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“If you do any of your crap moves on Alice… I… I will…”
“Leave it out,” Aaron parried, more sharply than intended. “We’re here to discuss your love life. Not mine.”
“That’s practically an admittance of guilt.” Carts’ eyes bulged. “You’re dating Alice.”
Aaron hesitated. He had to keep this looking real, didn’t he? For the next month or so.
“Maybe, sort of.”
Carts glowered darkly. “You know I like Alice; I told you the other week. If it hadn’t been for trying to sort things out with Lucy…”
Aaron slammed his glass onto the bar. “Jesus, Carts, you’ve just been trying to give your ex an engagement ring and you’re telling me you’ve got the hots for Alice. What’s that about? Using Alice as your rebound fuck?”
“I don’t use women. That’s you, mate.” Carts’ eyes sparked angrily. “You’ll treat her like dirt and discard her.”
“Guys, guys.” Dan stepped forward and sliced a big hand between them. Aaron hadn’t even noticed Carts had slid off his stool and that, somehow, they were facing off, chests puffed out. “You’re just wanting to let off steam. I get it. But cool it, okay, both of you.” Dan had his rugby voice on. The voice that, on the rare occasions he used it, turned him from big and goofy to big and authoritative.
Aaron backed off. How come he’d let himself get riled so quickly? Carts was clearly not thinking straight. He was gutted, of course he was. Aaron needed to remember whose side he was on.
“We’re just having a bit of fun between dates,” he said evenly. “In a mature kind of way.” A frisson of something tingled down his spine. He slammed it into lockdown.
Carts had slumped back in his chair, a stricken look on his face. “Sorry, dude. That was out of order. Guess I should keep out of it; I realise you came here when you didn’t need to. Thanks, I appreciate it. Here, I’ll buy the next round.”
Things calmed down after that. Aaron bought a burger from the bar menu, which saved him from more hangry outbursts, and they had a couple more Guinnesses. Within no time, they were slapping each other on the back outside the Shamrock, declaring that the brotherhood was far more important than any woman could ever be.
“Ah, shite. Better take this back to the shop tomorrow,” Carts said, tossing the ring box in the air before pocketing it. “What am I going to say?”
“That you got a better offer.” Aaron grinned.
They all burst out laughing, and with another thump on the back, Aaron watched his best mates stride off, one as wide as the other was tall. Yeah, the brotherhood; they stood by you through thick and thin. When he got home, he threw himself on the sofa, exhausted, eyed the piled-up basket of clothes and the washing up he hadn’t done from last night and grabbed the TV controller.
His phone beeped with a message. Please, god, not Oliver again. He picked it up off the coffee table and a strange little tingle travelled over his scalp when he saw the message.
Alice:How’s the week going?
Aaron:Hard. How’s yours?
Alice:Ok. Shop’s busy. End of month financials.
He smiled. Alice hated anything mathematical. She’d once told him she was allergic to numbers. For some crazy reason he felt the need to share the evening’s events.
Aaron:Carts and Lucy are over for good. Messy as shit.
Alice:Poor Carts. Is he ok?
A feeling pierced him just below the ribs. Unfamiliar. He didn’t like the idea of Alice caring how Carts was feeling. Which was kind of bizarre and mean-spirited of him.
Aaron:Not great. Dan and I cheered him up.
Alice:u r good friends to him.
Aaron:Told him women aren’t worth it.
Alice:Speak for yourself.
Aaron:Maybe with one exception.
Alice:????
