Page 5 of When The Night Falls

You twat. I’m not a dickhead

You’re not a lawyer

Yet x

I just accused a man that Livy wanted to get off with of sleeping with his mum. Doubt your coursework is more entertaining…

Lmao you did what?

Did he deserve it?

100 %

By the time Olivia returned, it felt like only a minute had elapsed. As she placed an espresso martini on the table, I looked up from my phone and found her smiling. I grinned back, putting my phone aside. She had brought me my favourite cocktail.

‘Next round’s on me,’ I said.

‘I didn’t pay for it.’ She pressed her lips together in a poor attempt to restrain a smile.

‘What?’

‘The guy you insulted did. Asked for your name, too, but I didn’t give it to him. Gathered I’d leave that choice to you.’

My jaw dropped. Had he really bought me a drink? After all that?

On impulse, I looked in his direction. Spellbinding blue eyes met mine, and I was immediately captured by them. Wearing a complacent smirk, he raised his glass at me and gave me a wink, causing his friend to snigger beside him as he shook his head.

‘Seriously? What’s his problem?’ I grumbled and broke out of his spell to focus on Olivia. Sinking into the spot beside me, she raised her cosmopolitan to her mouth.

After a sip, she said, ‘I think you changed his mind, acting the way you did. While I waited for our drinks, you were all he asked about. I told him nothing, though.’

Bemused, I blinked at her. ‘You had a conversation with him?’

Olivia frowned. ‘He insisted on paying for our drinks, Cara. What was I supposed to do?’

Ignore him? I would have.

‘I’m so sorry you had to go through that.’

She laughed. ‘You can have him,’ she said with a grin, her tone clearly implying that she harboured no bitterness and genuinely meant to give me her blessing. ‘He put me off with his attitude. His friend, though – Andrew – he seems nice. He apologised on William’s behalf. William’s the arsehole.’

I scoffed. ‘Thanks, but no thanks. I’d rather he pissed off.’

Olivia chuckled and scanned the room again, probably to locate new targets. Meanwhile, I stared at the cocktail Mr Arsehole had bought me. I wanted it, but it felt wrong to accept it, so I just kept staring at it, conflicted.

‘Oh, for heaven’s sake, Cara.’ Olivia rolled her eyes. ‘It’s a free drink. Consider it an apology. Drink it.’

‘You do realise that if he sees me drinking it, he’ll consider himself excused?’ I shook my head. ‘I won’t allow that. I’d rather buy my own.’ I stood up.

‘He’s going to speak to you, then. Is that what you want?’

‘Who says I’ve got to reply? I might as well return the favour – “not interested”.’

As I went to the bar, I glanced at Olivia over my shoulder. She was grinning at me, shaking her head.

I had nearly reached the counter when I felt Mr Arsehole’s eyes on me. It demanded every ounce of my willpower not to meet them. To signal that I did not want to be approached, I arrived as far away from him as possible.

I flattened my hands on the dark surface of the counter, searching for a bartender, but both were busy serving other customers. Mr Arsehole continued to stare at me, and it made me feel uneasy. Hyperaware of myself, I put my elbows on the bartop, held my head between my hands, and studied the wall of myriad bottles straight ahead.

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