Page 38 of Best Man
“Oops! Butterfingers,” he says casually.
Xavier starts to laugh.
SEVEN
JESSE
Patrick’s temper tantrum over his car rather puts the mockers on the shooting party, and people start to drift off back to the hotel, declaring their intentions of having a drink. Finally, there’s just Zeb, Max, Xavier, and me left standing by the field.
“Well, you know how to help a party along,” Zeb says wryly, and Max smiles happily.
“I think I might need my eyes tested.”
“Why? You hit his windscreen head on.”
Max shrugs. “I was aiming at the bonnet.”
The two men laugh before Max cracks the gun and wanders over to the man in charge, who looks like he’s preparing to give him a lecture. Zeb trails after him.
I turn to Xavier and smile. “Are you enjoying yourself?”
He scrunches his face up in concentration. “We’ve had some good times in bed, but this party is fucking shit.”
I burst out laughing. Zeb shoots me an intense glance before he turns back to answer something Max is saying. When I look back at Xavier, he’s smirking at me.
“So, you and Max?” I say quickly.
He looks blank. “What?”
“Will you keep seeing him?”
He scoffs. “No.”
“Why not?”
“Because we’re not about that,” he says simply. He shrugs. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s an amazing shag, but he’s entirely wrapped up in someone else.”
“Who?” I shoot an uneasy look at Zeb, and Xavier laughs.
“Not him. Even I can see that. No, I think he fucked up something good and blah blah blah according to the semi-coherent conversation I had last night with him. And now he just fucks around.” He smiles affectionately. “That’s my gain because he’sverytalented in the bedroom.”
I blink. “Well, that’s good, I suppose.”
He smiles sunnily. “All good.” He whistles and waves at Max. He and Zeb amble back over. I blink at the sight of them, all dark hair and long legs. But Xavier just continues to smile. “I’m going tonight,” he says to Max. “So if you want a last go at my arse you’d best get moving.”
Zeb blinks. “It’s like pure poetry. Someone contact Goodreads and get them to write it down.”
Max laughs and slaps him on the back. “Got to go and burn the sheets up.”
“Do that afterwards,” I advise. “He looks strenuous.”
Zeb laughs and then Max and Xavier walk away, leaving us standing alone. The sun beats down on my head, and all I can hear is the sound of a wood pigeon cooing from the shade of a tree. I love that sound. It reminds me of summer.
I stir and look at Zeb. “What next?”
He smiles almost cautiously at me. “I think we now have a few hours free. Want to go explore the villages?”
I grin at him. “I’d love that.” It’s a little more enthusiastic than I’d like, but it’s too late to call it back now, so I settle for smiling innocently.
