Chapter 24
Elizabeth
When I make my way downstairs, I can hear Slim on the phone to Pretty Boy; it’s on speaker so I get both sides of the conversation. I know I shouldn’t, but I pause on the step to listen.
“You should have seen these girls,” Pretty Boy says, I can practically hear his grin through the phone.
“I can imagine,” Slim says.
“We all ended up in threesomes; I can’t even remember the last time I saw Tipo so fucking happy,” Pretty Boy says.
Bile rises in my throat; they all ended up in threesomes… Diablo had a threesome.
I must make a noise because Slim quickly says, “I’ve gotta go.”
“Catch up later,” Pretty Boy says, before the line goes quiet.
I hear Slim’s footsteps moving towards me, so I continue to make my way downstairs, putting on a brave face.
“Morning,” I say, hoping he can’t tell my smile is fake.
“Hey, you ready to leave? ”
“One sec, I just remembered I forgot a book, I won’t be long.”
I run back up the stairs, grabbing some clothes and a make-up bag, shoving them into my backpack.
“Good to go,” I say, meeting him by the front door.
“By the way, a friend from college has asked me to stay with her tonight, she’s an art major and needs a model for her photography portfolio.
So no need to pick me up after class or drop me at the diner tonight, I’ve arranged to have the night off. ”
“Sure,” he says, and I’m grateful he doesn’t ask any further questions.
It’s not a complete lie… I do have a friend at college who’s an art major.
Christina’s in the year below me and we met at one of the campus Pride events.
We’re not close, I’d never be invited to stay at her place, and she sure as hell has never asked me to model for her… but still, at least she exists.
I know the bartender, Johnny, and he keeps me company between serving drinks as I sit in my usual spot at Platinum. Even though I haven’t been here in six weeks, nothing has changed; still the same type of people, having the same types of conversations.
The word ‘threesome’ blared through my mind all day, like an alarm going off, a constant reminder that I’ve lost Angel forever.
I’m clearly not even a blip on his radar if he’s busy fucking multiple girls at once.
So here I am, in my lucky blue dress, which Angel has never seen…
I don’t know why that’s important to me, but it is.
It’s knee length and slinky, and it makes my tits look amazing, I’ve never ‘not pulled’ in it. I kept my hair in a braid all day too, so now it’s extra curly. I’m one of those girls who flirts using her hair for sure.
Usually, I’d have picked someone out by now, but I must be feeling fussy tonight because no one is catching my eye…
or maybe it’s that none of them look like the person I really want to be dragging into one of the restrooms…
No. I’m not going to think about him. But typically, as soon as I finish that thought, an image of Angel with two faceless women fills my mind… Fuck it.
I scan along the bar and notice a man waiting to be served at the other end.
He’s older, with a salt and pepper beard, but he looks classically handsome.
His suit is tailored to perfection, and he’s wearing an understated but expensive watch.
I turn in my seat and lean against the bar in a way that I know looks casual, but that shows off my figure… *ahem* tits… in the best way.
I don’t stare, it’s too obvious, instead I glance up in his direction every now and again.
He must feel eyes on him as the next time I glance up he’s looking right at me and our eyes meet.
I look away, allowing myself to appear bashful, before gently lifting my eyes again.
He flashes me a smile and I return it… got him.
His name’s Anthony and he’s actually a catch: he’s smart, runs his own business, and genuinely seems both interesting and interested in me.
Even better, he’s not from Tynerston and is just here negotiating a new business deal.
I share that I’m studying literature and use it as a chance to check that it doesn’t bother him that I’m only twenty-one… it never bothers them.
“So,” he asks, “do you live around here, Beth?”
“Ah,” I say, making a face to let him know it’s complicated. “I’m staying with a friend at the moment, it’s one of the reasons I came out tonight, needed to give her some privacy… if you know what I mean.”
He chuckles. “I do. I’m staying at the Hamilton, it’s not far from here, do you know it?”
“I’ve heard of it, never stayed there though.”
It’s not a lie; I’ve never stayed at the Hamilton in Tynerston before. But I’ve definitely spent some time in a different Hamilton hotel…
“Well, it has a great bar. How about joining me there for a nightcap?” he asks.
I don’t want to, not really, but that image of Angel and two faceless women forces its way into my mind again…
“I’d love to,” I say.
It doesn’t take us long to walk to the hotel as it’s only a couple of blocks away; a door attendant greets Anthony by name before letting us in.
Holy shit… even the lobby is stunning, the decor itself is a work of art.
Chandeliers hang from the ceiling and light installations sit in alcoves around the walls.
Decadent velvet sofas sit in the lobby, and these are just for the people waiting for a guest.
The bar is dark and intimate, the main light source coming from a stage where a pianist plays smooth jazz on a huge grand piano.
Tables are lit by candlelight, and the clientele are dressed in high-end designer clothes.
Diamonds and jewels sparkle on the women, and the men are all in perfectly tailored suits.
“Allow me,” Anthony says, pulling out a chair.
Once we’ve been settled for a moment, our attention on the pianist, a waiter appears.
“What will it be this evening, Sir?”
“Are you sticking with Gin & Tonic?” Anthony asks, “Or can I interest you in something else? ”
I know I shouldn’t let my guard down, I’ve only just met this man, and this isn’t Platinum, but what the fuck...
“I’m partial to a whiskey,” I say, “happy for you to choose though.”
“A woman with taste,” he nods in approval. “Bring us two glasses of the Rare Cask Macallan, please.”
“Of course, Sir.”
Shit, I’ve seen bottles of that sell for five hundred dollars before…
“Wait,” I say, starting to panic.
I don’t know if I can go through with this. Am I leading this man on, letting him spend so much on a drink, only for me to bail at the last minute.
“Please can you give us a moment?” I ask the waiter, who nods and walks away.
“Is everything okay?” Anthony asks.
“I don’t know, I’m sorry,” I say, “the truth is, I’m just coming out of a breakup, and I was out tonight hoping to forget about him with a random guy…
but it turns out that you’re actually pretty great, and, well, you deserve better than a one-night stand…
which I’m not even sure I can give you anyway. I’m just not ready, I’m sorry.”
He lets out a soft sigh. “It’s okay, I understand.”
“You do?”
“Yes, my wife and I divorced six months ago, and let’s just say that this is the first time I’ve spent any time like this with someone else. It’s surreal for sure, dating has changed a lot from when I first met my wife.”
“Well for what it’s worth, you’re very good at it, and you really are a catch,” I chuckle, “if it weren’t for my recent breakup, I know I’d have liked to spend more time getting to know you. ”
“So, a drink as friends?” he asks, “And then I’ll call for my driver to take you home.”
“Sure, that would be nice. But you don’t need to impress me with a Rare Cask Macallan, I’m happy with bottom shelf whiskey.”
“No chance, if we’re drinking whiskey, we’re doing it properly,” he says, signaling to the waiter.