Page 13 of Replay
By ten o’clock, the auction wraps up, the lights dim, and a live band begins playing, ratcheting everyone up to full-blown party mode. I turn to Mac with a sheepish smile. “Would you hate me if I took the car home and made you get a taxi?”
Mac’s eyes widen. “Freya said we can’t come home until midnight!”
“Freya saidyoucan’t come home until midnight. I wasn’t included in that late curfew.” I laugh as I recall the argument they had about how many whiskeys Mac needed to drink tonight to ensure he was having a good time. Only Freya Cooke-Logan would be the type of pregnant wife to force her husband to let off some steam.
In fairness, I think she did it because he’s driving her mental with all the fussing he’s doing over her state.
“You don’t want to dance and have a laugh?” Mac asks curiously. “You used to love this sort of scene.”
“That was before, Mac.”
“Aye, that’s right. New and improved Tilly!” he says in a high-pitched voice that I think is supposed to be me but sounds more like Mrs. Doubtfire. He laughs and a tender look sweeps across his face. “I’m just taking the piss. You know I’m fucking proud of you, don’t you?”
“Yes, because you’ve told me roughly twelve times tonight.”
“Well, I am…you just…you’ve got life by the baw sack.” He holds his hand up like he’s gripping a small ball. “The world is your oyster!”
“Thanks, Macky.” I force a smile and hold out my hand. “Now…keys?”
His eyes blink slowly, and I can tell the whiskeys are having the desired effect as he digs in his pocket and produces his valet card. “Give my Cookie a kiss for me.”
“I’m not going to do that.”
“Just on the shoulder.” He eyes me wickedly. “That’s my favourite spot to kiss her.”
“Not happening.”
He sighs heavily. “Are you sure I can’t come home yet? I miss her.”
“Not long now, you dope.” I ruffle his shaggy red hair before turning to walk away from the table. “See you later.”
Just as I’m rounding the corner for the loos, Allie’s voice calls out excitedly. “Here she is!” I turn around to find Freya’s friend walking toward me in a stunning black gown and dragging a reluctant Santino behind her. “Tilly! This is who I wanted to introduce you to!”
“Oh?” My eyes go wide as I watch Santino stop behind her, looking like a reluctant child being forced to go shopping for clothes.
“Santino Rossi is the club lawyer for Bethnal Green, and he’s brilliant. I mean, you should see some of the scraps he’s got the Harris family out of. You might not be able to tell this by looking at us, but we are all a hot mess express. Well, reformed hot messes hopefully! Anyways, he’s a contract wizard, and he’s reviewed all the guys’ sponsorship deals, so I think he could help you out with the issues you and Freya are having with the Harrods contract.”
I force a smile. “That’s really sweet, but I was going to find a contract lawyer on Monday.”
“Santino is your man!” she exclaims like she has the golden ticket. “And he’s pretty much family, so you know he’ll have Freya’s best interest at heart.”
Allie looks up at Santino with wide, innocent eyes. He forces a polite smile and replies through clenched teeth, “I’d be happy to take a look.”
“I couldn’t ask that of you,” I rush back, feeling horrified after how I just blew him off earlier.
His lips thin. “It would be no problem.”
“It’s too much.”
“Nonsense!” Allie peals, clearly feeling the effects of whatever she’s been drinking tonight as well. “Why don’t you two have a coffee on Monday and look over the papers? He’ll get you all sorted, I’m sure of it.” With a pause, Allie’s head snaps back and forth between us as she recognises the tension in the room for the first time. “I’m sorry, but do you two know each other?”
Santino inhales deeply. “We met some years ago.”
I swallow nervously and nod my confirmation.
“Awesome! That makes it even easier. So happy to reconnect you two. Take good care of her, Santino.”
Allie marches off, leaving Santino and I standing in awkward silence. Finally, he says, “Look, if you can’t handle meeting with me in person, I’ll just send a courier to pick up the contracts. I can make notes and send it back to you.”
