by Len Webster
“Oh, kiddo, you’re so precious,” Julian cooed.
“Get off me!” She wiggled in his hold, and Julian hugged her tighter.
“Sorry Noel hasn’t nailed you good. And I’m sorry he can’t get it done since Alex still holds his balls.”
“Okay, that’s enough from you, ya teasing little shit,” Julian’s brother said from behind him. Rob had his hand on Julian’s shoulder, pulling him off Clara.
“Roberta, that wasn’t very nice. I wanted to see Clara Parker spank me.”
“Not in your lifetime,” Clara stated as she fixed her curls back in place.
“Go sit down, Julian,” Rob stated. “We’re already tired of your shit.”
When Alex made his way to him, his hand settled on Julian’s right shoulder. “You’re such a little shit.” He laughed. “I’ll bring you a beer.”
Julian nodded appreciatively, turned around, and made his way to the table. When he reached a free table, he pulled out a chair and sat on it, staring at his group of friends. Just as Alex was about to order, Julian yelled, “Don’t spit in it! Or get me that pissy-coloured beer.”
Alex responded with a nod and continued to speak to his fiancée. Julian took in their group. For years, he’d stayed away from them and kept to himself. He never wanted to admit that he’d missed them, including his brother. But they all did okay, and for that, he smiled. Alex and Keira were expecting a child, and Noel and Clara were happily married. As Julian’s father had said, soul mates always found a way to be with each other. In all the years he’d known Clara, she was where she finally belonged. Not with him or Liam. She was Noel’s heart, and behind all his teasing, Julian was jealous.
When Alex had their beers, he treaded carefully towards the table Julian sat at. The moment he reached the table, Julian let out a sigh. Tonight wasn’t going how he’d expected. So far, it was a letdown.
“There’s something really wrong about having your bachelor party after your wedding. It’s just not right.”
Alex set the pint in front of him and sat at the table. “Stop your sulking.”
Julian reached for the beer and nursed it like a hot beverage on a winter’s morning. “This is such a piss poor excuse for a bachelor party. It’s like an offence to men everywhere!”
Alex shook his head. “You couldn’t get him away from my sister long enough to have one. And well, you decided to be with the Italians. So drinks at PJ’s is your fault.”
“It was the sex you couldn’t get him away from,” Julian pointed out as he sipped the Guinness.
“Seriously? I don’t need you reminding me that he’s sleeping with my sister. We grew up hearing and sharing each other’s sex stories, but now I can’t stomach it if Noel were to say anything. Fucking hell, I gave him my blessing to marry her. You’d think that excuses me from hearing anything physical about them.” Alex shivered and took a long pull from his glass.
“You know I’m just busting your balls, right?”
“Yeah. You’re lucky I like you or I’d have knocked ya on your back the moment you decided to pull that stunt.”
Julian shrugged. “Group needed some fun. No strippers mean no fun. Watching you and Noel squirm is my enjoyment for the night.”
Because that’s all I can get out of life it seems.
From the corner of his eye, Julian noticed his brother talking to a woman near the counter. Rob didn’t really do female interaction and for that, the sight caught his interest.
“Who’s she?” Julian asked, nodding in their direction.
Alex shifted his gaze and stared at the pair speaking. “Jewel Monroe,” he replied.
Julian took in Jewel. She was like a tall, skankier version of Snow White. The version at Halloween parties in the barely there lingerie instead of the costume. That was Jewel in her short dress that showed off far too much skin for Julian’s liking. He liked a little mystery. Give him too much skin and the fun of undressing was short lived.
He lifted the pint close to his lips and kept his eyes on them. “She’s got ginormous knockers.”
Alex laughed. “That she does.”
“Rob’s a breast man. I can see why he’s fascinated.”
“When are you going to tell him about Stevie?” The hint of concern could be heard in Alex’s voice.
Julian put his beer down and sighed. “What do I say? ‘Oh, Rob, that girl you talked to me about, the one you like? Yeah, I slept with her four years ago, and she broke my heart. I want her back, thanks.’ Is that what I say?”
“Don’t think you could say anything that wouldn’t hurt him. I saw them together, and she made him happy.” Alex gazed back at Rob and the sadness and worry consumed his eyes. “He put our friendship on the line because he saw how in love Noel was with Clara. He’ll understand.”
Julian turned his attention to his brother. Rob seemed stiff and unhappy with Jewel. When he was with Stephanie, he smiled. When he was with Ally, he was nervous; something Julian had never seen from his brother. Rob hadn’t been the same since their mother died. He was guarded and only a certain few drew emotions from him.
“I don’t have to tell him anything yet. Stephanie doesn’t really like being around me. I’ll tell him eventually,” Julian said.
They were both silent for a while, staring at anything but each other.
“Keira and I are making the announcement tonight.”
Julian eyes quickly met with Alex’s proud smile. “The baby reveal?”
Alex nodded. “Yep. Told my dad last night. I’m not gonna bother with my mother. She signed the divorce papers and fucked off somewhere.”
Julian raised his almost empty beer glass up and Alex did, too. “To your awful mother for being a bitch. And to you and your awesome swimmers for impregnating that hot woman of yours, you lucky bastard!”
Alex chuckled and clinked his glass against Julian’s. “I am, indeed.”
“You haven’t said a word since I knocked on your brother’s apartment. What’s up?” Stevie asked Ally once she’d cut the engine and parked outside of PJ’s.
Ally unbuckled her belt and faced Stevie. A concern plastered her face that had never been there before as long as Stevie had known Ally.
“Nothing,” she mumbled, her eyes not quite meeting Stevie’s.
“Nothing is always something. It’s just a word people hide behind. Now, spill!” Stevie ordered as she pressed the lock button on the dash.
“Did you just trap me in your car?”
“Yes. Now, talk. We’ve got all night.” For emphasis, Stevie pressed the button on the light of the roof, illuminating Ally’s face.
Ally was silent as she stared at her hand. “You’re going to hate me,” she said in a small voice.
Stevie let out an unbelievable laugh. “Impossible. Unless you’ve done something to Clara or my sister-in-law; then I’ll have to do some ass kicking.”
Ally shook her head. “Remember when Clara was engaged to my brother?”
“Uhh, yeah?”
“We were picking out her wedding dress?”
Stevie’s eyebrows furrowed, trying to understand where Ally was going.
“I was there,” Stevie reminded.
Ally brushed her ash-blonde hair behind her ear and peeked up, tears prickling her eyes. “And Annie said something about you and Rob?”
Stevie’s eyes widened. “Oh.”
“I didn’t know who he was when we had Liam and Clara’s rehearsal dinner. I had a little too much to drink after my dad threatened me with working for the company. Rob found me with cake, ready to throw it at my parents’ rental car. He stopped me and well, he took me for a walk and we sat by the river all night after the dinner. I kissed him. I’m so sorry. He pulled away and said things were complicated. And that he couldn’t look at me ever again. I’m sorry, Stevie. I am so sorry. I only found out that he was your Rob when I got partnered up with him at the wedding.”
It didn’t hurt. Not even in the slightest. In fact, she felt nothing. The
truth was she was pleased. Robert Moors could lie all he liked, but Allison O’Connor was his something. His secret. Just like Julian was hers.
My, oh my, Robert, do we have some talking to do.
“Are you going to say something? God, punch me in the face already,” Ally pleaded.
Stevie laughed. “Ally, Rob and I are friends. We tried to make something out of nothing. We’ve never had sex, so don’t think I have some sort of claim over him. He’s all yours,” Stevie said as she pressed the button to unlock the car. “Want to know something?”
Ally nodded once.
“He’s never willingly sat all night with me and listened to my problems. For as long as I’ve known him, he’s never been that patient,” Stevie said sadly, almost jealous at the realisation. Then she shook her head and opened the driver’s side.
“Stevie!” Ally called, stopping her from getting out of the car.
“Yeah.”
“I was just some crazy girl ready to vandalise a car with cake. I know it was a one-time thing,” she said in a small voice.
I won’t let it be.
“Ally, I see the way he looks—”
“He said he was in love with you,” Ally revealed, interrupting her.
Stevie’s stomach dipped and her heart twisted. The last thing she ever wanted was Rob to fall in love with her, not when she had loved his brother first.
“What?” Stevie breathed.
“He apologised after you pushed me into him. Then I sat by the golf cart while he told me his problems. The first thing he said was that he loved you.”
The pain in Ally’s eyes was as if a knife had been forced into Stevie’s chest. Stevie had heard the stories from Clara, of how men had used Ally to get into the social scene. That none of them ever attempted to get to know her past her surname.
Rob was the first person to and he tells her he loves me.
Great.
“Give him some time. He has no idea what love is. I’m not the one who shows him it. Now, shall we get drunk?” Stevie winked and pulled out the key from the ignition.
She didn’t wait for a reply from Ally. Instead, she got out of the car and started to make her way to the pub. When she heard the car door close, Stevie locked the BMW and pushed open the pub doors.
It took Stevie seconds to find her best friend, Clara, on her husband’s lap, lost in her own little world. At the same table sat Max, Alex, Keira, and Julian. Her lips twitched at the sight of Julian. It’d almost been a week since she had him on top of her in an unflattering position. Work had been heavy with tension. She’d made sure to stay away from him. Her internship meant more than the way his lips worked against hers. No matter how incredible it felt, it couldn’t happen again.
“Want to order before we meet up with everyone?” she asked Ally.
“Yep, sounds good to me.”
They weaved through the crowd as they made their way to the counter. When they reached it, Stevie smiled at Mitch, the usual weekend bartender.
“Baby, you’re back!” Mitch cooed.
“Shut up.” She laughed. “Can I get a pint of Guinness? And, Ally?”
She shook her head. “Nothing for me, I’m good. I’ll drive you home since you’re drinking.”
“She’ll have a glass of your best red,” Stevie ordered for her.
“On the house if you finally say yes to dinner with me, Stevie. What do you say?” Mitch asked as he got their drinks.
She took her beer from him with a smile and handed over three ten-dollar notes. “Keep the change, love.”
“My favourite way to get tips out of you.” He winked.
Stevie shook her head and spun around to walk to the table where their friends sat.
Don’t look Julian’s way.
That’s all you have to do.
She had said that chant numerous times throughout the week. When she reached the table, she noticed there were two free chairs left at the table. One next to Julian and the other next to Max.
Just as she took a step towards her preferred seating choice, Max said, “Ally, come sit with me.”
Julian’s eyes found hers. A smile slowly graced his face and his beautiful blue eyes glinted.
I should have stayed at home.
“Well, guess you’re with me, Blondie.”
“I guess so,” she muttered.
Stevie rounded the table to see him pat the free seat. All she could do was frown at his gesture. One, because it was embarrassing, and two, it reminded her of the times he would do it in Thailand. She’d smile like the silly loved-up teenager she was and get as close to him as possible. Julian would wrap his arms around her as they watched the sunrise or sunset.
With a heavy sigh, she sat next to Julian with Ally on her left. It wasn’t ideal. God, hell would’ve been a better option. But nope, she was living a different form of it called ‘reality,’ and it was just peachy.
“So, how was your day?” Julian asked.
Stevie turned her head and greased him off. She’d spent the day in bed, not really wanting to get out and sort through the boxes she hadn’t unpacked. It was nice to have the apartment alone, but she hated the idea of coming home to an empty apartment once Noel and Clara left next week. Then she’d be stuck with Julian.
“It was fine,” she replied and took a sip from the glass.
He nodded as if he understood. “My day was fine, too. I’m glad you asked.”
Stevie placed the glass on the oak table and glared at him. “I’m very happy to have.”
“Where’s Rob?” Keira asked.
From the corner of her eye, Stevie noticed Ally flinched. All Stevie said to her was it was drinks with the girls. But then again, she hadn’t spoken to Rob since the wedding.
Julian sighed and pointed to the bar. “Over there with big tits.”
Stevie turned her head to see Jewel the Runner stroking his arm. She was sure Rob was done with her. They had made her jealous, and she had gone to some other man. But now it seemed Jewel was back. Stevie peeked at Ally. And the sad, painful gleam in her eyes had Stevie clenching her fists. It hurt to see Ally with that heartbroken expression. Stevie had known that look very well.
Stevie reached over and squeezed Ally’s arm. “You okay?”
“Stevie, I’m a smart person, right?” Ally kept her eyes on Rob and the bitch, Jewel.
“Yes,” Stevie confirmed.
Ally sighed and glanced at her untouched wine. “Then why do I want to do dumb things when it comes to him? I’m normally so sure of myself but not around him.”
“It’s attraction in its asshole form, my friend. It’s a total bitch to the mind.”
Ally glanced over at her, and Stevie gave her a reassuring smile. “So I’m not insane?”
Stevie shook her head. “You’re only human.”
Ally laughed. “How sad.” Then she gazed back at the pair at the worst possible time. Rob kissed Jewel’s cheek, and he pulled her closer to him. Ally’s eyes widened. She picked up the wine glass and drank its contents entirely in one go. It was then that Stevie realised that Ally had never drunk around her. She held a glass of wine or champagne but never consumed it.
What they both witnessed angered Stevie. It wasted all the time she had put in with Rob. She shook her head in disgust. And when Stevie turned, she noticed Julian staring at his brother, and he seemed just as angry as she was.
“Can you get him away from big tits?” Stevie asked in an annoyed tone.
“Gladly,” Julian said. “Max, you want another drink?”
“Yeah. We might need someone to drive us home then,” Max replied as he got up.
“Buddy, we’ll figure it out,” Julian assured as he rose from his chair and set his hand on Stevie’s shoulder. He gazed down at her with his concerned light blue eyes. “Make sure Ally’s all right for me, okay?”
“Sure.”
He smiled. “Let’s get my brother away from big tits, people! Out of my way!”
Stevie’s eyes
remained trained on his back as he stormed to the counter. The dark blue shirt he wore hugged him tightly. Last week she’d had a sneak peek at what lie under his shirt and it was definitely different from when she was eighteen. He was unfortunately a lot bulkier with more muscles than she’d remembered. He wasn’t as large in frame as Noel or Rob, but his body was one her fingers loved. It was a thought she hated to admit.
It was like a train wreck she couldn’t turn away from. She watched every one of his movements and cringed when he smiled and shook hands with Jewel. Julian whispered in Rob’s ear and then Rob turned and his eyes locked on Ally’s. Not Stevie’s. And just that one look confirmed what she had already suspected. Julian said something to Jewel, and she glanced Stevie’s way.
Stevie smiled at the woman Rob had wanted so badly and flipped her off. She noticed Julian laughing as he too caught her sticking up her middle finger at Jewel.
“Stevie!” Ally exclaimed and pulled at Stevie’s arm.
“She deserves it,” Clara said. “Mitch told me about the times she tried to get Noel’s attention after we got engaged.”
Noel chuckled. “Baby, relax.”
“Don’t baby me. She doesn’t even try to hide it. She did it right in front of me a couple of days ago,” Clara huffed.
“And what did I do?”
Clara rolled her eyes. “You kissed me right in front of her.”
“Exactly,” Noel said as he took the glass from his wife’s hand and kissed her.
“Jesus Christ. Put it away,” Alex complained.
“Alex,” Keira warned and covered his hand with hers. Just his name on his fiancée’s lips had him kissing her cheek and shut him up.
Stevie looked at the couples and gagged. “Too. Much. Love. Stop.”
“Boys are back,” Keira said to Alex.
“Okay, we ready?” Alex asked.
“What are you two on about?” Clara asked and got off Noel’s lap, pulling him up from the seat.
Noel gestured at the seat for Rob to take as he wrapped his arms around his wife.
Julian returned to his seat next to her. Stevie craned her neck and smiled at him. The kind of smile that thanked him for getting his stupid older brother away from Jewel. Julian set his freshly poured beer down and placed his hand the table. Slowly, in time with her heartbeat it seemed, he let his fingers inch closer to hers.