Page 11 of The Gin Lover's Guide to Dating

‘Well done, young Liv.’ Tony gives me a jovial and rather inappropriate slap on the back. ‘Those idiots don’t know talent when it smacks them in the face.’

He nods in the direction of another group; my heart sinks as I see both Sharon and Derek standing there. Sharon’s in her usual alpha-female flow – loud, dominant and vulgar. Derek hangs awkwardly by her side, surreptitiously checking something on his phone, while pretending to be as engrossed as everyone else.

‘As much as I tend to agree…’ I put my hand on Tony’s arm casually ‘…in this case, it was totally mutual.’

‘You can’t fool me.’ Tony gives me an overly dramatic your-secret-is-safe-with-me wink. ‘I’ve been around long enough to know a settlement agreement when I see one. Here, one for the road, eh?’ He thrusts a glass of champagne into my hand.

As he says this, I feel like I’ve been kicked in the stomach. Deciding some fresh air is urgently needed, I excuse myself and head out to the terrace of the Union Canal-side bar into the early June heatwave that’s provided a welcome respite from the previous weeks of rain. I take a seat at one of the tables closest to the edge, where two dabbling ducks are chattering and peeping away contentedly, creating hypnotic ripples in the glassy water. I pretend I’m looking something up on my phone while I assess the situation. What the hell is going on? First Stella, then Tony. And where are Anya, Tom and the others?

I sit for several minutes, slugging my champagne, listening to the ducks, all the time keeping up my charade of being engrossed in my phone. Eventually I hear a rabble behind me and turn to see Anya, Tom and a couple of other friends from the office approaching though the passageway from the bustle of Fountainbridge. The level of laughter and boisterousness indicates they’ve already had a few drinks.

‘Where have you lot been?’ I stand up and address them boorishly.

‘Liv!’ Anya bounces over to me and gives me a hug. ‘It’s so good to—’

‘Yeah, yeah, I know. That’s a line I haven’t heard too many times already this evening.’

‘Well, it is.’ Anya misses the sarcasm in my voice. ‘I’ve been missing you this last week.’

‘I’m sure you’ll get used to it.’ I smile at her, pleased that she’s genuinely missed me.

‘Liv, buddy.’ Tom gives me his signature bone-breaking handshake-come-awkward-hug. ‘How’ve you been?’

‘Great, thanks.’ I smile brightly at him, now realising that this is something I’ll just have to endure. ‘So, where have you all been?’

‘Tom suggested a quick one in Sally’s Bar, and that turned into three or four,’ says Anya, as I greet my other friends from work: Dom and Marta.

‘Guilty as charged.’ Tom holds his hands up in mock surrender.

Anya springs a little on the spot, giggling like a schoolgirl. I catch a look between them: clearly they’re totally enraptured with each other.

‘Right.’ I force a smile, but can’t help wondering, once again, why Anya didn’t text me and ask me to join them.

‘Let’s get some more drinks in,’ Tom declares. ‘My round.’

He bounds off into the bar, while the rest of us follow close behind.

Brushing away my feeling of being left out, I join in the energetic and innuendo-charged banter. It’s just like normal. Nothing’s changed. And why should it?

Once we have our drinks, we head back outside to join yet more colleagues. It’s a warm, still evening, adding to the already high spirits. Outdoor speakers pump out a funky summer beat, while ties are discarded, top buttons undone, and the females of the group kick off their high heels, revealing perfectly shellacked toes in a kaleidoscope of colours.

‘So, have there been any other updates on the new structure?’ I ask Anya and Tom. ‘I asked Stella before, but she went all weird and took off.’

I glance over at Stella, who’s chatting with Dom and Marta, having blatantly avoided me since our earlier interaction.

‘Oh, erm…’ Anya hesitates, and I see her exchange an uncomfortable look with Tom.

‘What is it?’ An uneasy feeling starts to stir in my stomach. ‘Anya?’

Anya looks like a cornered animal. She stares pleadingly at Tom, who steps in to rescue her.

‘There were some other updates last week,’ he says.

‘Like what?’ I probe.

‘Like… Liv, do you really want to hear this?’ Tom asks.

‘Of course.’ I look from Tom to Anya. ‘I’ve only just left. I’m still interested in what’s going on.’

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