17. Chapter 17
Chapter 17
M y launch celebration party was in full swing, and I stood behind the bar, surveying the room filled both with my dearest friends and my mother and Aunt Bea, who were having a delightful time holding a bunch of novices hostage at a table on the deck.
Opening day had been a rip-roaring success, with a glut of customers, more sales than I could have dreamed of, and Ottie’s organizational skills keeping everything running smoothly so I didn’t even break a sweat. Meaning I’d had time to cobble together a last-minute celebration in the bar for everyone who’d helped make the shop a reality.
I poured myself a Moscow Mule—my first alcoholic drink of the night—then took my glass and the pitcher and rounded the bar, joining my friends at the large table they’d commandeered along the inside wall.
I deposited the pitcher in front of Ottie, then slid onto the upholstered bench seat next to Hazel, who immediately shoved me back to my feet, saying, ‘I need to pee!’ But I wasn’t sure if I believed her because when I sat back down, I found myself scooting in next to Andrew, who smiled broadly as he wrapped an arm around me and gave me a side hug, then softly kissed my temple.
‘Congratulations, Miri,’ he said, squeezing my arm before releasing me. ‘Sounds like it went well?’
Ottie half launched herself across the table, grabbing my hand, forcing me to hastily abandon my drink so it didn’t slosh everywhere. ‘It was the BEST!’
‘ You were the best,’ I said, smiling warmly. ‘I am so glad you were there.’
‘Oh, stop,’ she said, pulling back, then leaning her chin on her fist in a way that clearly said something more like, please continue to say nice things .
I laughed, wondering how many drinks she’d already consumed. ‘I honestly couldn’t have done it without you.’
Ottie’s answering grin was full of pride. ‘I told you I wouldn’t let you down.’
‘I couldn’t have done it without all of you, actually.’ I lifted my drink and scanned my eyes around the table, then nodded to Noah. ‘Especially you.’
‘And me!’ Seb called indignantly from the other end of the table, where he and Livia sat huddled together, thick as thieves.
‘And you,’ I agreed. ‘I am eternally grateful to you for finding me the perfect premises.’
Seb inclined his head and raised one shoulder in a wildly flamboyant gesture. ‘You’re welcome.’
‘To all of you,’ I said. ‘Thank you for everything.’
‘To Miri!’ Livia called, lifting her glass.
‘To Miri!’ everyone parroted, and then Livia giggled and said something in a low voice to Seb, and the table’s attention shattered into side conversations about regattas and terrible bosses and whether Hannah was pregnant and if two of the novice men were after the same novice woman. It all washed over me because Andrew slid his hand into mine on the seat between us, his touch short-circuiting my brain.
And then Hazel reappeared and made me shuffle farther along the bench, so our legs pressed together, and our hands rested on top of his thigh. I had no words, barely daring to breathe, every one of my senses trained on him as he slid his thumb slowly back and forth over mine, the air between us sparking with electric energy.
And then he nudged my leg with his, and I couldn’t help but turn my head, his face so much closer than I’d realized, his eyes boring into mine. ‘It went well?’ he murmured, leaning in so I could hear his low rumbling voice over the music and chatter.
‘Really well,’ I gushed, then told him about all the tiny little insignificant details. How the florist three doors up had brought me a welcome plant. How Mr. Hollis—the previous owner—had popped in and bought enough cheese to keep him going for a month. What a marvel Ottie had been. How much it meant that so many club members had come by.
‘I’m sorry I couldn’t make it,’ he said, his eyes apologetic. ‘I had an all-day meeting about the acquisition, and then my sister had a run in with … well …’
‘It’s fine,’ I breathed, his woodsy scent making me lightheaded. ‘You would have come if you could.’ And he’d sent a good luck text, which I’d re-read whenever I’d had a spare second throughout the day.
Andrew 07:03: Break a leg today, sweetheart. I know you’ll kill it. I can’t wait to hear every detail. Xx
How had he meant sweetheart ? Ironically? Sincerely? Was it a typo? A famous quote from a film I couldn’t remember? And the kisses …What did two kisses mean, exactly?
Andrew squeezed my hand, his expression regretful, and my heart plummeted. ‘I have to go. I’m still supposed to be at the meeting. I told the team I had an emergency, that I’d be back later.’
‘Andrew! You didn’t have to do that …’ But despite my gently chastising tone, elation bubbled through my chest.
‘I wanted to.’
My eyes got stuck on his and I wished more than anything that we were alone.
‘Hey, Miri?’ called Livia.
I reluctantly pulled myself out of my Andrew shaped bubble. ‘Yeah?’
‘I meant to check in about the Founding Day party. Are you still good to organize, or do we need to rope in someone else?’
Shit . I’d completely forgotten I’d volunteered to organize this year’s party. It was our biggest event of the year and always took place around the day the club was founded, ninety something years ago.
‘Of course! I’m completely on top of it.’
Everyone laughed because I was a terrible liar.
‘Okay, well, I will be.’ I pulled out my phone and typed a quick message in the events channel of the club’s Discord server, asking for volunteers.
A few phones pinged around the table, and then mine vibrated. I looked down to find two novices had already offered their time. ‘See! Everything is totally under control.’
I exited out of the app and felt Andrew tense beside me. I turned my head and found his eyes on my phone. Or more accurately, on the photo of us that still covered my background. I’d changed the lock screen, but hadn’t been able to bring myself to change them both.
‘Oh … uh …’ I hid my phone, a flush of embarrassment no doubt turning my face an unflattering shade of scarlet. Great. Now he would think I was some kind of stalker.
But he squeezed my thigh, drawing my attention back to him and making every muscle in my lower body pull tight. ‘Walk me out?’
My heart lurched as I gave a small nod, my mind conjuring images of all kinds of things we might do outside, away from the scrutiny of our friends.
I led the way to the door, not looking back, feeling the eyes of everyone who knew us tracking our movements, ready to spring into gossiping action as soon as we were outside. I called to the bartenders, asking if they needed more ice, trying to convince them, at least, there was nothing interesting going on. They nodded, but it was a mistake to attract their attention because now their curious eyes followed us, too.
I practically ran through the door and down the stairs, not able to breathe until I reached the empty parking lot, and then Andrew snagged my hand and pulled me to his chest, and I couldn’t breathe at all.
‘You still have our photo as your background,’ he growled, moving his hand to my neck and running his nose down mine.
He slid his thumb across my pulse, and my eyes fluttered closed. ‘You called me sweetheart in your text,’ I whispered.
His answer was a kiss. A sweet, exploratory press, and I exhaled a sigh as my lips parted. His touch was tender yet firm, worshipful yet insistent, and I melted into him, molding my body to his as he deepened the kiss.
He pulled away, panting, and rested his forehead against mine. I wanted to whine at the loss of him, wanted to demand that he return his lips to mine, but it wouldn’t be fair, he had to work, and hadn’t he done the same for me that night in his apartment … let me go without complaint? I slid my hands to his hips, grabbing hold for a moment, steeling myself to say goodbye.
‘I’m sorry things have been weird between us,’ he murmured.
I shook my head, still reeling from the immensity of the kiss. ‘Me too.’
‘I don’t want it to be like that any longer.’ He slid his hands down my arms, and I nodded, all I could manage, apparently having lost the power of speech. He pulled me towards his truck, opening the door and reaching inside.
‘Happy opening day, M,’ he said, handing me a chocolate box tied in a bow.
‘Andrew!’ I looked down at the familiar plush packaging of Claire’s chocolates, then returned my gaze to his. ‘Thank you.’
He kissed me again, this one brief but mighty, like when a wave pulls back and moves the sand. He released me with a frustrated grunt, but I held onto him, pressing my forehead to his chest, my mind needing a moment to work out which way was up.
I let him go, and he reluctantly climbed into his truck and drove away, a strange feeling settling in my chest as we waved goodbye, like maybe he’d taken some part of me with him.
I felt so light and giddy and full of possibility that I might have been floating on air, my chest pulling me up as though filled with helium. I opened the box Andrew had given me and gasped because inside were little chocolate Ms, and a note that said, Congratulations, M. I’m so proud of you. A x
‘He’s leaving?’ The unexpected male voice made me jump, and I slammed the box closed and whirled to find Theo standing behind me, so close I wondered how I hadn’t noticed him already.
‘He has to work,’ I said, folding my arms against a sudden chill and clutching Andrew’s gift to my chest.
Theo rolled his eyes. ‘Figures. Work always comes first for that one.’
I should have walked away, should have known better, yet the spawn of Theo’s accusation had been growing in my mind. It had become a caterpillar, and it had finally munched through my resolve, which was why I found myself asking, ‘Why did you call him a liar?’
A coy smile curled the corner of his lip. ‘Because he is one. But you already know that, don’t you?’
My heart rate kicked up at least ten beats. ‘What do you mean?’
He chuckled. ‘Oh, come on! He has a whole other life nobody at the club even knows about.’
I scowled. ‘Nobody but you?’
He raised his eyebrows in a short, quick lift, then turned his head away, suddenly mute.
‘Cat got your tongue, Theo?’ I goaded, tired of whatever game he was playing. ‘Or maybe you’re just full of shit like usual …’
He turned his head slowly back to face me, but still seemed to be fighting with himself, his jaw working back and forth.
I scoffed, then made to leave. ‘Night, Th—’
‘I used to work for him.’
I froze. ‘You used to … what?’
He huffed out a sneer. ‘It’s not me that’s full of shit.’
I held my breath. It was easy enough to check if it was true, and something like regret shone in Theo’s eyes, making me believe him. ‘What happened?’
He looked away again. ‘Andrew’s an arsehole, that’s what happened.’
A bolt of dread hit me square in the chest, and I told myself to ignore it, to ignore him. But I couldn’t. ‘What do you mean?’ I said, the words small and vulnerable.
‘I can’t tell you.’
What the actual … ‘Excuse me?’ Irritation boiled my blood. Why did Theo always have to be like this? Not that long ago, I’d found it in some way alluring, but now … ‘Why not?’ I demanded, wanting nothing more than to shove him in the river.
‘He slapped a gag order on me.’
‘A … what …?’ My anger sputtered out. ‘Why?’ It sounded bad, like the kind of thing maniacal bosses did to poor, defenseless employees, but there had to be a perfectly reasonable explanation. Andrew wasn’t like that. Andrew was good and kind and had left his meeting to see me. He’d bought me chocolate Ms!
Theo’s features pulled into a tight, pained line, although some hint of victory lurked beneath. ‘You know what a gag order means, right?’
‘But—’
‘I can’t tell you shit, but if I were you, I’d ask him. Always good to know who you’re getting into bed with.’ Theo turned on his heel and headed for the bar, and the air whooshed out of me like a deflating balloon.
I stood and numbly watched until he turned the corner, then finally took a breath. It was probably just Theo being Theo. He was a petulant child, a player, and he didn’t like that Andrew had ruined his game when it came to toying with me.
But even with my pep talk to myself, I couldn’t dislodge the empty, shaken feeling that squeezed my mind, so I ditched the party, feeling a little bad about the ice and abandoning my friends, but not bad enough to go back.
Andrew wasn’t a liar.
But he hadn’t told me about his business, and we’d been friends for years.
Because he just wants to be a data scientist …
Although he seemed to enjoy being the boss at his work party, and when giselle-legs had fawned over him.
No. I was being unfair. I shouldn’t let Theo get to me. I would ask Andrew about it, and he would explain everything. But despite my attempt at reasoning with myself, the caterpillar in my mind was spinning silk around its fat little body, wrapping the worry away for later, and I didn’t dare to think what it would look like when it emerged.
I closed the door to my apartment and pulled out my buzzing phone, finding a reply from Andrew to my message on Discord. A reply the whole club could see.
Andrew 20:21: Count me in, baby.
And then my phone exploded with messages from my crew, and I quickly turned it off.