Page 19 of And the Best Man Ran Away With the Groom

I sigh. “Okay, yeah, let’s go.”

GLOSSARY

Bathers - Swimsuit

SunSmart - Cancer Council sun safety campaign

Sunnies - Sunglasses

Banana Lounge - Sun lounge

Chocky - Chocolate

Stiffy - Erection

Crack a fat - Get an erection

9

Trent

Almost a week in and I have to say this plan of mine to get Xavier moving on from Jack is working amazingly well. I was worried after our first night here that he’d just retreat into his shell and fight me on every suggestion, but he’s been surprisingly cooperative, albeit with a little grumbling here and there. Tonight’s the real test, though. We’re at a bar Oliver recommended we check out and I’m determined to veer Xavier toward a potential rebound fling. The only chink in the plan is that I keep having to remind myself why we’re here, because I keep getting so caught up in our conversation that I forget to be a good wingman. But it’s okay; we’ve got all night.

“I don’t think I ever asked why you moved to Sydney,” Xavier muses, sipping on his cocktail. It was my turn to choose this round so I asked the bartender to surprise us, and we ended up with a coconut and melon concoction with a fuckton of rum in it.

“Pretty standard story,” I say with a heavy sigh. “Fell in love with a girl…moved to Sydney to be with her…found out she was a call girl…ended up with nothing but a broken heart, an empty bank account, and a rescue cat named Strawberry.”

Xavier’s eyes are wide with incredulity. “Seriously?”

I let out a burst of laughter, shaking my head. “No, sorry. I was joking.”

He lets out a beleaguered sigh. “And here I thought we could finally bond over our tragic love lives. So, what’s the true story?”

“Got a promotion and the new job was in Sydney,” I say with a shrug.

Xavier quirks an eyebrow at me. “That’s a bit boring. I can see why you decided to embellish.”

I laugh again and take another sip of my drink. “It’s even more boring when you hear what I do.”

He eyes me ponderously. “I think I already know what you do. Something in IT, right?”

I nod. “Systems Operations.”

I can already see Xav’s eyes start to glaze over, although it’s hard to tell if it’s from boredom or the alcohol.

“You know, you don’t really look like a computer guy,” he says, eyeing me up and down with a speculative gaze. “No offence.”

I arch a brow at him. “None taken. You don’t really look like a tradie.”

“Only because I’m not down on my hands and knees with my arse crack hanging out,” he declares.

I almost choke on my drink as I descend into a fit of laughter. It takes me a while to get a hold of myself, but I finally manage it, finding Xavier looking at me with unveiled amusement.

“I’ve never really understood that whole thing,” I say curiously. “Why don’t you just pull your pants up? Is it, like, a statement or something?”

Xavier lets out a harsh snort. “It’s because we’re too fucking busy. And ‘cause usually we’ve got shit in or on our hands. I don’t want to get grout or tile dust anywhere near my arse thanks very much.”

My lips quirk up in amusement. “Fair.”

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