Page 30 of Keeping it Casual
“It’s nice to see you again,” Em says to Dustin.
Dustin rakes a hand through his hair. “Yeah, you too.” He looks over at me. “So, do you need anything else done?”
I’d like you to suck me that effectively later.
And finally, the vacuum cleaner-blowjob joke appears with perfect clarity in my head. It’s a pity it’s never going to see the light of day because having my ex-wife choke on her tongue is not the way I want to start my daughter’s birthday party.
“No, I think what you’ve done should be fine,” I reply.
Lucy comes running out to give Em a hug. “Mum! You’re here!”
Even though these moments happen frequently, I can’t help the lump in my throat. I have to look away because my daughter shouldn’t be greeting her mother like this. We should have all woken up in the same house and gotten ready for Lucy’s party together. We should be a proper family, not the fractured remnants we are currently.
Luckily people start to arrive then, distracting me from the trainwreck I invertedly managed to create. Instead, I’m in the kitchen running an impromptu bar service as I scramble to get everyone drinks.
Dustin slides into the kitchen to help me, and there’s something seamless about how we work together, filling glasses of fizzy drinks for the kids, taking bottle caps off beer, and pouring glasses of wine for the adults.
Dustin and I are familiar with each other’s bodies, and I’m sure it shows. He puts a hand lightly on my waist as he moves past me to get more ice. I step slightly too close to him to head to the fridge, our hips bumping each other. Despite the frantic pace of trying to keep up with everyone’s orders, my whole body prickles at having Dustin so close by.
“You know what they say about alcohol,” I say after handing over a white wine to Em’s friend, Edith.
“No.”
“It’s never the answer, but it does help you forget the question.”
He laughs his deep throaty laugh, and I grin at him.
“Is this where I get drinks?” Jasper’s voice breaks the moment, and I turn my attention to him.
“This is where you can give your drinks order,” I reply. “As long as you realize I’m going to veto anything with tequila because I value my furniture and carpet.”
Jasper rolls his eyes. “I was seventeen, Jeremy. You’ve really got to let that one go.”
Dustin grins. “That sounds like a story.”
“Probably not one to repeat when little ears are around,” I say as Gloria, one of Lucy’s friends, comes up and asks for a lemonade.
“What can I grab you, anyway?” I ask Jasper after Gloria has retreated.
“Just two beers, thanks.”
“Two? Do you need one for each hand?”
He rolls his eyes again. “One is for Beau.”
I hand him the beers as Dustin comes over to claim the bottle opener, his hand lightly brushing my bicep as he moves past me.
Jasper’s eyes linger on Dustin’s hand before he raises his gaze to me, eyebrows tilting quizzically.
I try not to react, but I feel my face heating like bitumen in summer.
Luckily, my old rugby coach steps up just then.
“What can I get you, Mr. Herbert?” I ask, gratefully turning away to escape Jasper’s scrutiny.
After the rush of the first arrivals, I head out to my backyard, where most of the guests are milling on the lawn. It’s a beautiful day, perfect for a party.
Lucy’s racing around with her friends doing some kind ofgymnastics competition. I really hope none of the adults attempt their moves, or else I’m going to be working overtime next week to deal with the injuries. Luckily, most people seem content to mingle in groups, chattering.
