‘Sounds good.’ I winced at Curtis’s pained expression and put my arm round him. ‘I promise you can bail if they’re dire. Sarah already knows we’ll probably leave early so I won’t feel too absolutely, completely, hideously guilty for running out on her big night.’
‘You’re very manipulative when you want to be, Red,’ Curtis said. ‘I’ll try and last beyond the buffet. Just for you.’
The three of us moved to an empty table. Sarah came over and dumped her bag to secure her seat, then went to play host again. I felt a stab of pride watching her. I genuinely hadn’t seen her so at ease or so animated for a long time. She was glowing and she had so much to glow about with a successful business and fantastic fiancé. Lucky thing. Mind you, I loved my job and I didn’t want a relationship right now so I wasn’t in a bad place either.
I chatted to Curtis and Stevie, relieved that the four weeks since the incident on the beach hadn’t made things awkward between Stevie and me. While Curtis told Stevie about his salon, I took a moment to gaze around the room. The door opened revealing Sarah’s brother, Ben, and Clare. My stomach clenched. It had been three weeks since our altercation in Minty’s. Even though a tentative peace had been declared and a few messages about hen do ideas had been exchanged with her and Callie since then, this was the first time we’d come face to face. She looked stunning, as always, in a short, tight burgundy dress and killer heels. Nick and Sarah welcomed them, pointed towards the bar, then pointed towards our table. Ben smiled and waved, Clare nodded her head in my direction, then they headed for the bar.
‘Are you okay?’ Stevie asked a few moments later.
‘Yes. Why?’
‘Could I have my hand back then?’
‘What?’ I looked down. I hadn’t realised I’d taken hold of his hand or that I’d squeezed it until his knuckles turned white.
‘Sorry,’ I whispered, letting go. ‘I hope I haven’t just added a broken hand to your collection of injuries caused by me.’
‘The nose wasn’t your fault and you know it.’ He fixed those warm hazel eyes on mine. ‘I heard about Daniel. I’m not sorry it’s over, but I am for how it ended. What a tosser!’
‘Thanks. I should have taken your advice and dumped him after he hit you, but he seemed so genuinely distraught about it. It seems he’s a pretty good actor. I should give him a part in one of our school productions.’
‘Who’s a good actor?’
‘Ben!’ I stood up and hugged him. ‘It’s been far too long. How’ve you been?’
‘Pretty good. Well, apart from a house full of women’s products and lacy undies thanks to this one moving in.’
‘Oi. It’s just grand having me there. You’re getting a new kitchen on my company thanks to me slumming it with you instead of living the life of Riley in a hotel, so just you be grateful.’ Clare playfully punched him on the arm. ‘Hi Elise. Hi Curtis.’
‘Hi,’ we said together.
Stevie stood up and hugged her. I found myself wishing it was me and shook my head. I had to stop obsessing about his super-hugs.
Ben and Clare sat down. Thankfully the question of who was a good actor wasn’t raised again. I didn’t want talk of Daniel to sour what promised to be a great evening.
‘Do you mind if I join you?’ said a familiar voice about fifteen minutes later.
My pulse quickened when I turned round and saw him all smart and sexy in a suit instead of his usual jeans and T-shirt combo. ‘Michael. Hi. Of course.’ I quickly did the introductions round the table. ‘Sit down. You’re in luck. There’s one seat left.’ I saw Michael glance across to the far side of the table where the empty seat was. Was that a look of disappointment?
Curtis stood up. ‘You can have mine for a moment, mate. I’m nipping out for a wee smoke.’
‘Curtis! I thought you’d given up.’
‘I had, but I’ve fallen off the wagon. I’ve had enough stick off my staff about it so zip it, Red. I’m on holiday.’ He headed for the door, pulling a packet of cigarettes out of his suit pocket.
Michael sat down beside me and asked me a question so I turned to answer him, but then Stevie asked me a question so I had to turn to face him. Then Michael asked another, then Stevie again. Feeling increasingly awkward, I pushed my chair away from the table so I could get eye contact with them both.
Curtis returned and hovered nearby, watching. I caught his eye and shrugged apologetically. ‘It’s okay,’ he said. ‘I’ll sit next to Legs. I want to see if she’s up for clubbing again later.’ He sat in the spare seat beside Clare.
By the time the opening of the buffet was announced, I felt quite exhausted from the barrage of questions coming from both men and excused myself to go to the ladies. On my way back, Curtis grabbed me and steered me towards the queue for the buffet table. ‘Well, well, well,’ he said. ‘Who’s got the boys fighting over her?’
‘What?’
‘Don’t play Little Miss Innocent with me. Dimples and Camera-Boy are falling over each other to get your attention. So who’s going to win?’
Colour flooded my cheeks and butterflies took flight in my stomach. Could he be right about them? Michael and I had almost kissed and there was definitely some chemistry there. But Stevie? He’d turned me down in Stardust, but he had said that I was attractive and it was only a bad idea because I was drunk and on the rebound. I had no idea whether that had been a gentle let-down or whether he had been interested. And if he had been, was he still interested now? Surely he’d have said something if he was.
Back at the table with plates of food, everyone had switched seats. Curtis sat down beside me. While we ate, he kept whispering in my ear to let me know that one or the other was either staring at me, giving each other evil looks, or laughing a little too loudly then glancing across to see if I was watching. Allegedly.
‘Stop it, Curtis,’ I hissed. ‘You’re being ridiculous.’ I chased a piece of potato salad around my plate then gave up and pushed the plate aside. I didn’t want two men fighting over me. I didn’t even want one man after me. I wanted to be my own person. Single. Strong. Happy being me.
‘Game time,’ he whispered.
My stomach lurched. ‘No! Don’t start stirring.’
He coughed loudly to grab everyone’s attention. ‘Seeing as we’re all back from the buffet and food’s nearly finished, who’s up for a wee game?’
Everyone looked intrigued and I cringed.
‘I’ll give each person the name of another person on this table. You have to say two things that you think are fabulous about that person then one thing you’d change about them. I know some of us have just met this evening so you’ll have to be creative. I’ll start to give a demo. This is directed at Legs over there.’ He blew a kiss towards Clare.
Clare smiled, placed her elbows on the table, and clasped her hands under her chin. ‘Bring it on!’
‘The first fabulous thing is obvious. You have legs that even I, as a gay man, would love to have wrapped round me.’ Clare beamed and everyone laughed. ‘The second fabulous thing is your hair. If I could do to all my clients whatever your hairdresser does to you, I would be able to retire next year.’