Page 10 of Retrograde
‘Did I actually win?’ Marco’s jaw dropped.
‘Ten grand, my son!’ Brett slapped him on the back and Julien jumped up and down like a little kid. They shouldn’t be let loose in a place like this.
‘Poker next. Come on, Sunny. Be my good luck charm?’ Brett gave her puppy eyes, but she always thought he looked more like Wall-E, that Disney robot.
‘What exactly does that entail?’ She raised an eyebrow, placing a hand on her hip and almost stumbling in those stupid stilettos.
‘A kiss?’ He snaked an arm around her waist.
‘In your dreams.’
‘It’s my birthday.’
‘Tomorrow.’
‘I get a kiss tomorrow?’
‘No, I meant it’s not your birthday until tomorrow,’ she stood her ground.
‘Shit best friend, you are.’ He pouted but squeezed her hip gently to signify he was just messing around. Except this messing around was becoming a common occurrence.
‘I’ll give you a kiss, Anderson.’ Julien grabbed both sides of Brett’s face and planted one on his lips, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. He was without a doubt way over the line of just being tipsy, and was veering into drunkand disorderly territory, but he was highly entertaining. Lucie loved seeing Julien letting loose after he’d spent so long in parent mode twenty-four-seven.
They headed over to the poker table where Brett stole a pink feather boa from an old lady and looped it around Lucie’s neck. ‘I’m so sorry!’
The lady just gave her a sloppy smile. ‘You go for it, sunshine.’
‘Nice to know other people see what I see, my sunshine girl.’ Brett snuck a cheeky peck on her cheek, proud of the nickname he’d selected for her so long ago, and got to work.
Lucie watched in awe as he worked his magic, and before she knew it they’d been there for an hour. Brett lost and won repeatedly against an elderly man who clearly also had more money than sense, and now he was about to bet his Sydney apartment.
‘Anderson, no. Too far.’
‘Nah, it’s chill. I know what I’m doing, Sunny.’ He smirked as he did another shot of tequila.
Lucie looked to Julien for help, knowing he was the only one who stood a chance at asserting some authority here. If Lucie tried again, Brett truly would shut her up with a kiss. Which she wasn’t entirely sure she minded, but she couldn’t let either of these things happen.
‘Come on, Anderson. Esme is throwing up, she needs us,’ Julien called out, furiously typing on his phone.
‘Oh, shit! Apologies, sir. Good game.’ His last remaining opponent simply laughed it off. He looked to be a seasoned regular, so he was probably used to peoplegetting carried away and their friends saving them from making mistakes.
‘She is actually okay, isn’t she?’ Lucie whispered to Julien.
‘Yeah, I told her to fake it.’
By the time they reached Marco and the girls, Esme had slightly smudged eye makeup and was pulling a face that suggested she felt unwell.
‘Oh, Ez! Are you good?’ Brett patted her on the back gently.
‘Better now,’ she mumbled, but as soon as Brett looked away she winked at Lucie.
‘Right, where to next? The bar?’ He was already walking away.
Lucie tugged on Julien’s arm to slow him down. She didn’t want the rest of the group to hear and make a big deal out of it.
‘Jules, I think he’s had too much to drink. The amount he had while he and I were stood at the poker table was enough to last one person all night.’
‘Should we convince everyone to call it a night?’ Julien glanced up at his teammate, who was giving Marco a piggyback and running down the street.
