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Carts’ elbow slid along the bar; stubbly chin hitched onto his fist. “I think I could fall for Alice,” he mused hazily. “If it wasn’t for Lucy, I’d probably ask her out.”
Aaron felt his spine stiffen. “You’re not her type. Besides, she’d only come up to your waist.”
“An advantage if I was like you, but luckily for the entire female population, I’m not.” Carts’ eyes focused with sudden suspicion. “You’re looking shifty; you better not be planning to come on to Alice.”
“Of course not.” Aaron gave an unconvincing laugh. “Though, I guess Al and I have been spending a bit more time together lately.” He searched around for his suit jacket and swung it over his shoulder. Dan grinned and elbowed Carts in the ribs. Carts looked even more peeved.
“See you next week.” Aaron waved airily and made for the door.
Outside he took a breath. Pulled out his phone. No messages.
He’d tried to phone his dad earlier to tell him the news. A standard,busy now, will call you later,text had been shot back. No missed calls registered. Aaron dialled, and the phone cut to: “You have reached David Blake of Blake Financial Services, please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible.”
Aaron flicked “call end”, then scrolled to his stepmum’s number. Andrea picked up after a couple of rings. “Aaron, how are you?”
“Great. Is Dad around?”
“He’s at dinner with a client. Have you tried his phone?”
“Yep. No answer. Standard Dad.”
“Can I give him a message when he gets home?”
Aaron hesitated. What was he hoping for? The great big hoorah, theI’m so proud of you, son, virtual slap on the back? Of course, it wouldn’t happen. It hadn’t after he’d graduated law school, or when he got the job with his last firm. So why now?
“Just tell him I got the position.”
“The one with the big litigation firm?”
“Yeah, that one.”
“Oh, Aaron. That’s marvellous. Your dad will be chuffed.”
They both knew she was lying. Andrea was good at papering over the cracks. At best David Blake would grunt something about it being high time Aaron thought seriously about his future. “Yep,” he said. “Thanks, Andrea.”
“I’ll get him to ring you when he gets home.” Andrea’s voice had that too-bright sheen to it.
“Don’t bother. I’m off to bed. Tomorrow will be fine.”
“Of course. And congratulations again.”
“Thanks, Andrea. Bye.”
As he brought up the Uber app on his phone, Aaron found he was once again dwelling on Alice. The weatherboard cottage her mum owned was a mere ten-minute walk from here; the sofa bed in the spare room more appealing than usual. Alice would open the door wearing that ghastly checked dressing gown and pink slippers with rabbit ears. She’d take one look at his face, give him an exasperated eye-roll over the top of her glasses and throw a quilt at his head. Maybe if he grovelled, she’d make him a hot chocolate.
He pulled himself up short.
What the fuck are you thinking?
That was a seriously bad idea. Alice wasn’t at all happy with him right now; he couldn’t recall ever seeing such a stunned look on her face before. To be honest, it had slightly dented his ego. Not that he’d ever want Alice to look at him likethat—god no, it would be like dating your sister; well, maybe not your sister, more like your first cousin—was that even legal?
Wasn’t that why he’d thought of Alice in the first place? Because she was completely safe territory? He’d just have to promise to make it up to her; art house movies, as many as she wanted for the next year; eating out at those weird vegetarian restaurants she loved. It’d be fine, absolutely fine; their friendship was bigger than this.
So why was there this uneasy feeling in his stomach?
Probably he was just pissed because Dad couldn’t be bothered to return his call.
That had to be it.
Shrugging it all off, Aaron punched in his location for the Uber.
