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He brought her breakfast.
Listened to her woes about her job.
Paid for twelve sessions with a personal trainer for her birthday.
Hadn’t—as far as he was aware—paid for her to shag the personal trainer as part of the elite wellness package at Fitbods gym.Obviously he’d failed to read the small print properly.
What had he ever seen in her?
The potential for a life he’d always longed for, that’s what.The house, the kids, the white picket fence.The Aussie dream of trundling around the aisles of Bunnings on a Saturday morning, rug rats in tow, choosing tiles for the kitchen and paint samples for the front door.
“Well, she’s no loss.You’re better off without her,” Dan said after ordering another two pints from Paddy.“How say you about a night at the casino to celebrate Aaron and Alice deciding to tie the knot?”
“Not really in the mood mate, to be honest.”
Dan’s face fell for a moment, but not easily put off, he said, “Tomorrow night then.”
“Can’t, I’m on standby for Avery.”
Dan pulled a face.“I’d say I’d come, but you know, classical music isn’t exactly my thing.”
“Nah.”Carts shook his head, frowning.“It’s not her music.She’s going to a friend’s birthday party, and it’s one of those gigs that might turn feral.Mum doesn’t really want her to go but I said I’d take her and pick her up.”What he didn’t mention was the little rendezvous he’d arranged with Judith after.Right now, he wanted to keep his fledgling love affair to himself.It all felt too fragile and precious to be picked apart by Dan’s unsubtle rugby hands.
“Need a back-up?”
Carts shook his head.“No, mate.I’m good.Shouldn’t think anything’ll go wrong, just my paranoid brain overreacting.”
“I’d like to come anyway.Don’t see much of you these days.”
He opened his mouth to refuse and then caught the almost wistful expression that accompanied Dan’s words.Carts realised that Dan was probably missing Aaron too.And yeah, if he was honest, he’d not been the best of mates lately, more interested in doing yoga and having a quiet drink with Judith afterwards than spending time with his oldest pal.
He softened.“Okay.Aves likes you.Maybe she won’t make a thing about being dragged away early if you’re there too.How about we go for a bite to eat first?”
Dan’s face noticeably brightened.“Yeah, let’s grab a curry, we haven’t had one for weeks.”
Carts would have preferred something a little less spicy on the breath, but he wasn’t going to let Dan down when he had that hopeful look on his dial.“You’ve got a deal.”
Dan held up his fist.Carts bumped knuckles with him.
They picked up their fresh pints of Guinness in unison.
“To Aaron and Alice,” Dan said.
Yep.He’d drink to that.
