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Bryn doesn’t reply.Uh oh. More cocktail disappears down my neck at the awkward silence.
“Because you never see me with anybody?” he asks.
“I don’t really follow Blue Phoenix, but you didn’t have a guest with you at the wedding.”
“I told you, almost did.”
“Oh, sorry.”
“Don’t be! Jesus, she’s a pain in the arse who won’t give up.” He shrugs. “Long story.”
“They always are; the good stories.”
“Yeah. But I do believe in what I said. Sometimes shit happens that pulls people apart that’s neither person’s fault. In those situations, I think there’s always hope.” He drains his glass. “Next!”
“Bryn, we’ve been here less than a half an hour and you’ve already had two.”
He pulls a disparaging face. “Cariad, please, I’m a rock star. Drinking is in my job description.”
Before I get a chance to respond, he disappears back to the bar.
Two glasses in front of me: one half-empty and one empty, I’m not far behind Bryn. The fuzziness spreads a warm, relaxing happiness. Will he ask me to his hotel room? Maybe he could give me a real, live screaming orgasm. I slap my cheek.Jesus, Avery.
The next two drinks are a bright red strawberry Daiquiri for me and something white and blue for Bryn. I don’t ask what it’s called. I might not like the answer.
“So, tell me all about yourself,” says Bryn.
“Isn’t that a bit late now?”
“What do you mean?”
“It would’ve helped if you’d known more than my name and my ex-job before you pretended to be my boyfriend.”
Bryn sniggers. “Boyfriend. That’s such a cute word.” He catches my glare. “Okay, sorry. Yeah, I don’t even know your full name.”
“Avery Paige.”
“Oh, your name sounds like you should be a film star. What do you do, Avery Paige?”
“I’m at uni.”
“Studying…?”
“Teaching.”
Bryn bites the corner of his lip. “Oh yes, I can imagine you reprimanding a class full of naughty boys.”
I ignore the connotations. “When you’re my size, you learn to stand up for yourself.”
“So I’ve noticed. You’re quite defensive.” He picks up the yellow and blue paper umbrella and pokes it into my thick brown hair. Bryn’s fingers brush my cheek as he withdraws his hand and my heart skips a beat.
“Be honest, you’ve spent a lot of time teasing me. Plus this whole, ‘I’m Avery’s partner’ thing stressed me.”
“Oh. Sorry, I thought it would be funny.”
“Exactly, I don’t like being a source of amusement.”
Bryn’s eyes widen. “No, no. Shit, I got this wrong. I thought it would be funny to see their reaction.” He huffs. “I’m a bit impulsive sometimes. I was bored, wanted to see you again and I saw how much you didn’t want to go without a partner tonight. So I thought, why not? Could be fun.”
