Page 23 of The Ending is the Best Part
Three Weeks Left
The evening air is crisp as Xander and I stroll up to the entrance of the pub, the light flickering an amber glow above us.
My heart flutters when I feel Xander’s hand fall on the small of my back, guiding me gently towards the door.His fingers flex as if he’s holding himself back.But remembering how much walking behind me affected him earlier, I lean back into him, which elicits a low murmur from his throat.Yep, still got it.We’re playing a dangerous game here and I think he knows it because his hand drops away quickly.The wooden door creaks as I swing it open, the warmth from inside welcoming us like a cosy hug.It smells faintly of the fresh-cut logs burning in the fireplace that sits in the corner.I can hear the faint hum of conversations from the back but, looking around, I see the pub is nearly empty.Another couple are sitting near the bar chatting quietly over their drinks.I stumble on that thought.Another couple. Obviously, I just meantacouple.
Before I can turn to Xander to see where he wants to sit, the bartender appears in front of us.The guy is pretty tall, almost as tall as Xander, with muscular arms covered in tattoos peeking out from under his sleeves.His face is handsome in a rough sort of way, but unfortunately I only have eyes for one person in this room right now.The guy who almost sabotaged your career?You sure know how to pick ’em, Yara,I mentally chastise myself.
But that doesn’t mean I’m blind and I don’t miss the way the bartender’s eyes slide over me with interest, lingering a moment too long.‘Table for one?’ he asks, flirtatiously.I feel the air shift as Xander stands taller and his body tenses.He lets out a barely audible scoff and I elbow him discreetly.
My eyes flick to Xander and then back to the bartender, my lips curling into a playful smile, trying to bring lightness to the situation.‘Table for two actually,’ I say quickly.
The bartender blinks and looks a little surprised.A guilty smile spreads across his face.‘Ah, sorry about that!Didn’t think you were with her.’ He laughs awkwardly, barely making eye contact with Xander, who stands stoically.I elbow him again to try to get him to ease the macho energy.As the guy makes his way back behind the bar, he says, ‘Go ahead and sit anywhere you want.If you’re getting food, my mum will be over to take your order.’
Xander leads us to a small, intimate table near the back of the room.It’s perfect.It’s secluded enough for us to focus on each other, but still close enough to the other patrons that we have a bit of the pub’s atmosphere.
I glance across the table at Xander, who is still seething about being ignored.
He must see the glimmer of humour in my eyes, which sets me off in a fit of laughter.
‘I swear to God, you and your giggles,’ he says in a low voice, his lips curving into a reluctant smile.‘That guy was practically drooling over you.’
‘The poor bloke was just doing his job.Flirting is how you get tips.It pays the bills.Plus, he was super nice!He’s given us the best seat in the house.’
‘Right,’ he says with a straight face, his voice dripping with sarcasm.‘A bartender who is just doing his job who doesn’t even see me standing there.You could’ve said something, you know.’
Could’ve said what?I think.Ah, sorry, Mr Bartender.This is Xander, my work rival, who, by the way, almost got me taken off the finale, but who somehow manages to send my pulse racing.In another universe, we’d be madly in love with each other, but in this universe he has a fear of love and connection because of childhood abandonment issues, so we’ll never want the same things.Please, Mr Bartender, stop flirting with me.It upsets him, even though he doesn’t want to be with me and never will.
I chuckle to myself.Let’s keep this light.‘Um, I did say something,’ I reply.‘You heard me when I said “Table for two”, didn’t you?’
He pulls the menu from the table to hide his expression, but I can see his smiling eyes over the top.He must have realised how ridiculous he’s being.After a few short moments perusing the menu, a woman approaches our table.She’s an older lady who looks at us with a warm and friendly smile.‘What can I get for you two tonight?’ she asks.
She pauses for a second, contemplating her next words, trying to figure out what Xander and I are to each other.Colleagues?Friends?A couple?Her and me both, I think.‘Are you two celebrating something special tonight?’
‘Oh God, no!’ I loudly exclaim, my hands fluttering all over the place in embarrassment.But at the same time Xander leans forward and says, ‘Yes!We’re actually celebrating our five-year anniversary.’
My eyes bulge at him.This charade again?First we were boyfriend–girlfriend in the hotel lobby and now we’re five years married.He does like to move fast.
He turns things up a notch by reaching over and gently placing his large hands over mine, keeping them firmly in place.‘Ignore her,’ he says, flashing the waitress a charming grin that does wonders.‘She likes to joke around like that sometimes.Me and the missus are celebrating five wonderful years together.We gotta keep the magic alive somehow, right?’
I kick him hard under the table, which doesn’t deter him, in fact his smile widens as the waitress gives us a knowing look.Her eyes twinkle with a mixture of amusement and approval.‘Oh, how lovely!I knew you guys must’ve been together for a long time.It’s the way you are around each other.’
We place our order and she says, ‘I’ll be back shortly with your food… and there might be something special on the house for you too, lovebirds.’ She winks and walks away.
I let out a small sigh and glare at Xander from across the table.That whole interaction was so embarrassing for me, but he clearly doesn’t feel the same because he is looking pleased as Punch with himself.
‘Was that really necessary?’ I ask, unimpressed.
‘What, scared of a bit of fun?It’s not like anyone’s going to check – plus we’re practically an old married couple anyway, aren’t we?The way we bicker all the time.And maybe we’ll get some free dessert for it, my long-suffering wife.’ He stretches back in his chair.As he does, his top rides up slowly, revealing his very chiselled, tanned abs, but I quickly avert my eyes, hoping I haven’t been caught.
‘I can’t stand you sometimes,’ I say teasingly.
‘Yeah, but you love me for it, Yazza.’ He smirks.
I try to kick him under the table again but this time he sees it coming and dodges it at the last second.
The night passes quickly after that, with no awkwardness between us.As we eat our food, any discomfort fades as we joke around and share stories.The mood is light and for once it doesn’t feel so… complicated.Xander was right about dessert, and we get a pair of chocolate melting-middle puddings courtesy of the kitchen.We have to suppress our shared giggles as the waitress pipes, in chocolate, on the plate in front of us: Congratulations!Here’s to another five.
When we finish our meals, Xander tells me to head on out while he sorts the bill for tonight’s dinner.I try to insist on paying but he is having none of that and shoos me outside, which has our waitress swooning for him even more.
