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“Does she sleep on your bed?”
“No, I crate-trained her. I didn’t want to start her off with bad habits.” Plus, I want to make sure the bed isn’t too crowded if I ever get to share it again.
She looks into my eyes, and for a moment I wonder if I’ve said it out loud, but she just smiles and turns her gaze to the small stage.
“Round one,” the MC states, “Geography.”
Juliette picks up the pen. “Come on guys, let’s do this.”
We get seventeen out of twenty on Geography, sixteen on History, nineteen on Sports, a dismal twelve on Music—mainly because it’s classical music and we’re all pretty hopeless at that—eighteen on Food, twenty out of twenty on Science—unsurprising, considering we’re a table full of nerds—but more surprisingly we also get full marks on Art and Literature, due mainly to Missie chipping in with her knowledge of artists.
It’s a fun evening, marred initially by two events. The first involves James and Cassie. She sulks through the first thirty minutes of the quiz without answering a single question. That obviously pisses James off, and he has a quiet word with her during the halfway break, following which she snaps back at him, then makes everyone get up so she can slide out of the seat, and storms off to the front door. James stands with his hands on hips for a moment, then follows her. They disappear outside, and I assume he’s left with her. But then, five minutes later, he reappears at the table, tells everyone to stay where they are, climbs over the back, and slides in beside Aroha.
“All right?” I ask cautiously.
“Hunky dory,” he says. He knocks back the rest of his whisky in one go, then he blows out a long breath. “We broke up.”
“James!” Juliette exclaims. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry.”
“Are you okay?” Aroha asks quietly.
James nods. “It’s been coming for a while.” He gives us all an apologetic look. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring the mood down. Would you rather I go?”
“Absolutely not,” I say firmly. “Time to drown your sorrows.” I gesture to the waiter currently making the rounds and say to the rest of the table, “Consolation whisky, anyone?”
Henry and Tyson both nod, so I ask the waiter for three doubles of Glenlivet on the rocks.
“Cam?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “No, thanks, I’ve got to shoot off soon.”
Juliette stares at him. “You’re kidding?”
“I told you, Pete’s coming around,” he says, naming his brother.
“You promised you’d stay till ten,” she whispers, obviously hurt.
He glances across the table in Henry’s direction, then back at her and raises an eyebrow. She immediately turns scarlet and glares at him, clearly furious.
Missie clears her throat and looks at Gaby, then Aroha, as she says, “Maybe we should have another bowl of mulled wine, what do you think?”
“Sounds great,” they both say, and the waiter nods and goes off to order.
Cam gets up. “Probably best if I go now, too. See ya.” He strides off.
“Cam,” Juliette snaps, but he doesn’t look back. She watches him go, then turns back to the table. “I’m not going after him,” she states, lifting her chin.
Henry pushes the remainder of the whisky in his glass over to her. She looks at it, then at him, then drinks the rest of it in one go.
“Euw!” She pulls a face. “I hate whisky.” She puts the glass down, then covers her face with her hands. “Oh God. What have I done?”
“You haven’t done anything,” Missie says firmly. “You’re staying with your friends for the evening, that’s all. I’m sure he’ll calm down after a few hours.”
Juliette heaves a shaky breath. She’s wearing a sari tonight, and she’s outlined her eyes in kohl and looks hauntingly beautiful. She and I clash sometimes because she’s not afraid to say what she’s thinking, but she’s one of my dearest friends. I believe in equality one hundred percent, but I also think women deserve to be worshiped because of everything they have to deal with, including us. Cam never puts her first, though. I’m sure she’s not easy to live with, but I hate the way he treats her sometimes.
“Well, this is turning out to be quite the evening,” Tyson states. He looks at his wife. “You want a divorce now or do you want to wait until the end of the day?”
Juliette snorts and James gives him the finger, which makes everyone else laugh, and we all start to relax again.
