Page 59 of The Reboot
‘I think I’ll just stay for a while,’ Andrew said to Ella.
‘That’s what I like to hear,’ Pippa said, touching his leg. He looked like he was going to pass out with excitement.
‘You don’t mind, do you?’ Andrew asked, looking up at her.
‘No, of course not.’ She shrugged into her coat. ‘Enjoy the rest of the night.’
‘You look lonely over there now, Roly. Come and sit here and we’ll all snuggle up together.’ Pippa patted the sofa on her other side.
Roly didn’t budge. ‘Really? You’re staying?’ he asked Andrew, the hint of a challenge in his voice.
‘If you guys don’t mind having a third wheel?’
For fuck’s sake, Andrew, read the room! Surely any tone-deaf idiot could see that Roly wanted to be alone with Pippa.
‘Of course we don’t,’ Pippa said, sucking her mojito through a straw and batting her eyelashes at him.
Ella seethed as Andrew lapped up her flattery. Shallow git! This wasn’t his scene at all, but he was pathetically dazzled by Pippa’s attention. So much for all his high-minded intellectual pretensions!
‘Don’t worry, we’ll take care of him,’ Pippa said to her. ‘You go home and enjoy your early night.’
Ella fumed. It was almost one. She’d stayed out way past the point of exhaustion already, and Pippa still got to treat her like a granny. It wasn’t fair.
‘Well, goodnight, then. You’re sure you don’t want to come with me?’ she asked Andrew, making one last-ditch attempt to get him out of their hair. ‘We could share a cab.’
‘No, I’m happy here.’
‘That’s great!’ Roly said. ‘Because I’m a bit knackered too.’ He drained his drink. ‘So I’ll head off with Ella and you two can stay here and enjoy yourselves.’
‘What?’ Pippa looked insultingly put out at the prospect of being left with Andrew, but he didn’t seem to notice, still looking very pleased with himself.
Ella felt an ignoble thrill of triumph.
‘Maybe we should call it a night too,’ Pippa said to Andrew. ‘Itisgetting late—’
‘No, you guys stay. Don’t let us spoil your fun,’ Roly said as he stood and joined Ella. ‘I’ll talk to you tomorrow, yeah?’ he said to Pippa.
‘You don’t have to do this, you know,’ Ella hissed at Roly as they walked to the door.
She was enjoying her moment of victory, the look on Pippa’s face and the feeling that she was sticking it to her. But it was only fair to let him off the hook.
‘Do what?’ he asked her.
‘I’m fine going home on my own. You don’t have to leave just because I am.’
‘I know.’
‘You’re not really tired, are you?’ she asked as they walked outside.
He shrugged. ‘Maybe not tired exactly. But I’d had enough.’ He walked to the edge of the pavement and flagged down a taxi. ‘I was feeling a bit fed up, to be honest.’
They got in and Ella sagged with relief against the seat as they pulled away, feeling the irritation and discomfort seep away.
‘Maybe that’s not your scene anymore.’
‘I guess I’m just out of practice,’ he said. ‘I have to build up to all-nighters.’
‘Pippa was looking well.’
