Plus One is a Lucky Number. Teresa Morgan F.
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Adam glanced at the entrance to the wine bar, noticing two women come in. Straight away, Simon headed over in their direction and started chatting them up, encouraging them to join him. Simon wasn’t ugly and he knew it, so it wasn’t long before the two women were at the bar with him. Simon had his arm draped over one girl’s shoulder, the other encouraged to stand beside Gareth. She gave Adam a flirtatious glance, but he kept his cool. Not interested.
Simon nudged Adam. “Now the fun begins.”
The woman made her move on Gareth. Flirting, playing with his tie, hair, ears.
Adam didn’t pick up girls for the night any more. Yes, it was usually how it started, getting chatted up, but he liked to at least get a number, take them to dinner – a date. His relationships were short, but not that short. Gareth certainly wasn’t interested – he was batting the woman off as if swatting flies.
“Look, lady, you’re nice and all, but I’m not interested.” Gareth stood up from the bar, walking away, escaping the woman. “I’m getting married Saturday.” Angered and flustered, he paced the bar, then pointed at Simon. “If this was your idea –”
“Oh, come on, Gareth. Make the most of your freedom before they lock the ball and chain around your ankle for good. Simon says –”
“I don’t give a monkeys what Simon says! I told you.” Gareth lunged; Adam instantly reacted, stopping him from shoving Simon.
“Hey, hey, come on.” Adam stood between the two men, watching Gareth, but with Simon in view as well.
“Gareth, lighten up, it‘s a bit of fun.”
“Simon, why don‘t you drop it,” Adam said, turning towards him, trying to control his own anger. Gareth needed him to keep his cool. “Gareth obviously isn't interested.”
“Why don't you sod off out of it, Adam?”
“No. You sod off,” Gareth said, moving out of Adam’s grasp and shoving Simon. “I’m sick of Simon says.” Adam grabbed Gareth’s arm and pulled him back, putting an arm around his shoulder. The drink was talking for these two. Simon held his hands up, unfazed by his friends attempt to attack and shook his head, smirking.
“Why don’t we head back to the hotel?” Adam patted Gareth on the back and led him towards the door. “The ladies should be getting back soon, too.” He raised his eyebrows at Simon, a subtle warning to let them pass. Simon stood aside, still drinking his pint.
“Hey, if you two lightweights don’t mind, I’m going to hang about here.”
***
“Cigar?” Adam took a cigar out of his inside pocket and offered it to Gareth as they walked along the narrow road towards the hotel. Simon had handed them out earlier and now he was glad he’d held onto the two he’d taken. Adam only smoked the occasional cigar, normally amongst clients, but now seemed a good time.
“Thanks.” Gareth took the cigar, putting it in his mouth and Adam lit it, then his own.
They had a climb ahead of them, but he could see the hotel lit up on the hillside. The tide was up, the waves crashed onto the beach. The moon illuminated their narrow road as the streetlights were at a dull minimum.
“Thanks, Adam, for back there.” Gareth thumbed behind him, slightly out of breath and then slung his free hand in his pocket. Adam watched Gareth walk, drunkenly weaving along the pavement. He didn’t need him falling over and getting a black eye – or worse. Try explaining that to the bride. And the wedding photographer. He put his arm on the man's shoulder, subtly supporting him.
“No problem. Don’t need two best friends falling out before the big day. And over a couple of birds!” Adam laughed.
“Oh, please, don’t tell Natalie.”
“I won’t.” Adam shook his head. He gave a sly smile at Gareth, who smiled back, shaking his head.
“And that means don't tell Sophie either. You know how women talk.” Adam's eyes widened. “Hey, Natalie will be fine with it really. We trust each other, you know? But she's likely to kill Simon. So until after the wedding, right?” Gareth laughed. “Or I'll be left without a best man.”
Adam chuckled, puffing at his own cigar.
“I know he can be an arse at times, but why‘d he have to pull a stunt like that?” Gareth ran his hand through his hair, then placed it back in his pocket. “I’m getting married, for Christ sake! Just because he can't keep his knob inside his pants … ”
Adam raised his eyebrows, intrigued. He’d thought about seeing if Simon could shed some light on why Sophie was acting oddly, but had chosen to leave it be. Sophie wouldn’t have been happy having him delve where he shouldn’t go. And besides, what would he have looked like? The jealous boyfriend? He didn’t want to look as if he had anything to be jealous about. That would wind Simon up more than anything. Gareth might be able to give him some insight to the bloke, what Sophie had been attracted to. Because at the moment he couldn’t see why Sophie, as smart as she was, had fallen for Simon. Gareth was right; the man was an arse.
“Maybe he doesn’t know you as well as you thought.”
Gareth laughed. “Yeah, I should have known, really. Simon only looks out for number one, after all. And thinks with his dick most of the time.”
“So why is he your best man?” Adam asked, scratching his head. “From what I see, you’re nothing alike.”
Gareth shrugged. “I’ve known him so long. We grew up together. We've always been 'best friends'. But he changed when he hit puberty.” Gareth chuckled and Adam watched with interest. Gareth continued, “I’m not sure when exactly, but all of a sudden girls came into the equation. He became very popular with the girls and it gave him a new kind of confidence.”
“So why'd you stick around with him?”
Gareth shook his head, exhaling the smoke of his cigar. Both men’s breathing had become heavier with their climb. “I don't know. We each had our own set of friends at uni, and we were studying different things – only natural.” Adam nodded, listening to Gareth. “But after uni, we met up, hung out, went to a match together, that sort of thing. I started seeing Natalie one summer and through us, he met Sophie. I suppose, when it doesn’t come down to girls, he’s all right really. We’ve bailed each other out occasionally.” Gareth looked Adam in the eye. “You must have a friend that gets on your nerves at times, but you still wouldn't be without.”
Adam thought of James, who’d got him into this mess. A part of him was already planning on how to kill him. And a small, ridiculous part wanted to thank him. James had started at the company as an apprentice at the same time Adam had stepped off the factory floor and into the offices. He’d been glad to meet someone close to his age and interested in similar things. They might be chalk and cheese, but along the way they’d become good friends. Yeah, James drove him mad at times, but he’d become a very good, trusted friend. Not an arse like Simon though. He was more like Gareth actually, his life settled with Kate.
“Yeah, yeah, I do, actually.” Adam smiled.
“Hey, how’d it go?”
Sophie approached Adam, finding him waiting in reception as promised. He stood up from the leather sofa and she reached up, giving him a gentle kiss on the lips, remembering what he’d said. Heavens, did that feel good – and odd. Luckily, the alcohol in her veins meant she didn’t care. She relaxed when he smiled. Then she frowned, noticing he was on his own.
“Where are the others?”
“Gareth has gone up to his room, and Simon isn’t back yet. We left him to it.”
“Oh.”