Page 16 of In For a Penny
“What type of beer do you want?” Oliver asks.
“Um...I’ll have whatever you want. I don’t care.”
We take our beers over to the booth and see that Chloe and Michael have joined the group along with someone else I haven’t met who introduces herself as Eloise.She’s a gorgeous tiny brunette with a cute bob, blue eyes, and a bright-red lip. She and Josh seem to be hitting it off.
Oliver’s smile broadens as he sees Eloise. I’m sure he’s adding her to hisTo-Do List. Ha. Get it? I laugh internally at my own joke.
“Guys, we were just talking about a group outing,” Jane says excitedly. “My boyfriend’s band is coming to London to play at a place in Shoreditch next month, and I can get us in without a cover. Are you interested in coming with us?”
Oliver turns to Eloise. “Willyoube there?” He smiles lasciviously. Eloise doesn’t back down. She doesn’t get that he’s harmless. She either has no sense of humor or an incredible resting bitch face.
“Not sure yet. I might have plans with some old university friends.”
“Oh, Eloise”—Oliver leans closer toward her as she backs away—“you can’t just run off with your old friends when you’re still just making new ones! We haven’t gotten to know each other properly.”
The whole table laughs at Eloise’s expression of disgust, very clearly not into him or his advances. She ignores Oliver and looks over at Josh with a smile. “Are you going? Because I could tell my friends I’ll see them another time.”
Whoa! Eloise is a bold one. Good for her? Definitely good for Josh.
Oliver looks over at me with a knowing look. I roll my eyes at him and snort. “Jealous?” he whispers low in my ear.
“Not a chance,” I whisper back. “I am hisfriend.Friends do not get jealous.”
He laughs. “Sure, sure.”
We’re several rounds in, and I’m definitely starting to feel the alcohol hit me. I’m exhausted and leaning my head on Oliver’s shoulder again. His broad, solid shoulder. Why hadn’t I noticed that before? He jokingly pats my head and wraps an arm around me.
“So, Josh,” Eloise says. “Tell me about yourself. You have a girlfriend, by any chance?”
Sorry, did I say bold before? THIS is bold.
“Uh…” He leans back a little bit, surprised by her forwardness. “I’m just getting out of a three-year relationship.”
“I’m so sorry, Josh.” I frown. I can obviously relate. He had briefly mentioned it at the pub after orientation but never really expanded on it. “When did you break up?”
He sighs. “I mean, it’s been a year, so not really recent. But it’s been rough. I planned on proposing and had been ring shopping that week, and then suddenly—WHAM!—it was over.”
“Three years is a long time. That sucks.” I frown.
Eloise sighs and raises her hand as she looks down sadly at the table. “Same. I broke up two months ago after two years of being together.” I feel somewhat bad for her now, especially now that I’m seeing two of her—
How many beers have I had?
I raise my hand and join in on the pathetic fun. “Three years, broke up a year ago, saw him about a month ago. High five!”
They both high-five me.
“We’re the bloody Lonely Hearts Club here,” Eloise says bitterly, with a laugh.
Josh stares at me intensely for a bit, his green eyes never breaking eye contact. “Fuck this,” he says, slamming his hands on the table. “I won’t be part of this club any longer. How about you guys? Can we leave the club?”
I smile.
“Hell. Yes.To new beginnings!”
Jane is laughing at us. “The three of you are killing me. Perhaps you should skip a few rounds.”
