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“Hey, birthday bitch!” The guy who introduced himself to me as Elle’s roommate calls from the other end of the table where we’re standing. “You wanna introduce us to your…friend?”
Elle stretches her smile before turning to face her friends, I may not have seen her for three years, but I know it’s fake as fuck. “Sure. Guys, this is Hayden, we knew each other at university. Hayden these are my friends, Gaby, Tony, Enzo, Gray, Emma, Rio, and Caroline.”
Hayden lifts a hand in greeting and there’s a murmur of replies from the table but they all look slightly shell shocked, glancing between Hayden and me. They clearly have questions bouncing about their heads, desperate to break free. Hayden turns his back to the table as they all start engaging in their own conversation.
“What have you done to piss everyone off?” His breath whisps across my ear as he speaks, leaning in so no one else can hear.
His words might piss me off but his closeness, the smell of his salty ocean cologne and the warmth of his body as it rests against my arm ground me, like a balm to my fraying nerves. “I’ve done fuck-all but sit here and try not to draw attention tomyself,” I grit out, not meeting his gaze but watching Elle as she plops down on Gray’s lap. The two of them start a private conversation, I can’t hear it but it’s obvious he’s digging for information on Hayden and me and she’s dodging all his attempts.
“Then why do people keep looking over here like you shouldn’t be here?” His eyes twinkle with amusement but I am far from laughing.
“Because I shouldn’t be here,” I hiss. “She wasn’t exactly pleased to see me but once I saw her, I couldn’t leave.” I swallow the lump forming in my throat. Seeing her after all these years means nothing. Nothing’s changed. She still can’t be mine. The only difference is, now she most certainly doesn’t want to be.
Hayden’s face changes, pity clouding the enjoyment he was getting out of my discomfort. “Lance…”
“Don’t,” I say coldly. “We don’t all get dry humped hello. Just be thankful she was drunk enough to be happy to see you by the time you got here.” I’m being a dick and I know that. But hey, I’m feeling dickish, sue me.
Hayden sighs, knowing I’m not in the mood for discussions. He turns back so we’re side-by-side and puts his hands in his pockets. His eyes narrow as he sees Elle in another man’s arms.
I chuckle slightly. “That’s her roommate, I’m pretty sure he’s gay.”
“Clearly,” he says, drily. “What about the other one?”
I look over to Elle to see that the twin not engaged to Gaby has pulled Elle’s legs up to rest her ankles on his thighs while she still sits on Gray’s lap. He’s leaning in close to be a part of their quiet conversation. Elle rolls her eyes at something and Gray says something that makes twin two laugh, throwing his head back.
“Never mind,” Hayden says. “He’s clearly sleeping with the roommate.”
It’s my turn to roll my eyes. “How can you possibly know that?”
“It’s a gift,” he shrugs.
I sit back in my seat, effectively joining the group once more and Hayden gets us a couple of drinks. When he returns, he hands me another Glenfiddich while taking a sip of his own tumbler,which would be rum. I smirk, he really leans into the pirate thing sometimes. We sit in comfortable silence, watching the group interact. Elle is all smiles for everyone although the occasional look she throws our way betrays her discomfort. They love her, it’s clear to see they do. Everyone hugs her, dances with her and has quiet words for her on her birthday. She’s happy. That brings me some comfort.
“Okay, guys,” the guy who’s been singing for the last forty minutes speaks into the microphone. Everyone turns to look at him and several cheers come from our table. “Quiet in the cheap seats,” he chuckles, smiling over in our direction. “Where’s the birthday girl?” He shades his eyes with one hand as he looks over.
Elle waves her hand in the air with her empty cocktail glass in it and the whole table, bar, even Hayden and I, erupts into whoops and cheers. She gives an exaggerated bow, nearly falling forward but righting herself at the last second.
“Last song is for you, gorgeous.” He turns back to the band to signal for them to start up and the opening toSucker for Youby the Jonas Brothers starts. Elle shakes her head but smiles then starts dancing, pulling everyone she can up to dance with her. When they all collapse back down in their seats with laughs, Gaby puts her arm around Elle’s shoulders and speaks. I think she was meaning to say it quietly, but it comes out as a shout.
“When are you going to fuck him?” Everyone stops and listens.
“Who?” Elle looks confused and quickly darts her eyes to me.
“Flynn,” Gaby gestures to the stage where the singer is waving his fans goodbye and retreating from the platform.
Elle just laughs. “I’m not going to fuck him!” She sways in her seat and closes one eye as if to try and focus on her friend better. They’re both drunk and talking overly loudly.
“But he wants you soooooooo much, Elle.” Gaby sticks out her bottom lip.
“He’s my friend, I don’t fuck my friends.” Elle goes very serious.
“Why not?!” Gaby picks up a drink, I’m not entirely convinced is hers, and liquid swills to the table with her big movements. “Tony and I were friends before we fucked and nowwe’re getting married! Trust me, it’s so fucking good when you realise one of your best friends also has a magic dick.”
“Babe,” Tony leans over the two women, “You’re being quite loud.”
“I’m just telling Elle how good your man meat is.”
“Elle and the rest of the club, Gaby,” he admonishes but his smile says he loves the drunkard in front of him.
