That One Moment (Lost in London #2)(65)
I look away and rub my face annoyingly as my own damn eyes start to prick. Vi catches sight of me and I frown, grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the room.
“You okay?” she asks softly.
I nod. “Yeah. That’s just…I know that means a lot to Leslie. Her family isn’t the best.” I don’t offer any more details on the matter because it’s not my story to tell.
“You’re really close to her, aren’t you?” Vi’s eyes squint curiously as if she’s trying to piece together why I’m reacting so strongly.
Feeling strangely, like I need to minimise what Leslie means to me, I huff, “It’s nothing. Let’s go downstairs.” I take Vi’s hand in mine and lead her toward the flight of stairs. I freeze in my tracks when I see Reyna standing below.
“Hey,” she says, looking up at me in surprise and pausing her climb up the steps. “I didn’t expect you to be here.” Her eyes cut down to my hand in Vi’s and, for some reason, I quickly let her go.
I swallow awkwardly. “Leslie invited me.”
Reyna looks at Vi, her eyes narrowing. “Vilma, right?”
“Yeah. It’s Vi, I told you before. Hi Reyna. Nice to see you again.” Vi tucks her long blonde strands behind her ears, her eyes squinting with speculation.
Reyna’s grey eyes chill, which puzzles me, but we’re all suddenly distracted by a huge commotion behind us.
“FUCKING CUNT-FACED SPUNK BUBBLE!” a woman’s voice screams from the bedroom down the hall from the new nursery.
Frank, Leslie, Theo, Finley, and Brody come dashing out into the hallway just as a box of men’s clothing is launched out the open bedroom door. Next comes a cell phone. It strikes the hallway wall and crumbles to several pieces with a cringe-worthy crack.
A besotted Julie comes storming out of the room dressed in a lime green onesie, her almond-shaped eyes wide, her black hair tangled, and her stance braced with a menacing gait that makes me fight the urge to cover my balls.
“Men are f*cking PIGS! The lot of them!” she screams.
My eyes flash to Baby Marisa who begins fussing in Theo’s arms.
“Fuck, I’m sorry…but they are. Men are f*cking spunk bubble twats. I will tell all of you this right now. You’re all in love and you all think love can conquer the universe. It f*cking doesn’t. The only men you can trust are the arseholes who have no feelings….they just have…ARSE HOLES!”
She turns and storms into the bathroom at the end of the hall, slamming the door loudly in her wake.
“Well, there goes our tender family moment,” Frank huffs as he sashays down the hall to console whatever is eating at Julie.
Finely turns and sees Reyna and rushes to welcome her surprise visit. I overhear Rey tell Finley that Liam is running the pub tonight and that she needed a night of relaxation. Leslie joins in the greeting, but watches me nervously. I try to give her a look that tells her I’m okay because I know she tries to hide her friendship with Rey from me. But I’m not an idiot. Theo and Liam are best mates. I know Leslie has naturally grown closer to Reyna as a result. It’s not just that, though. Having Rey around with Vi here makes me uneasy. Last time I properly spoke to Rey, I told her that lust and recovery don’t mix. Now I’m standing here feeling like a hypocritical prat. Although, a quiet, annoying voice in my head knows that this is more than just lust with Vi. But admitting that thought is more terrifying than tempting my recovery.
We make our way to the living room and eventually begin watching a film. It’s charged and awkward and I feel horrid because I’m not touching Vi like I normally do. My body yearns to throw a claiming arm around her, but Rey’s presence and the thoughts rattling off in my head make me feel…disjointed.
Eventually, I remove myself to pop out to the kitchen for a drink. Maybe if I can give myself a silent pep talk, I can stop acting like such a wanker. Just as I close the fridge door, Rey’s face appears from behind it.
“So, you and Vi?” she asks, leaning her back on the fridge and crossing her inked arms over her chest.
I crack the top on the can of soda in my hands. My jaw clenches in annoyance because this feels wrong on so many levels. I shrug my shoulders, dismissively opting to remain silent.
She frowns. “What? You’re not going to tell me anything?” Her tone is defensive.
“I don’t see how it’s any of your business.” I turn and lean back on the counter to face her, taking a cool drink.
“I just think it’s odd that you told me only a couple of weeks ago that you’re putting yourself first and focusing all your efforts on you. Then I see you holding hands and cosying up to this blonde you barely know.” She gestures flippantly toward the living room where I left Vi with everyone else.
My temper flares. “She’s not just a f*cking blonde, Rey. She’s got a damn name and you bloody well know it. Stop acting as if she’s some random bird I picked up at a pub. And you’re one to talk!”
“What do you mean?”
“You were a f*cking mess too and you got engaged!” I accuse, not because I’m jealous, but because I’m defensive. “What did your therapist say about that?”
She recoils. “Liam and I had history.”
“Don’t remind me.” I cringe thinking about the fact that Liam and my sister nearly got engaged when they were together at Oxford. It makes me ill to think of Rey with him, truthfully. I’m all for unconventional love stories, but f*ck me…don’t come over here acting all self-righteous when you’re the pot calling the kettle black. “Regardless, none of this is your concern.”