Plus One is a Lucky Number. Teresa Morgan F.
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still found it hard to face him. Had he brushed past her accidentally or deliberately? When they’d been about to leave, that had been most definitely deliberate.
Had Adam noticed Simon's hand on her backside? She'd wanted to say something to Simon right then, but knew it wouldn't be good to make a scene. This was Gareth and Natalie’s weekend. But what was he playing at? It had been over four years since she’d seen him. She’d been successful in avoiding him, thanks to her parents insisting on visiting her, rather than Sophie coming home.
Was he jealous and trying therefore to make Adam jealous? Sophie resisted laughing to herself. Adam wasn't going to get jealous - but would he act that way for her, for this weekend’s performance?
But then jealousy wasn’t a quality she liked. So she hoped Adam would rise above it and not show any reaction, making him the better man. He was a better man.
A much better man who she couldn’t have. Pretend, remember?
She sipped her drink. Luckily, Natalie and Cassie had dashed off to the ladies’, leaving her alone with her glum thoughts.
“You’re not for me, Sophie,” Simon had said. Excuses of course, but had there truth in them? He’d thundered into her life, then back out again, like a storm. “We’re not right for each other like I thought we were. You don’t know how to love.”
She didn’t know how to love. Apparently, she was … No, don’t go there. She obliterated the words from her mind and finished her wine to loosen the tightness in her throat.
If only she could prove him wrong. But for real. Not with pretend boyfriends.
He doesn’t need know it’s fake.
Simon’s touch had surprised her, too. She was shocked at how much she didn't like it any more. She didn't remember Simon being like this before – not really. A flirt with the ladies, yes. But acting like an arse now certainly wasn't going to help improve her feelings towards him. Was Adam getting on with him? She shouldn't worry. Adam looked like a man who could handle himself and besides, Gareth was there. He'd be fine.
Natalie squeezed through the busy club and stood beside her at the table. “Save me from Cassie,” she said, swaying, shaking Sophie from her thoughts. “I swear, she drinks like a fish and cannot be removed from the dance floor without heavy machinery!”
Sophie giggled at her friend, who had a hideous fluorescent pink veil stuck in her hair – it was a good distraction from her bleak thoughts. Her smile dropped as she saw a woman go up to the bar, luckily ignoring Sophie.
Zoe.
“I didn’t invite her here tonight,” Natalie whispered. “She still lives locally. Probably meeting friends.”
“Good.” Sophie grabbed her next drink lined up on the table and took a gulp of it, turning her back on the woman. Zoe was another reason why she didn’t like coming home.
“But she might be coming to the wedding – only the evening do though,” Natalie nervously confessed, wincing. “Sorry.”
Sophie shrugged and took another gulp of her wine. Maybe getting drunk was the answer. She would blank the woman, pretend she didn’t recognise her – unless she had Adam on her arm, of course. Oh, now she liked that idea.
“Shall we go to the beach tomorrow morning?” Cassie said, intruding drunkenly into their conversation, nestling between Sophie and Natalie.
“Uh, I don’t know … ”
“Go on, Soph. It’ll be a laugh. We’ll all go. Smarmy Simon did suggest it and you can show him what a fool he was to let you go – you know, drape yourself over Adam in your very best bikini.” She grinned at Sophie, then hiccupped.
“I didn’t bring one.” Compulsive liar, now.
“You can borrow one of mine.”
Sophie swallowed. Cassie’s idea of a bikini was three triangles and bits of string, or the equivalent thereof – and she had the boobs to fill them.
“Sounds like a great idea! We can kill a couple of hours, top up our tans and play volley ball,” Natalie said.
Sophie could have slapped Natalie – metaphorically of course.
Get out of this one, Batman.
She’d feel more comfortable on the beach in a bikini if Adam wasn’t there. She secretly prayed for rain tomorrow morning. Note to self: wake up early and do rain dance. As long as sunshine arrived for Saturday, Sophie would be guilt free.
“Agreed. So, are you two dancing or what?” Cassie bellowed over the loud music that suddenly seemed to get louder. “You’d better not be daydreaming about lover-boy.”
Sophie laughed, shaking her head.
“Come on, this is my favourite song. Let's dance.” Cassie pulled her from the stool, grabbing Natalie with her other arm and any other friends on her way. “I’ve seen a TDH on the dance floor.” Sophie and Natalie looked at each other, frowning. “Tall, dark and handsome. Come on, then we can hit the tequila!”
Oh, bloody hell.
***
“Simon says, another beer!”
Gareth shook his head slowly.
“Gareth, don’t be such a lightweight,” Simon slurred. “It’s Simon Says, remember?”
Gareth looked tired and unsteady on his feet, the bar supporting him. Adam had been doing him a favour most of the night, hiding the copious number of pints Simon had tried to feed him.
“He’s had enough. We don’t need him in hospital for alcohol poisoning two nights before his wedding,” Adam said, trying to make a joke about it. But it wasn’t working. Gareth sat on one side of him at the bar and Simon stood on the other. Only the three of them now. The fathers of the bridal couple had long since retired. They'd come out for a few and then headed back to the hotel. Various friends of Simon’s and Gareth's had also been and gone.
“Ah, he'll be all right,” Simon said, elbows resting on the bar. “Simon says, another!”
Adam held up his pint glass and shook his head. “No, I'm fine.”
“Lightweight,” Simon muttered, catching the attention of the barman and holding his glass up to him, nodding.
“So, how'd you meet Sophie?” he asked, turning to Adam.
Adam swallowed his mouthful of Cornish ale before answering. He’d been waiting for this question all evening. “We met at an office party.”
“Yeah? What do you do?”
“I’m an account manager.” That’s all Simon needed to know as far as Adam was concerned.
Simon nodded, as if he knew what that meant. Adam tried not to smirk.
“You know we were once an item, don’t you?” Simon smiled arrogantly and Adam badly wanted to wipe the grin off his face.
“Yes, so she said.” Adam met Simon’s eyes. Simon was probably too drunk to realise Adam was watching for a reaction, not intimidated by him. But Simon seemed confident, continuing to talk about her, like he knew her better than anyone. He did know her better than Adam – but that would change by the end of this weekend.
“Yeah, she’s a smart girl.” Simon nodded as he said the words. “Smart girl. Shame I didn’t realise it back then.” The barman handed Simon another pint of ale. “But things got too heavy. Talking about marriage, kids, that sort of thing.” Adam kept his surprise in check. “But we were younger then. It's different now.” Simon slapped Adam on the back. “You got a great girl there, Adam. Hold on to her.”
She’s a woman. A beautiful woman.
Adam