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AOIFE
Several rounds of shots later, and I had swiftly moved beyond the point of tipsy and was teetering closer to the verge of intoxication.
Shaking my ass with Katie, who had returned from chaperoning Casey, we danced around the makeshift dance floor with Ken and Baby Spice, while I dutifully ignored the asshole passing around a joint in the kitchen.
So much for being clean.
Asshole.
“You do know that Hughie is going to kill you, don’t you, Gibs?” Katie asked, dragging my attention back to the present, to where Gibsie Gibberson, or whatever his name was, had stripped down to his jocks to Aqua’s “Barbie Girl.”
Shameless in the act of debauchery, he had thrown his dance partner over his shoulder and was drumming on her ass to the rhythm.
Squealing in delight as he bopped around the floor with her dangling haphazardly in the air, Claire held onto his biceps for dear life.
Giving Katie a wolfish grin, the big lad continued to dance with his little gal pal, either unaware or just plain uncaring of the many longing looks he was receiving.
To be fair, it didn’t take a genius to figure out why the girls from his school were looking. The boy was built like a brick shithouse, with both nipples pierced and more muscles on his body than he had common sense in his head.
Common sense or not, the big man certainly seemed to have his priorities in order, placing his curly-haired queen in a firm first-place position. While the rest of his friends had long since abandoned their girlfriends and dates, Gibsie hadn’t taken more than three steps away from Claire all night.
“Honestly, they’re not doing it,” Katie offered, seeming to read my thoughts as she rolled her eyes. “They’re always like this. Like two weird little unicorn magnets drawn to each other.”
Laughing, I nudged her and said, “Well, when they fuck, there’s going to be fireworks.”
“If it ever happens, then it’ll be on their marriage bed.” Katie snickered. “Because Claire Biggs isn’t opening her legs for anything less than a big fat diamond and the promise of forever.”
“Good for her,” I replied, and then offered her a teasing grin. “Sounds like she’s taking her cues from her future sister-in-law.”
“Hey.” Katie’s face flamed with embarrassment. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be good.”
“True,” I mused, slinging an arm over her shoulder. “But being bad is so much more fun.”
“Speaking of bad…” Catching ahold of my arm, she leaned in close and asked, “Are you going to go over there and talk to Joey?”
“Nope.”
“Oh, stop it,” she growled. “You’re hurting and I get that, but pretending like you don’t want to go over to him is just silly.”
“It’s not, actually,” I lied. “I’m perfectly content staying here with you.”
“God, you’re both as stubborn as each other.”
“No, he’s stubborn,” I shot back. “I’m protecting myself.”
“Come on, Aoife, don’t cut off your nose to spite your face.” She sighed heavily. “It’s pretty clear why he’s still at the party.”
“Yeah? If it’s so clear, then why isn’t he over here?”
“Because he already tried to talk to you,” she reminded me. “You walked away from him.”
“Because he broke up with me, Katie.” Feeling a lump bob in my throat, I quickly forced it down before hissing, “He dumped me. What am I supposed to do? Stick around for another verse of It’s not you, it’s me?”
“Well, breakup or not, it’s obvious that he’s not looking to replace you,” she replied, pointing a finger in the direction of the kitchen. “Gretta Burchill is the sixth girl I’ve watched crash and burn with him tonight.”
Reluctantly, I turned around and peered through the archway to see Joey leaning against the marble kitchen island, rollie in hand, as he chatted with a group that contained Alec, Podge, Hugh, the designated driver Patrick, Lizzie, and a few others I didn’t recognize.
White-hot fury scorched through me when the leggy brunette who was sitting on the island next to him sidled closer and whispered something in his ear.
