Page 24 of King of Clubs

“I’m sorry,” he added softly, shaking his head and leaving the room without so much as another glance in my direction.

“You’re back early,” I said, startled to see Arna already home.

“Marls! I missed you!” She screamed and I braced myself for the impact of her hug.

“I snuck off early and Andy is about to head into the clubhouse,” lowering her voice she added, “and thank the sweet lord of cheese because I need to know everything. I made a list of questions on my phone. We have an agenda.” I laughed as I pulled out of her embrace. She was everything I needed. Familiar. Hilarious. Light.

“Of course you did,” I huffed, dramatically rolling my eyes for her benefit as well as my own. I had always been the more serious of the two of us, but her warmth brought out the very best in me. It was her ability to bring me back to the present, no matter where my mind wandered, which kept me steady in the rockiest of oceans. Her ferocity and good-nature was prevalent in all of our conversations and she continued talking as if I’d never spoken.

“But we will be starting with the fact you’restillwearing that dress,” wiggling her eyebrows up and down she grinned, “and I am making us apple martinis because – well why not?”

Tapping my fingers on the bench where I paused for a moment, I watched her begin pulling cocktail glasses and a shaker from the cupboards. She was always such an amazing hostess and seeing her so happy in the apartment she and Andy now shared always made my heart smile. It could also not be more removed from the cesspool she had been living in only eighteen months ago with her creepy roommate – who I was certain ate his own toenails.

“Don’t you have work tomorrow?” I called over my shoulder, retreating to my room to change.

“Work, shmerrrrk. I haven’t seen you in almost three days. We are having cocktails, popcorn and cheese. Oh, and liquorice, obviously.” The sound of bottles provided a background to her words. I grabbed my favourite black track pants and shoved my legs through them, accompanying them with a black singlet top and my trusty blue jacket. Bare foot, I moved back down to the kitchen, unfortunately interrupting my best-friend saying a horrifyingly passionate goodbye to her fiancé.

“Ewwww. Lonely, single, horny roommate entering,” half-covering my eyes, I laughed, and Arna’s cackle joined.

“Hey, Marls,” the only man in my life who I trusted wholeheartedly greeted me, palm out, for a high-five.

“Hey! Amazing win last night. How good was Jack’s goal. Bet he let loose in the sheds after the game.” I plucked a red liquorice bullet from where Arna had already poured a bowl on the bench.

He laughed. It was loud and unencumbered, reminding me how lucky we were to have the Andy that not many got to see. The easygoing version that I was certain had only come to the surface after Arna and his lives entwined.

“He didn’t even wait until the sheds. I’m pretty sure he high-fived every single person around the boundary line. We had to drag him from the field, especially after he found a girl from his hometown in the crowd.” His eyes were creased as he spoke, clearly enjoying the memory.

“Like a family friend?” Arna asked, suddenly interested in our football conversation with the prospect of potential gossip.

Andy shrugged. “He says she'sjust a friendbut he didn’t go out with the boys after the game and he always does. Once he saw her, he had eyes for nothing else.”

“Oh this is so cute. Jacky is in love,” I cooed, clapping.

“What’s her name? What does she do for a living? What does she look like?” Arna shot in rapid succession towards a now befuddled Andy.

“Baby, before you ask me another fifteen questions, I know nothing other than her name is Winter. He was like a snarling guard dog anytime anyone went near her. If you want answers, you will need to ask him yourself.” He answered, kissing the top of her head.

“Winter is such a pretty name. We can stalk her later,” I said with a wink at Arns before turning back to Andy. “I don’t blame him for being excited though. Winning the game after the siren is always going to be a highlight. Tell him I owe him a drink.”

I loved Jack. He was the only one of Andy’s teammates who hadn’t tried to hit on me, instead, making me feel comfortable and respected and he always got me laughing by the end of the night. I’d needed someone to make me smile when I first found myself living here, and he was good value. Him kicking my team to victory was also always going to score well in my book.

Kissing Arna on the cheek one last time, Andy grabbed his training bag.

“I wasn’t sure if you would have watched the game at all,” Andy remarked, the insinuation clear in his words.

“You’re a pig,” I said, throwing a liquorice bullet at him, amusement in my tone. “Sadly, nothing happened with your sexy friend. But I was grateful for his help. Thanks for making sure we had eyes, especially some as hot as his.” Grinning, I grabbed the bowl of popcorn and moved to the lounge. He didn’t need to know that said friend was a perfect gentleman despite my advances.

“He’s already called to see if you’re good. Said you left when he ducked out to get milk,” Andy said, eyeing me suspiciously but I kept my face neutral, simply nodding as if that meant nothing. “Never known that grumpy bastard to ask about anyone,” he added, swatting Arna on the backside as he left, his words lingering in his wake.

Arna stared at the door her fiancé had just exited and turned back with a huge, slightly maniacal smile directed straight at me. She took two slices of apple, placed one on each of the drinks and came to sit next to me.

“You left without saying goodbye?” She asked incredulously.

“I left a note,” I explained as if that made it okay. When I realised he'd popped out, courtesy of the note he left on the bench telling me he wouldn't be long and my shower singing was memorable, I'd taken advantage. I was a big, disgusting coward who scrawled a thank you of my own and made my escape.

“Oh my god! Tell - me - everything.”

Sebastian

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