Page 28 of Nick & Nora Martinis

“Oh no, don't tell me you got my girl here up the duff,” Jayne says, taking a sip of her drink, staring wide eyed at us.

“No, I haven’t.” Rob glares at me. “What?” I snap, shrugging my shoulders. “Well tell them, stop keeping them in suspense.” They stare between me and Rob.

“I'm sorry, didn't mean to sound so abrupt.”

They look back at me saying that's alright, and that I look tired. I move my hand from Rob's leg as I take a sip from my glass. Placing it back on the table I play with the stem.

“Erm okay, so today, well this morning, I got a call from a producer asking me to go into a recording studio as they liked my work.”

Everyone starts to congratulate him, all talking at once while I sit back and listen. Thinking to myself that this will all end soon. He'll be going off travelling, living his dream while I'm here living mine. Sometimes life sucks. I should have stuck to my guns and never got involved.

“So, big news,” Owen says, nudging my arm with his.

“Yeah it really is.” I turn and look at him directly. I look back around the table. Everyone is happy, I put a brave smile on my face. The sooner they all go the better, I'm not in the mood for drinks any more. But like a trooper, I continue on.

After all the congratulating is done with, we continue to chat and discuss and throw around new ideas. They have come up with a few new ones for the bar. I'm not sure If I will implement any of them, but that's because I’m only half listening. I will talk to Jayne in private. We say our good nights and see Paul out. Jayne and Owen go upstairs, leaving Rob and I in the bar.

“You've been quiet all night, what's up?”

“Nothing,” I tell him

“Abigail, don't lie to me, I know there is something going on, now what is it?”

I stand up, collecting our glasses as I move to the bar to put them into the washer, then start to wipe down. “Are you staying tonight?” I ask. My back is to him, but I look at him through the mirrors.

He looks at me blankly, “Why are you asking me that, don't you want me to?”

I shrug my shoulders, turning to walk back around the bar. I march straight past him. I hear the scraping of the stool, just as I'm by the door that leads upstairs he grabs my arm pulling me back spinning me round to face him, his hand holding my neck pushing me back against the wall. His hand tightens on my throat. His lips are millimetres away from mine, his breath smells of Baileys from the B52 he's not long finished.

“Where is the woman I love, who are you? I want her back.”

“Get the fuck off of me, and go home.” I push with all my might. He releases my arm but blocks me in.

“What the fuck have I done?”

“Get out and leave me alone. See, I knew this would happen, that's why I don't get involved in relationships with work colleagues, I told you it would end like this.”

“Whoa, back up. What the fuck are you talking about? Explain to me because I'm confused as fuck.”

“You, I'm happy for you, but where does that leave us? This is why I didn't want to get serious.”

Rob looks straight at me. It looks like he’s trying to figure me out, and after a few minutes of us staring at each other he grins at me.

“I'm sorry Smithy but you thought I was going to leave,” he starts laughing. “I'm not going anywhere baby, trust me.”

“But…”

“No buts, we are in this together.” He kisses me on the top of my head, picking me up and carrying me up stairs to the flat.

Once inside he places my feet on the floor, I stand upright and make my way over to the bedroom.

Chapter Sixteen

Iroll over in bed putting my arm out, but the bed is empty and cold. I open my eyes and lift my head to look about the room, wondering where Rob’s gone. Putting my head back down I lay listening to see if I can hear him in the shower. Music catches my ears, he's in the bar playing the piano. I lay for a bit longer just listening, it's beautiful. I get out of bed, grab my dressing gown and make my way downstairs.

As I approach him he looks up at me, smiling. I stand at the side of the grand piano watching him while he continues to play without saying a word. I look around the bar, pleased with what I've achieved. I think about tonight and what the male staff are going to do. It should be fun, but just in case it gets a bit rowdy, all the staff are in and I've hired a couple of doormen.

“Smithy, baby come here.”

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