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I follow Josie through a door at the other side of the living area from where four double bedrooms and two luxurious bathrooms can be found.
After ensuring the WiFi connects to our phones, I text Tilly that I’ve arrived, letting her know that the place looks great, while Josie gets a message to Kyle.
We unpack, darkness rolling in, so we switch on some lights and play music through the integrated sound system. Josie opens a bottle of red wine that’s part of the welcome pack, a wicker basket that’s also filled with crisps, jam, crackers and honey. We snack on the crisps whilst messaging the others to see how their journey is going.
Tabi:Don’t go in the hot tub without usshe pleads.But do chill a few bottles of the champers in prep for our arrival!
Yesterday, Tabitha had two cases of champagne couriered to Josie’s flat. We’ve unloaded it and put five bottles in the fridge already, though I can’t imagine we’ll get through that tonight.
Jen:We’re in the taxi. Twenty mins!
“Not long til they’re here.”
“Just enough time to ask you about Max,” Josie teases with a shit-eating grin.
I roll my eyes.
“He’s into you.”
“Jose.”
“What?”
I shrug, not sure why I’m so vexed by her question. “He’s good-looking,” I concede. “And probably married.”
A scoff. “No way he’s married. Not the way he was looking at you.”
“Are you saying married men don’t like to flirt, or look at women when they’re away from home?”
She ignores me. “He’s got a nice look about him.”
“You mean kind.”
“Yes, I mean kind,” she agrees, nodding, avidly watching my reaction. “But if you’re not interested . . . maybe Tabitha will take him off your hands.”
I snigger at her joke, knowing Tabi will be all over him given half a chance. And kindness might not be what most women would have at the very top of the Most Desirable Trait list, but it’s become really important to me. I’ve always been with kind boyfriends, but I wouldn’t say that first-off they struck me as kind-looking. They might have been charmingly arrogant, sexy, edgy or charismatic, but none have radiated kindness and warmth like Max does. His smile was powerful because it was gentle and endearing. There was an ease about him, even though I felt out of sorts.
“Laurence seems nice too,” I lead. If she can stir then so can I.
Josie gives me a look that saysI Know What You’re Doing. “He does.”
I pour us some more wine. “I wondered what you were going to say about the weekend.”
“If I’d confess it was a hen-do?Myhen-do?”
“Yeah,” I agree cautiously. “He’s probably also married. They’re probably having a lads’ weekend away before they go home to put their many cute children to bed.”
“Fuck, you’re depressing.”
I laugh mournfully. “Sorry—I’m a kill-joy.”
“Just a cynic, which is unlike you,” she says softly, knowing how dimmed I’ve been lately. My brightness less bright. “But one of us needs to be level-headed,” she trails off.
“Are you saying you want to throw caution to the wind?” Does she like Laurencethat much? From a conversation of three or four minutes?
“No.” She eyes me. “What about you? Is Max someone you could be into?”
I blow out a tense breath, pushing her comment away before pulling it back again to have a closer look. To inspect the possibility.No.I’m pushing it away again. “No expectations, okay? My interest is piqued, but I don’t know. . .”
