Page 45 of Fake Rocks
“We do?”
“Rosie, my best friend, is having a few people over to hers and she wants us to go.”
A few people at a house party. Sounded small, intimate even. It would be like a proper date.
“Sure, sounds good.”
How wrong could I have been? Of course, I’d forgotten Rosie was Rosie Tatton. Her house was a sprawling Notting Hill mews style palace and having a few friends over meant something like fifty to a hundred, maybe more. I couldn’t be sure as a lot of them looked the same.
After taking the afternoon to nap, Saff had been raring to go. We’d been there little more than an hour and she’d already downed three shots of tequila and a bottle of beer. I remembered the first time we’d gone out and the state she’d been in. I honestly didn’t want to have to load her into a taxi again.
“Rosie, this is Tris. Remember I told you about him?” Saff slurred, pulling me across the room to chat to Rosie.
Rosie gave me a quick up and down glance. “You said something about meeting him at uni. He doesn’t look anything like those goth people you went to that club with.”
It was obvious Saff had made up some story about how we had come to meet. But a goth club? Reluctantly, I played along.
“I’ve changed a lot since then. Lost the mohican and the piercings. The green dye was playing havoc with my hair.”
Saff snorted. “Yeah, he looks much better now.”
“How did you guys meet up again?”
I stared at Saff, wondering which of us was to take the lead on this. When she didn’t reply, I racked my brains to come up with something believable. Or at least semi-believable.
“Turns out my uncle was doing a job for Saff’s cousin and I went along to help. And there she was. It’s been several years, but I recognised her straight away. I always knew she’d make a success of her band.” I pulled Saff close to me, wrapping my arm around her waist.
Rosie’s eyes narrowed. Clearly, she didn’t believe a word of it, but it wasn’t far from the truth, except for the band bit. “Hmm, he’s certainly different to Troy Carson.”
“Yes, he’s single for a start. Well, he’s not single obviously because we’re together, but I mean he’s not with anyone else apart from me.” Saff stared up at me, her eyes glassy. I hoped she wouldn’t have anything more to drink.
“True. I’m definitely not with anyone else.” I gave Rosie a broad smile. “And what about you? Are you seeing anyone?”
“Not right now.” Rosie pursed her lips and I guessed I’d hit a sore spot. “I need to go and mingle, Saff. I’ll catch up with you later.” She whirled around and stalked off in the direction of the conservatory.
I wasn’t sure whether I warmed to Rosie on first meeting. She didn’t really seem to want to give me the time of day. A builder’s apprentice probably wasn’t on her list of eligible bachelors.
“Come on, I need another drink.” Saff tugged my arm and led me towards the kitchen.
“I don’t think you really need another one, do you?”
The kitchen was surprisingly empty with a group of four girls sitting at the breakfast bar, sipping champagne cocktails. This definitely wasn’t the type of party I was used to.
“Saff, this…thing between us.” I chose my words carefully and glanced over to the group, making sure they weren’t listening. “Last weekend, we were close. But now, I feel like you don’t want to know me.”
Her gaze locked on mine, suddenly serious. “Tris, I definitely want to know you. Come with me.”
25
Saff
Hearing Tris say he didn’t think I wanted him hit me in the gut. He was right, the past week had been tough. I hadn’t worked this hard with the band in a long, long time and it was the reason - the only reason - I hadn’t seen him. If it hadn’t been for Jonas’ demands, I would happily have spent every waking moment with him.
I grabbed his hand and wove our way through the people in the house to get to the second floor bathroom. It was one place I knew we wouldn’t get disturbed. Rosie didn’t usually let people up here. I shut and locked the door behind us, then turned to Tris, my hands on my hips.
“Why do you think I don’t want anything to do with you?”
“This was supposed to be a business arrangement, you know. Then last weekend somehow things got blurred and I thought we were something else.” He dragged a hand through his hair, his dark eyes studying me.
