The Friends We Keep(10)

“Yes, I can blame him. What’s wrong with freshers?”

“You know he’s a postgrad student, right? He’s doing some two-year program here, and he’s probably just jaded. The fact that he has to work as a bartender and deal with kids is probably what puts him in a bad mood. He can’t tell who’s a dick and who’s not, so maybe he’s just horrible to all the first years. Maybe that’s why I think he’s sexy,” Maggie mused, almost to herself. “There’s something about him that I just find really compelling.”

Evvie put her hands on her hips. “Objectively, even though I find his widow’s peak hairline distinctive rather than sexy, he is definitely built. He has serious muscles, which is probably why Steve keeps him on the job, because no one will cause problems in the pub as long as he’s there. But, Maggie, honestly? I don’t get how you find him sexy. He’s just super unfriendly, and I have no idea why.”

“He probably fancies you. That’s why. I wish he’d notice me.”

Evvie looked Maggie up and down. As beautiful as she was, the boys didn’t seem to be attracted to her in the same way they often were to Evvie. There was something tomboyish about Maggie, a fact she attributed to growing up with three brothers. She was more likely to down pints in a drinking competition with the boys, and had absolutely no idea how to flirt.

“You don’t want him to notice you. What if you fell in love and then he disappeared off to a job? Find yourself someone your own age. As to whether he fancies me, absolutely no way. On the very rare occasions he deigns to look at me, the only thing I see in his eyes is disdain. Urgh. I swear, I don’t even want this fucking job anymore because of him. I went into the Golden Lion yesterday and they may need someone. They’re letting me know tomorrow.”

“I think you’re wrong. He fancies you. Why don’t you ask him if there’s something you’ve done?”

“Because he doesn’t talk to me. But maybe I will. Maybe if I get this job at the Golden Lion I’ll ask him, and maybe I’ll tell him what I really think of him.”

“Can you also tell him your best friend thinks he’s sexy and he should really take her out for dinner?” Maggie grinned, stretching out her foot suggestively, having just painted her toenails a sparkly gold.

“No. I will not allow it. If you’re going to date anyone, it has to be someone we all love. Especially me.”

“He wouldn’t look at me anyway.”

“You’re not serious about really fancying him, are you?”

“I’m so sorry.” Maggie made a face. “I think I have a thing for difficult men. It’s really weird because my dad is so friendly and nice. Everyone loves him, but I go into this weird thing with men that are grumpy where I have to try to charm them and make them love me.”

Evvie started to laugh. “That is weird.”

“I know. When I was at school I was madly in love with this guy who everybody hated because he was an asshole, especially with girls. I just kept thinking that underneath there had to be this good guy who was covering up and that, duh, I would be the one to bring out the goodness and make him change.”

“Of course you would think that! So, did you ever date him?”

“Kind of. We went out briefly, and I realized that if he was covering something up, he was doing a really good job, and I had no idea what it was. He dumped me after three weeks for Isabel van Dolen, this gorgeous blond Dutch girl who had just arrived in the sixth form halfway through the school year.”

“So he was an asshole after all?”

“Yup. So I have awful taste in boys, which means that if I think Evil Ben is sexy, which I do, then he’s probably just as evil as you think he is. I’m a terrible judge of people.”

“Not all people. You knew immediately that we were going to be friends. Topher too.”

“You’re right. Thank you. That makes me feel better. I still think Evil Ben’s rude because he likes you. Good luck. Maybe he’ll reveal his true feelings for you tonight.”

“Oh, ha ha.” Evvie slipped her arms into her jacket and grabbed her purse. “Swing by later with Topher. I’ll definitely get you drinks on the house.” And with a wave, she was gone.





six


- 1986 -



It was ten o’clock when the group of rugby players came in. Evvie heard the noise outside the pub, and immediately went on high alert, which was what you did when you grew up in Brooklyn in the seventies and eighties.

She hadn’t seen them before, this group of boys. They were clearly students, but older than first years, all enormous, and, it seemed, well into their pub crawl. They walked in singing loudly, arms around one another, as Evvie stepped back from the bar. Drunk men made her nervous, made her regress to being a scared child, waiting for something awful to happen.

She looked across the room to where Maggie and Topher were, tucked into a corner table with a couple of other girls from their hall. Maggie was looking at the boys and slightly shaking her head. She rolled her eyes and went back to her conversation. They would be safe, they weren’t the target, merely other patrons, but Evvie, as the only bartender on this side of the bar, felt the danger, knew that if anything went wrong, it would be directed at her. She steeled herself as they broke into a raucous song.