CHAPTER FOUR
Scarlet greets me on the crowded terrace by producing her bingo grid from her clutch bag.
‘Fireworks!’ she says gleefully, having already ticked it off.
I look up listlessly and watch them shooting into the darkening sky, the bright shards of light defying gravity briefly, before falling down towards Earth and disappearing long before they connect with the ground. I can’t feel the enthusiasm of the crowd. Scarlet has no idea what’s just happened to me or, rather, what hasn’t. Something incredible and then … nothing at all. Chris has gone, and that’s that.
‘I’ve only got one square left,’ she says, showing me.
‘Which one?’ I take a look. ‘You still haven’t got the waiter’s number?’
‘Not yet. He’s playing hard to get.’
‘Really?’ I’m confused by this. ‘You were wrapped up pretty tightly in conversation earlier.’
‘Yeah, I get the impression he only wants to sleep with me and not actually have to see me again.’
‘Oh my God,’ I say, turning to her. ‘What is wrong with people?’
She shrugs, looks up. ‘I’m not worried. You haven’t snogged the best man yet, so I haven’t exactly lost.’
‘No,’ I agree, thoughts of all that long forgotten. ‘No, I met someone else who was … perfect. But, sadly, it’s not to be.’
I’m not sure Scarlet’s listening as her gaze is skywards.
‘And I did meet the best man, though I didn’t kiss him,’ I say, refocusing on our bingo game as I too stare up at the sky. Colour merges into colour, explosion into explosion. We’re surrounded by guests who’ve spilled out to watch, their gazes firmly tipped up.
‘That doesn’t count as a win. You have to kiss him, if you want that spa day.’
I think of Josh and me on the dance floor – as fleeting as the dance was. There wasn’t much time for sparks to fly, but he was nice, saving me like that at the bar. And there’s no denying he’s good-looking. ‘I suppose he’s actually quite kissable,’ I think aloud, attempting to make light of it all. ‘You could just have pretended to have got the waiter’s number, you know – made something up, put a random number in your phone. I’d never have known.’
Scarlet swears. She’s obviously not considered this. ‘Same thing applies. You could just have told me you’d kissed the best man.’
‘Oh, yeah,’ I say slowly. ‘Damn it.’ I sip the final dregs of my now-warm champagne, pondering this.
A man standing behind us, watching the fireworks, leans in. ‘Why is it you have to kiss me?’
I look back and realise I’m staring straight into Josh’s eyes. ‘Oh God,’ I say, coughing on my champagne.
‘You all right?’ he asks as I recover.
‘Yep.’ I don’t know where to look, but I can’t help but be drawn up towards his blue eyes, crinkling at the sides with laughter. He smiles and looks confused at the same time.
‘Am I a bet ?’ he asks in disbelief.
‘No,’ I say at the same time as Scarlet replies, ‘Yes.’
‘I’ve never been a bet,’ he says thoughtfully.
‘That you know of,’ Scarlet responds under her breath, but loud enough for us to hear.
Josh’s eyebrows lift in surprise and he looks from Scarlet to me. ‘Is the bet kissing me? Is that what I overheard?’ he asks as the fireworks build to a crescendo.
‘It most certainly is,’ Scarlet says.
‘Are you drunk ?’ I ask Scarlet. ‘Stop talking.’
‘I’m a little bit drunk, yeah. Plus I want to see how this plays out.’
‘You have to kiss me for a bet?’ Josh clarifies. I can’t tell if he’s angry or not. He still looks confused. It’s quite endearing.
Oh, please somebody make this stop. ‘I have to … um … Yes, is the simple reply. I have to kiss you, for my bingo grid.’
‘For your bingo grid?’ Josh asks, but the smile doesn’t leave his face. ‘Bingo? Are you secretly ninety years old?’ he teases as Scarlet launches into a slightly slurry explanation of our game. He watches her with narrowed eyes as she explains our challenges, and then his gaze lands back on me. Josh sips his Guinness thoughtfully as, around us, people start drifting back inside the house or off to lean on the terrace balustrade as the fireworks draw to a close.
‘And how close are you to winning this bingo game?’ he asks.
‘One square left, so quite close,’ I say in fast, clipped tones as my mortification deepens. He just needs to go now. Off you go, Josh. Walk away.
He stays put, sips his Guinness thoughtfully. ‘OK then,’ he says.
‘What?’ I ask.
‘I said OK. If you need to kiss me to win, I offer myself as tribute,’ he jokes.
Scarlet’s eyes swivel back and forth between Josh and me as if she can’t believe it. I can’t believe it.
‘No, thanks,’ I reply. Minutes ago I was on the verge of saying yes to Chris – of getting on a plane with Chris, who I really, really liked. I’m not about to kiss Josh .
‘No, thanks?’ he asks in disbelief. ‘You don’t want to win? You don’t want to kiss me?’
I can’t even speak over the rush of blood that’s entered my head. I laugh because this is ridiculous.
‘Let me get this straight. You’ve got one square left to tick off and it’s kissing me. And your friend’s got one square left to tick off and it’s getting a waiter’s number.’
Scarlet nods, eyes still wide, disbelieving smile even wider. Josh turns to her. ‘So if you run into that kitchen right now and grab a waiter’s number, what do you win?’
‘Shoes,’ she immediately replies. Her eyes slide towards me triumphantly, as if she’s already won. ‘Really expensive shoes.’
‘And if you kiss me,’ Josh turns to me, ‘you win …?’
‘A spa day. And not having to buy her the expensive shoes. But I’m not going to—’
Scarlet cuts me off, turns to me. ‘I’m going to do it,’ she tells me. ‘I’m going into the kitchen to get his number. I’m going to win.’
‘Don’t you dare move,’ I hiss.
‘Too late,’ she says, backing away. ‘I’m about to win. You’re about to lose.’ She makes the L sign with her finger and thumb and holds it against her forehead as if we’re teenagers. She looks at Josh, thanks him for the suggestion and makes a dash for it.
I stare at Josh. ‘What did you just do?’
He laughs. ‘I cleared the path for you to win. But I don’t think you’ve got long. Seconds at best. Isn’t it about who wins? Who gets the square marked off first? Isn’t that how bingo works?’
‘You’re joking surely?’
He shakes his head slowly. The smile is still on his face. He’s enjoying this.
‘We could simply say I kissed you,’ I suggest.
‘You want me to lie for you? I’m not doing that. I’ve only just met you.’ His smile widens.
I think I’m smiling too. What is happening?
I down the rest of my warm champagne, step forward. I’m going to do this. I’m going to win.
‘Fuck it!’ Goodbye dignity, hello spa day. I tip my head up towards Josh and he leans into me; his smile wavers until he’s not smiling any more. Instead his expression is one of surprise.
‘Bloody hell,’ he murmurs, ‘Are you actually going to kiss me?’
And then he can’t say anything because my mouth is on his and I find myself pressing against him. His chest is hard, and his hand that’s not holding a pint of Guinness finds its way onto my back, pulling me towards him gently. His eyes close as our tongues meet, and I can’t stop myself kissing him softly and then harder. I can taste cold Guinness on his tongue and it’s kind of sexy, as is the way he kisses me back – once he’s realised this is actually happening – stroking my tongue with his. I hear someone cough as they enter the terrace and, as if I’m only vaguely aware that we’re making out in a public place, I break away first and look at Josh with a stunned expression. He looks at me, equally stunned in return. That was hot. We both know it.
I touch my lips. Neither of us speaks, but I’m still so close to him. Josh looks like he wants to kiss me again. I think I want him to. And then Scarlet appears at our side, wailing, ‘I can’t find him! I think his shift’s ended and he’s gone home.’
‘Oh,’ I reply, still looking at Josh.
‘That’s a shame,’ he says, still looking at me.
Oblivious to what’s happened, and obviously assuming I’d never do what I just did, Scarlet announces that she’s going to grab another drink and offers, ‘Do you guys want one?’
‘Sure,’ we both say as she disappears.
Josh drinks the rest of his Guinness and then laughs. ‘That was unexpected.’
‘What do you mean, that was unexpected? You literally goaded me into kissing you.’
‘I didn’t actually think you were going to do it,’ he confesses. ‘It was hot, though,’ he adds.
‘Maybe,’ I say.
‘Maybe? Don’t lie.’
‘Yeah, it was hot.’ I’m so embarrassed I can’t even look at him.
We’re both quiet, both smiling, both avoiding eye contact. ‘So now what?’ he asks.
‘I don’t know,’ I answer, forcing my eyes to connect with his.
‘Can I get your number?’ he asks.
‘You move fast,’ I declare.
‘Look who’s talking. You just kissed me.’
‘It depends. Do you live in New York or somewhere that involves a plane ride?’ I ask warily.
‘What? No,’ he replies, as confusion finds a path to his face. ‘Is there like a postcode criteria or something, if I want to take you on a date?’
‘You want to take me on a date?’ It must have been about six months since I last went out with a guy, and that was a swipe in the wrong direction.
‘Yeah. Is that OK?’ Josh asks, suddenly shy.
That kiss. ‘Yes.’
‘That was a fast response,’ he says. ‘Something to do with how well I kiss?’ he teases, no longer shy.
He is a good kisser. Once he’d got over the initial surprise, it was inappropriately hot. I give him a look as he laughs, pulls out his phone, unlocks it and hands it to me. I haven’t given a man my number in ages and incredibly, for the second time tonight, I enter it into a second man’s phone, add my name, hit save and hand it back. Josh’s hand touches mine as he takes the phone from me and, as if I needed any more proof that there is something there, a charge of sexual energy passes back and forth.
Scarlet returns with our drinks. Josh takes his from her, says thank you and offers her some money, which she politely declines.
‘So I’m going to head back inside to catch up with the guys now,’ he tells us. ‘But it was very nice to meet you both. Lexie,’ he says turning to me, ‘if I don’t catch you later on, I’ll message you?’
I nod, smile.
‘Oh and, Scarlet,’ Josh says as she looks up at him curiously and he gives her a jubilant look, ‘your friend won the bingo.’