wish I could have hand delivered it but I”m stuck in meetings *snoring emoji* I mean it, don”t be a stranger x
Ria
Thank you *blowing kiss emoji* Hope your meetings go ok.
Jack
Thank you, sweetheart. Have a good Sunday x
I flop down onto the stool next to Gabby and reach for a breakfast roll before I take a sip of my latte, unable to hide the biggest grin from my face. I don”t know how or why Jack Lawson has suddenly come back into my life, but I am not mad about it.