Million Love Songs(70)

‘Hey, Mason,’ one says. ‘Come and spend some time with us.’

‘I’m all yours,’ he schmoozes and air kisses both of her cheeks. Then, as I try to hang back, he eases me forward. ‘Ladies, this is my good friend, Ruby.’ They all look at me with haughty disinterest. So much for the sisterhood. ‘This is Charlotte, Honeysuckle, Emmaline and Serena.’

Now I feel that being called Ruby makes me sound like a charlady. ‘Hello.’

They look me up and down a bit more. As they do, someone calls for Mason and he says to me, ‘Back in a second.’

Before I can shoot off with him, he leaves me standing there with Sex and the City-lite. They all look at me blankly. To fill the awkward silence, more than anything, I ask, ‘How do you know Mason?’

They all giggle, girlishly as if I’ve asked them what colour knickers they’re wearing.

‘We’ve been friends for years,’ one of them answers. Except she says ‘yars’. ‘We ski together.’

I wonder if that’s all they do together. Then there’s another excruciating pause until one of them deigns to ask, ‘What do you do, er, Ruby, was it?’

‘I’m a waitress. At Mason’s pub, The Butcher’s Arms.’

They all look at me horrified. I don’t know what they do and am not the slightest bit interested. It looks as if they spend all day in the gym, if you ask me. Which no one did.

We all stand and look at each other, conversation clearly exhausted. With friends like this, Mason really doesn’t need enemies.

‘Excuse me,’ I say. ‘I need a refill.’ And, thankfully, when I hold up my glass as proof, it is actually empty. I slink away and then wonder what to do with myself. Might as well find another drink, I suppose.

So I head to the bar and, when I get there, am relieved to find that Ben from behind the bar at the Butcher’s Arms is moonlighting here. There’s a queue and Ben and one other barman are struggling to keep up with pouring drinks and mixing cocktails. I don’t mind queueing though as it gives me something to do.

‘A friendly face, finally,’ I say when I stand in front of Ben.

‘Ruby!’ He looks as relieved to see me as I am him.

‘I didn’t know you worked here.’

‘The odd shift. But I might move here permanently. What can I get you?’

‘A glass of white. Large.’

‘We’re drowning here,’ he says. ‘Typically, Shagger hasn’t considered the logistics of catering for this many people.’

‘Want me to roll up my sleeves?’

Ben’s stressed face brightens. ‘Would you?’

‘Why not?’ So I ditch my idea of another drink, go behind the bar and set to in serving the thirsty partygoers.

They say time flies when you’re having fun. It also flies when you’re serving behind a busy bar, trust me. When the last of the customers have been served, Ben high-fives me. ‘Thanks, Ruby. We couldn’t have managed without you.’

‘No problem. Let’s clear up and go home.’

The glitterati are drifting away now, the club is emptying nicely. I wash glasses, tidy the bar, think how much my feet hurt and how foolish I was to wear vertiginous heels. I might get home before midnight, at this rate.

Suddenly, Mason swerves up, looking horrified. ‘What are you doing, Brown?’

‘Helping. You didn’t have enough bar staff. Ben was overwhelmed.’ I point in the general direction of the retreating crowd as I polish a glass. ‘That lot seem determined to drink the place dry.’

‘It went well, though?’ He still seems worried.

‘A resounding success,’ I assure him. ‘They’ll be flocking to sign on the dotted line.’

‘I really appreciate you stepping in, but you shouldn’t be doing this.’ He lowers his voice. ‘You’re here with me.’

Except I wasn’t. I was standing round like a lemon on my own and keeping busy was definitely preferable.

I pick up another glass. This is probably my designated role in life. I’m not one of the party people, I’m more suited to being behind the bar at glamorous events. I don’t know what makes me think of Joe, but I wonder where he is now. He’d be my equivalent. I’m sure he’d rather be rolling up his sleeves and getting stuck in rather than standing posing in a dinner jacket.

When Ben moves away, Mason says, ‘Let me finish here. I won’t be long and then we can go up to my apartment and I’ll make it up to you.’

‘Yeah, sure.’ But that certainly isn’t on the cards tonight.

‘I promise I won’t be long.’

‘You go and do what you have to do,’ I tell him and he hurries off to chat to some of the guests as they depart.

I polish my last glass, dry my hands, kiss Ben on the cheek and say, ‘See you at work.’

‘Cheers again, Ruby.’

Then, without Mason noticing, I head out of the door and go home.





Chapter Sixty-One





The next morning I get flowers delivered. Can’t remember when that last happened. I think when I had my appendix out. Not surprisingly, they’re from Mason. Red roses. Two dozen. They’re gorgeous.

I text him to say thanks.