“I just want you to find—” Isla starts, but I cut her off with a glare.
“Subject’s done, Isla. Leave it.”
They finally take the hint and change the subject, discussing the wedding as I sit there quietly, losing track of my pints.
A couple of hours later, I step outside into the cold. The alcohol shoots straight to my head, and my knees buckle.
Robbie catches me before I topple over. “You’ve not drunk for a while, huh?” he chuckles.
“M’fine,” I mumble, pushing Robbie’s bear paw off my arm.
Isla leads the way as we follow her down the country lane. “Come on, Grumpy, we’ll get you home and Robbo can tuck you into bed.”
I grunt something in response to that, but for the life of me, I don’t know what’s coming out of my mouth.
The walk back to the farm feels like it takes hours as we stumble along the gravel path. Eventually we get to the farm, and I point to my cottage, but Robbie drags me in the opposite direction.
“But … I live over there!” I shout.
“Shh. Not for the next month, you don’t. Richard’s family came today, remember?” Isla tells me.
Oh.I look back at my small cottage longingly, and movement catches my eye in the bedroom. There’s a blurry silhouette of a man in the window. The light switches on, highlighting blonde hair brushing the tops of broad shoulders. It reminds me ofhim,and my blood turns to ice. I shake the feeling off. It’s impossible. I’ve definitely had way too much to drink.
THEO
There’snothing like waking up with a pounding headache and a dry mouth to remind me I’m too old for this shit. I pull back the duvet and rub my face roughly to wake up. The smell of bacon in the air promises some kind of relief, so I quickly take a shower and get dressed before making my way downstairs.
“Morning, wee lammie. Take a seat, won’t be a minute,” Gran says as she shakes the sizzling pan of bacon over the hob.
“Morning, Gran.”
I walk over to the kettle and pour myself a coffee, then settle at the breakfast bar. The backdoor swings open and Gramps walk in, slipping his wellies off and banging them on the wall outside. He grins at me. “Morning, Grumpy. Sleep the alcohol off?”
I frown at him. “Who are you calling Grumpy?” Pieces of last night start coming back to me, and I roll my eyes. “You spoke to Isla?”
“Yep.” He walks over to a plate of square sausages Gran has just stacked up. I eye him as he tries to be discreet, walking his fingers along the counter until he’s within reach before picking one up.
“Malcolm!” Gran shouts. She pulls a tea towel off her shoulder and whips him on the arse, making him yelp as he drops the sausage. “Wait until it’s served, you heathen,” she scolds, heaping bacon, sausage and eggs onto a plate before pushing it towards me.
“Thanks, Gran.” I smile.
She pats my cheek. “You’re a good boy, Theo.”
As soon as her back is turned, I grin at Granda then start shovelling the food into my mouth. He scowls back at me and takes a seat, waiting patiently for his breakfast.
As I’m finishing the last of my eggs, vibrations run through my feet and a steady thudding beat rattles my chest. I tilt my head to the side. “Where’s the music coming from?”
“Renovations on the barn for the wedding. Richard’s family arrived last night so they could start working on it early this morning. Did Isla not tell you?” Granda answers.
“She told me to get out of my house. I don’t remember her saying they’d arrived.”
“Well I doubt you remember much, the state you were in. Robbie carried you like a bride to your bed last night.”
“He didn’t.” I scrunch my nose up picturing it.
“He did. Whether you needed it or not, I couldn’t say,” he says, smirking.
Note to self: stop getting drunk around Robbie.
