Page 6 of On Circus Lane

“Meet you at Stardust, then?” Tom says to Jack.

Jack shoots a look at his boyfriend, and Steven huffs. “Oh, don’t mind me.”

“Okay,” Tom says happily. “Come on, Jack,” he coaxes. “We can have a drink and let loose. We’ve broken up for theholidays, baby.”

Jack grins at him, his slightly anxious air completely gone. “Okay, then.”

“For fuck’s sake.” Steven stands and stomps off towards the toilets.

Tom claps Jack on the back. “I’ll leave you with that.”

“Thank you so much.”

Tom nods at us and walks away.

Ivy comes to stand next to me, and we watch him march out of the bar. I can’t help noticing the swell of his world-class arse.

Ivy looks at me. “Where’s your coat?”

“Where it was before the lord and master appeared. And coincidentally, where it’s staying.”

She blinks like a tiny drunken owl.

“I’m not coming,” I explain.

“What?Really?”

“Do you mind?” I ask. “Will you be okay?”

She waves a careless hand. “We’re going on to Sal’s afterwards, so I’ll get a taxi home from there. Why won’t you come, though? Is it Tom? You were glaring at him like he’d eaten the last Penguin in the biscuit tin.”

“He looks the type to do that.” I shrug. “He shows up and is appallingly rude, and then flashes a smile and expects everyone to follow him. What a complete twat,” I finish disapprovingly.

“Good-looking one, though.” She leans into me. “And we’re going away on holiday with him.”

“Well, hopefully, he’ll stay far enough away that you can stare at his face and be able to ignore his personality.”

“Oh, come off it. I can’t blame him for being cross.” She looks around to check Steven is out of earshot. “He’d got no right to take Tom’s key. He doesn’t pay rent in their house.”

“I’d lock Tom out if I lived with him. I’d lock him in a room in Outer Mongolia.”

She stares at me. “It’s not like you to be so judgemental, Bee.”

I shrug. “Men like that wind me up.”

“Maybe you’ll end up sharing with him,” she says slyly.

“Only if I was impossibly evil in a former life.” I smile at her. “Never mind,” I say, looking past her at the redhead. “I’ve got other fish to fry tonight, and if I play my cards right, I won’t have to speak to Tom at all while we’re away.”

Chapter Two

BEE

Iwake up with a start and immediately groan. A tiny Christmas elf has taken up residence in my head, banging away on a very loud gong. I swallow, grimacing. My mouth tastes like spunk. Or maybe the inside of a very dissolute hamster’s cage.

I’m also so hot it’s suffocating. I push at the covers and go still as someone groans.

What the fuck?I pull the covers down slightly and peek over them. The redhead from last night is still here. He’s lying face down on my sheets, his hair a mess.

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