This Could Change Everything(29)
‘It’s OK, I’m fine.’ Glancing around to make sure no one else was listening, Giselle said, ‘He told me all about that round-robin thingy. Poor you, what a nightmare.’
‘Thanks. Yes, it was.’ Essie hesitated, wondering just how much Lucas had told her.
Evidently reading her mind, Giselle said, ‘Hey, I know nobody else knows, but I’m his girlfriend. I’ve heard the whole story. He was an idiot and he did a daft thing. That’s boys for you, isn’t it? They just don’t think these things through. But you’re here now and he says you’ve settled right in. So that’s great!’
And this time Essie had to force herself to smile, because Giselle was blithely excusing Lucas, defending him, almost dismissing his actions as nothing at all. Which she was bound to do, really, but it hadn’t been nothing, had it? Didn’t it bother her, even slightly, that her boyfriend had done something so thoughtless?
‘Actually, I think I will have a drink. Could you do me a little rum and Coke?’ Patting her chest, Giselle confided, ‘It’s been two weeks since I last saw Lucas, and I’ve got butterflies! How crazy is that? It’s like being sixteen all over again.’
Moments later, Jude returned from her break and greeted Lucas’s girlfriend with genuine affection. Essie, who already knew how popular Giselle was with the staff, marvelled at Lucas’s ability to attract such a lovely girl.
For the next few minutes Jude caught Giselle up on the gossip she’d missed over the last fortnight. In return, Giselle took out her phone and showed them photos of all the snow they’d had in Kinlara, and the ceilidhs she’d been to with her family. Then the door to the Red House swung open and there was Lucas, his face lighting up at the sight of her. And Giselle, in turn gazing at him with sheer joy in her eyes, said, ‘Hello, what’s your name? You look nice.’
Lucas grinned. ‘God, I’ve missed you.’
‘Not nearly as much as I’ve missed you.’ Clearly unable to tear her eyes from his face, Giselle said, ‘If I run towards you and swallow-dive into your arms like in Dirty Dancing, will you promise to catch me?’
‘After you’ve just spent the last two weeks eating Christmas food? We’d better not risk it.’
And Giselle, who was skinny enough for it not to be an insult, said, ‘Oh Lucas, come here. Two weeks is too long to not see you.’
Then they were hugging each other, and it was actually quite lovely; Essie felt as if she were watching one of those films with the ultimate happy ending. The kiss was heartfelt without making onlookers cringe. Lucas’s hand was curled around the back of Giselle’s neck and she was touching his face with her fingers, smiling as she murmured something only he was able to hear.
Lucas smiled too and it didn’t take a genius to work it out. His arm slid around Giselle’s waist and he gave her a squeeze.
‘OK, we’re not busy,’ he told Jude, ‘so I’m going to leave you in charge. See you later, kids.’
‘Can’t imagine what they’ll be getting up to,’ said Jude as Lucas and Giselle left the bar and headed upstairs to his flat.
One of the regulars seated at a nearby table said, ‘Reckon it’s time for Lucas to unwrap his Christmas present.’
Chapter 14
After the first-week-of-January lull, Sunday evening at the Red House caught everyone by surprise. By eight o’clock the place was packed and Conor found himself queuing to be served at the bar. The stand-out stars of the show tonight were turning out to be Mary the slipper-returner and Jethro the gold-toothed nonagenarian. Loving their moment in the spotlight, they were greeting visitors and relaying scurrilous stories about their lives.
Jethro had asked for a pint of Guinness and Mary had requested a brandy and Babycham because it was what she’d drunk as a teenager and she thought it might make her feel young again.
Was Babycham even still sold in bars?
Conor shifted from one foot to the other and wished the customer in front of him would get a move on. In her late thirties, she had bleached hair and an overloud voice. Her perfume was strong and heady, she was wearing a slightly too-tight stripy dress that made her look like a giant wasp, and the heavy make-up on her face was noticeably more orange than her neck.
Most annoying of all, though, was the fact that she’d already been served with her drinks yet was still standing there talking loudly to Lucas, who was helping out behind the bar.
‘. . . I can’t believe how busy this place is,’ she was saying now. ‘We’ve never been here before, but a friend said it was good fun so we came over to try it out. Those photos are a great idea to get the punters in through the door.’
Conor heaved a sigh, because the woman was yet to pay for the two glasses of wine. The next moment she whipped her head round and snapped, ‘Ugh, would you mind not doing that?’
Conor said evenly, ‘I was breathing.’
‘On the back of my neck.’
‘That’s because I’m standing behind you, waiting to be served.’
‘Well there’s no need to sigh like that. Have some manners, Mr Stroppy.’
Mr Stroppy?
‘Thank you for that suggestion,’ Conor replied. ‘Now how about you open that purse and pay for your drinks? Then we can all move on with our lives.’ It wasn’t like him to retaliate, but sometimes the situation demanded it.