Page 73 of Rider Forbidden
I nod and give her a hug. I'm in no frame of mind to work today and she’s right, I don't want to see him.
I walk out to my car, not feeling his eyes burning into me all the way there from the window of the conference room upstairs.
*****
I look around the pub for Sophie and spot her to make my way over.
“Hey Sophie, hey everyone.”
Carrie stands up, “Sophie’s filled us in, I hope you don't mind. What an arsehole. Shots it is.”
OK, I guess I'm having shots, I smile at her. “Thanks. Sounds like a plan.”
Manymanyshots later I'm very drunk, trying not to slur my words and act as sober as possible. The band isn't even on yet. God these girls can drink. They're great though. I have tried not talking about him, but I can't help it. He has been called every name under the sun; I didn't even know some of the words they used to describe him. He wouldn't be very popular if he walked in here right now - especially as the girls have had as many shots as I’ve had.
Sophie lifts yet another shot, motioning for us all to get ours to make a toast. “To beautiful single women everywhere that get screwed over by men that aren't good enough for us!”
“Hear, hear,” Grace shouts and we all knock back our tequila. She’s right, stuff them.
I slam my glass down and screw my face up, looking around we’re all doing the same thing. I feel someone stood at the side of me, I look around and a man is stood there looking down at me, grinning.
“Hey! Are you new around here?”
I hear the girls whisper but try to ignore them. “I am yes. Why?”
“Just thought that I would have noticed you before, but that explains it. Can I buy you a drink?”
I shake my head. “No thank you, I'm out with my girls tonight.”
He nods. “If you change your mind let me know, I'm over there at the bar with my friends.” I assess him. He seems nice, he’s tall - which is good, I like tall - blonde hair and stubble, he’s hot actually, I don't know if that’s the tequila talking or me - probably the tequila seeing as I have more of that running through my veins at the moment than blood.
I smile at him. “Thank you.”
He walks back to his friends and I turn back to mine and give them a wide-eyed look. They laugh. “That’s Joel, he’s cool, he’s a nice guy.” Evie says.
“Things don't change around here do they - everyone knows everyone else.”
They nod and Carrie speaks “That’s the problem, we need some new meat. The only time we have any real fun is when there’s a big race at the track, we get lots of men in town that weekend - spectators, racers - so that can be fun.”
I laugh. I bet its crazy on race weekend.
I decide, in my drunken state that a bottle of Prosecco is a good idea, I'm gonna treat the girls and get us two, one won't last long enough. I go to the bar and order them when I feel someone’s hand at my back, I look behind me - its Denny. He’s giving me a sad smile, “Hey Robyn.”
“Denny!” Drunk and happy to see a friendly face. “Come and have some prosecco with us.”
He shakes his head. “I'm sorry, I didn't know you'd be out. Warning - I'm with Jack. He’s outside on his phone.”
My stomach plummets, the last person in the world I wanted to see right now. “Oh right, OK.”
“I’ll keep him out of your way.”
“Thank you, that'd be great.”
“I should warn you though, he’s a little drunk already, we had a drink at his place, then he thought it would be a good idea to come here, I tried to talk him out of it, but you know what he’s like.”
A pain shoots through me that I know what he’s like. The familiarity that I had with him is over now. And actually, I didn't know what he was like at all, because I never thought he would treat me the way that he has.
I shake my head. “Don't worry Den, it's fine.” I get my order from the waitress and go back to the girls. When they see me with more booze, they give a loud cheer that all the pub can hear. We’re getting a little rowdy.
