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Adaline came out with her hair piled high on her head, her long neck showcased in her low cut dress. The pale pink summer dress had a loose neckline that showed the tops of her breasts as she walked. It shifted, so I didn’t see much for long, but it was the glimpse that made her look sexy as hell. I grabbed her hand to pull her close for a kiss. She gave me a peck on the cheek and gave me her knowing smile.
“Let’s have a toast,” Elliott said. “To our ridiculously fit athlete and all the money he raised, cheers,” he said and raised his beer bottle. The girls and Scottie raised their wine glasses chanting my name.
“Thanks for the support today, that was amazing to have you all there when I ran over the finishing line,” I said. I didn’t think they would hang around, it must have been boring for them.
It was the first time in my adult life that I wanted to set down roots. Knowing this small group of people gave me a sense of comfort. I hadn’t thought about my wanderlust for one moment since I met Adaline. On the flight back from Nairobi, I’d thought of all the places I wanted to go next, but as soon as I saw her arse sticking up and hearing her potty mouth, I was hooked.
We finished the pizza and wine, and by the time we left the flat, we were all on the way to being merry. The six of us headed to the whisky bar a few streets over and settled around a table on their rooftop garden. We’d planned on a pub crawl around the bars in the streets that surrounded the flat, but in the end, we stayed at the same whisky place. It wasn’t until we had been there for a few hours I realised we were all hammered.
“I’m just going to the bathroom, shall I bring a round back with me?” Adaline said as she stood and stepped over the bench attached to our table. She held herself steady on my shoulder, her fingers massaging my shoulder as she waited for everyone’s orders. Scottie, Elliott and I were all whisky based, and the girls switched to cocktails.
“Shall I come and help you?” I asked when Adaline frowned at Felicity’s complex mix of drinks.
“Yeah, can you remember what everyone wants? I think I’m a little drunk, Callum,” she said and grinned.
“I do believe you are, maybe I’ll get lucky tonight,” I said as she disappeared off to the bar.
Her dress was long at the back and short to the knee at the front. The large red flowers swayed as she walked away from me. The graceful way she walked had me transfixed.
“You got it bad, Callum, I couldn’t be happier for you. Adaline is perfect for you,” Elliott said, clasping his hand on my shoulder before he draped an arm around my neck. We both stood and watched Adaline grab the attention of the barman and gave him the order. She looked around at me and beckoned me over with her single finger. I was a slave to her request and left Elliott chuckling at my obedience.
“Hey, can you tell Pete here, what Felicity wanted, I can’t remember,” she half yelled in my ear. I could hear her clear as day. The music was loud in the bar area.
I gave the barman the drink concoction and held onto Adaline while they were prepared.
“How drunk are you?” I asked her, she swayed gently in my arms, smiling wide. Her eyes were still sharp.
“As a skunk, why?” she answered with a smirk.
“I want to ask you a question, and I think you’ll only answer honestly if you’re drunk,” I said.
“Shoot, ask your question,” she said and stood more upright, concentrating on my mouth.
“Are you serious about us, or is this a summer fling?”
There, I said it. It had been plaguing me for weeks. I wasn’t sure what we were and didn’t have the courage to ask Adaline, sober. At least this way, if she said it was a fling, alcohol would numb the rejection.
“I adore you, Callum,” she answered immediately, slumping against my body, pushing her hands into my back pockets. “You are the most handsome man I have ever met. Plus,” she raised her finger to make her point. “You’re handy with your hands.” She said and sniggered. She was properly drunk, but the sincerity was written all over her face.
“I love you, Adaline,” I said.
The words were out before I could censor my feelings. Adaline greeted my outburst with an open mouth. Before she could reply, the bartender shoved the drinks tray at my elbow. I yelped at the metal edge digging into my skin, a little too loudly and the moment was gone. Adaline was fishing money out of her purse to pay and waited for me to pick up the tray. I had no idea how she felt. It was worse than being rejected.
Adaline followed me back to the table and settled next to me. She draped her hand on my thigh, making a light drumming with the tips of her fingers. Every now and again her fingers would freeze and then they would start up again. When she stopped, she glanced my way, and once she’d caught my eye, she would smile and then go back to drumming her fingers.
I had no idea what this meant. The fact that Adaline wanted to sit next to me and was touching my leg gave me hope that I hadn’t scared her off with my declaration. The conversation swarmed around us but didn’t include us. We listened and laughed amiably, the comfortable silence sat between Adaline and me.
I gently nudged her shoulder, and she pushed back. I was just about to add to the story Elliott was telling when we were interrupted.
“Oh my God, Callum baby, you’re back,” a woman screeched from the other side of the bar. The room fell silent for a moment.
Adaline didn’t move from her position or stop her hand moving. She was oblivious to the squawk and the clattering of high-heeled shoes coming our way. I closed my eyes briefly and waited for Gabby to reach us.
Gabby hugged my neck from behind and landed a big wet kiss on my cheek. The action startled Adaline, who clung onto the table to stop from falling off the bench. Gabby didn’t care that she’d knocked into Adaline and that pissed me off. Taking her arms from around my neck, I lifted them over my head and stood to face her.
“Gabby, it’s good to see you, how have you been?” I asked, I didn’t care how she was, but manners always came first.
“Waiting for your return, it’s been so long, when did you fly in?” She asked and then kissed my lips. “I’ve missed you so much, baby, let’s go back to mine and get reacquainted in my bed. I still have the handcuffs you like.”
