Page 5 of The Vow We Made
“Oh come on you grumpy cow. It was a bit of fun.” Bronte laughs.
“Ha-bloody-ha.” I drop my head to my hands as I hear my oldest and dearest friend arrive at the table.
“Vickie? When did you get here?” Steph barely has time to sit before Bronte gives a full rundown of events.
“You just missed the fittest bloke chatting her up.”
“You’re joking.” Steph grins with wide glowing eyes.
“Not joking. Look, he’s over there on that back table with the other two hotties,” Faith chimes in.
I shrug but don’t make eye contact for fear of giving myself away. “I dropped some money on the pavement outside and he was giving it back, no big deal.” I hope this is coming across as matter of fact; I don’t need them to make something out of it.
Steph glances over. “I was only in the loo for five minutes,” then almost instantly freezes, her eyes widen and she promptly stares down to her hands. I have my back to them, so assume one of the rowdy boys caught her peeking.
Bronte leans forward eagerly. “Are you alright?”
“Perfect,” she replies with a slight breathlessness to her voice.
“Hmm, I’m not so sure. You’ve been acting really odd today. Why did you leave the table so abruptly earlier?”
Steph clears her throat. “I just had to go… quickly that’s all.”
She brushes the strands of her red hair away from her face with her fingertips and shifts in her seat. I wonder what she's been up to this time. Her slim figure, long legs and pretty blue eyes are a lethal combination when it comes to men, but sadly, she attracts time wasters who use her. Respect is the least she deserves from any man but she rarely gets it.
Conveniently, Steph decides to change the subject back to me. “Anyway, I thought you pulled last night.” She knows I didn't but this is her way of diverting the topic.
I haven’t answered and Bronte assumes the worst. “Dear Lord! Victoria Liberty West, tell me you didn’t pick up some random bloke on your way home.”
I gasp in mock disgust. “No!” But I smile to myself when I remember the events of the previous evening. “I think someone else did.” I wiggle my brows in Steph’s direction becauseshedidn’t come home last night and later dropped a text telling me not to wait up.
Her mouth twitches and her eyes widen as Bronte and Faith wait for details. It’s typical for Steph to shrug her shoulders and reply, “What exactly do you want me to say?”
AIDEN
“Here he is. Finally decided to join us.”
Luke’s loud cockney voice, booms above the hum of constant chatter. I use the term loosely. He’s from Dorset, but he took on a whole new persona when he migrated to London and joined the city set thirteen years ago. He stands from his seat, shaking my hand and pulling me in for a slap on the back. I take my chair next to him, but not before repeating the whole thing with my brother, Will, who sits opposite.
“Who was that gorgeous bird you were talking to?” Will signals behind then twists in his seat to get a better look. His smile soon drops when he, very quickly, turns back and his eyes bulge out of their sockets.
I glance over to see what’s going on and to catch another glimpse, only to be disappointed she still isn’t facing my way.
“She’s… someone.”Who I think I’ve met before and I know I want to meet again. I just need to engineer a way to make it happen.
“Good work my friend,” Luke smirks towards the group of women, but Will is uncharacteristically quiet.
“You’re on fire mate considering you pulled last night,” Luke continues before filling his mouth with a bacon butty and ignoring Will’s odd behaviour.
I call over the young lad serving tables with one finger in the air. “Tea please mate and a full English.” Then I sit back and fold my arms, watching her short silky hair brush from one shoulder to the other as if she’s in some kind of shampoo advert.
“Come on then,” Luke continues despite the fact I tuned out for a minute, “Whatdidhappen last night and with the sort you were with?”
I shrug and shake my head. “Nothing.” I don't kiss and tell, especially when there's nothing to say.
“Nice girl?”
“Nice enough.”
