Confronting Demons
New Year’s Eve
MY JUMPER WAS A stunning shade of turquoise, which Weston loved me in. He said it made my eyes even more beautiful and alive than normal. I’d paired it with some skin-tight black jeans and a sexy pair of strappy skyscraper heels. I couldn’t wait to see him, I was really missing him. We’d spent Christmas apart, exchanging calls daily. He’d been with his parents, whom I’d yet to meet, but after the disaster of our last meeting with mine, I wasn’t in a rush to make matters worse by pushing to meet his. I was even desperate to see Bertie, it felt like forever since he’d come over with Weston. I was looking forward to a quiet night in, a few movies in front of the fire, cuddles with Bertie, and a bottle or two of wine with a takeaway.
I felt a buzz of excitement flow through my veins, making all of the fine hairs on my arms stand to attention, as I heard a car pull into my drive. I quickly stoked the fire, pulled the guard around it, and rushed to the front door.
‘Bertie,’ I cried, crouching and opening my arms. He bounded over and leapt at me, his tongue lashing every bare inch of skin he could find on me. ‘Hello, baby boy.’
‘Seriously, is it me or the dog you love more?’ Weston asked with a chuckle as he walked up the path and dropped his bag on the doorstep.
‘I’ve not seen him in forever,’ I objected, lifting the small bulldog up and kissing his forehead. ‘Have you missed me?’ I asked him.
‘Terribly,’ Weston confirmed, scooping Bertie out of my grasp with one hand while he used the other to tug me up, then slid it behind my head as he gave me a welcome and long overdue kiss. ‘Hey, gorgeous.’
‘Hey, you,’ I breathed, feeling my stomach flutter at his nickname for me. ‘How are you?’
‘Better for kissing you. But I think I need more kisses, just to be sure.’
‘Just to be sure,’ I agreed, tugging him back to me by his hair and losing myself in a fiery and passionate kiss.
‘I’d shout “Get a room,” but it’s not like you need to go far,’ Charlie yelled, forcing us apart. Weston coughed and scooped up his bag while I quickly wiped my mouth and turned to see her grinning at us over the hedge.
‘Hey, Charlie,’ Weston called, giving her a swift salute and disappearing inside with Bertie.
‘So freakin’ hot to watch,’ Charlie said as she fanned her face.
‘Try being on the receiving end, I think he just incinerated my underwear. What are you doing out in the garden at this time?’
‘I got excited when I heard a car pull up, I thought it was Kitt with my pizza delivery.’
‘I still find it hilarious that you’ve ended up such good friends with the pizza delivery guy,’ I laughed.
‘He’s a really nice guy, we’ve become close through my love of pizza.’
‘Anyway, why are you having pizza delivered? I thought you’d be out painting the town red with Quinn on New Year’s Eve.’ Miller’s twin sister had moved over here, and she and Charlie had become as inseparable as Abbie and I were.
‘She decided to go over to New York to see her old friends,’ Charlie shrugged. ‘She asked me to go with her, but I have a deadline to meet.’
‘All work and no play,’ I reminded her.
‘I know, I know, but now that I’m traditionally published, I’ve got to keep up my end of the deal.’
‘You can come and join Weston and me, we were just going to have a quiet night in,’ I offered, even though the thought of sharing my precious time with him nearly killed me.
‘Nah,’ she replied, flicking her hand at me. ‘It’s sweet of you to offer, but you don’t see much of each other as it is, go get loved up. Anyway, Kitt’s coming down the lane with my pizza and I didn’t order enough for all of us, and you know how I hate to share my food.’
‘Are you sure?’ I asked.
‘Positive, I’ve always been tight when it comes to food, especially pizza. How do you think I managed to get all these sexy arse curves?’ she winked as she teased me.
‘Well, you know where we are if you change your mind.’
‘I won’t, but thank you for offering. Happy New Year, Georgie, enjoy your romantic evening.’ She blew me a kiss over the hedge and I blew one back.
‘Happy New Year, Charlie. I have a feeling this is going to be your year. Dr. Fitton is going to see what’s been in front of him all this time and sweep you off your feet.’
‘One can dream,’ she sighed, with a faraway look in her eyes. I smiled at her, then stepped in the house and heard her greet Kitt as his car door opened and I shut my front door.
I found Weston in the kitchen opening a bottle of wine, and I leaned on the doorframe as I raked my eyes up and down his lithe body. He was in his dark blue jeans with a navy waistcoat and a pale blue dress shirt. He had a casually smart style that I found so attractive, but even when he’d taken me to a gym in town to supervise my workouts, seeing him in his sweats had turned me on too. He was the perfect package. Well, mine anyway.
‘Liking what you see, gorgeous?’ he chuckled as he poured two glasses.
‘Loving what I see. Would it traumatise Bertie if I threw you down and we went at it on the kitchen floor while he watched?’
‘I doubt it, but it would traumatise me if he tried to mount one of us from behind or licked in the wrong place.’
‘Ewwww, ok, no floor sex, but he’s too small to jump up on the sofa unaided, right?’
‘I think so,’ Weston grinned, handing me my glass and kissing me again. He almost made me spill my wine as he rendered my body a heated puddle on the floor. ‘But I have plans for you that don’t involve sofa sex until at least midnight.’
‘Plans? What plans?’
‘I’ve booked us a table at The Cock & Bull for a meal, then we can walk back and enjoy the rest of the night with Bertie in front of the fire.’
‘The Cock? The Cock in Dilbury?’ I squeaked, my stomach sinking like it had lead boots attached to it.
‘Yes, we’ve never been. As it’s your local, I thought it would be nice to try, plus we don’t have to worry about driving or taxis.’
‘I just … I assumed we were staying in. We don’t have to go out, do we?’ I twisted my fingers together nervously, trying not to overreact.
‘Well no, but with it being New Year’s, they had a special menu on and I’ve paid upfront. What’s going on? I thought it would be a nice change,’ he said, setting his wine down on the island.
‘I’m just not in a “going out” kind of mood,’ I replied, air quoting my words and biting on my lower lip.
‘Hmmm, the Georgie Basset I’ve been dating for seven months is quite the social butterfly, always ready, willing, and able to go out. Aren’t you feeling well?’ he asked, striding over to place the back of his hand gently on my forehead to check my temperature.
‘I’m fine, I just don’t really want to go to The Cock,’ I shrugged, grabbing my wine and beating a hasty retreat to the lounge. I set my wine on the coffee table and perched on the edge of the armchair as I bent down to fuss over Bertie, who was stretched out on his back in front of the fire. I grimaced as I heard Weston follow me in.
‘What’s wrong with The Cock? I hear nothing but good reports about it.’
‘There’s nothing wrong with it, Tony and Joyce have done a wonderful job building up a great food and drink trade. At least that’s what I’m told.’
‘Then why don’t you want to go there? And don’t make any more excuses as I can see right through them. You’re hiding something from me,’ he said firmly. I huffed out a sigh and nodded. Damn him and his expert people-reading skills. Sometimes it sucked that he knew me so well, while I still had so much to learn about him.
‘She still works there, the Dilbury hussy,’ I muttered as I scratched Bertie’s belly and he let out a series of happy whines and grunts.
‘The barmaid who had an affair with Greg? That’s why you don’t go in your local?’
‘Yes, and it wasn’t an affair, he’s still with her. It’s a relationship,’ I shrugged, like it wasn’t a big deal, but it was. It was my local and I wanted to feel free to walk in there without the humiliation of having to face her, or him, or worse, both at the same time. As I couldn’t, I didn’t.
‘Well, that settles it then,’ Weston confirmed, yanking me up and holding me against him.
‘Thank you, I knew you’d understand,’ I smiled, tracing a pattern over his heart with my fingers.
‘I think you misunderstand. We’re definitely going now.’
‘Weston! Didn’t you hear what I just said?’ I protested.
‘Yes, and I’m not going to allow their appalling treatment of you to force you out of your local pub. You have every right to walk in there with your head held high and for everyone in the village to be set straight that he had the affair, not you. That Mrs. Vickers has a mouth as wide as the Channel tunnel on her.’
‘No disagreement on that front, but you won’t change my mind. I’m not going. There’s no way I’m walking in there,’ I stated stubbornly. I eyeballed him as he held my gaze, his equally stubborn demeanour not wavering. I glared at him. It was a battle of wills and there was no way I was backing down. ‘Weston Argent,’ I shrieked as I was suddenly lifted up into the air and tossed over his shoulder.
‘Very well. If you won’t walk in there, I’ll carry you. I won’t tolerate you being bullied, Georgie.’
‘You’re bullying me right now,’ I hissed, smacking his firm backside, then shaking my palm and wincing at the sting that radiated through it.
‘No, I’m making you face your fears,’ he stated as he strode out to the hall and grabbed his keys off the hall table.
‘What about Bertie, we can’t leave him.’
‘The fire is covered, he had his dinner earlier, and there’s a bowl of water in the utility. He’ll be fine for a few hours,’ Weston said as he opened the door and stepped outside, holding me firmly as I tried to wriggle out of his grasp.
‘I don’t have a handbag or any money on me,’ I objected as he pulled the door shut behind him.
‘You don’t need anything, it’s my treat.’
‘Treat? You call this a treat? Charlie, Charlie!’ I screamed as he strode up the front path and I spotted her from my upside-down position, chatting to Kitt as they sat on her bench. ‘Help me, I’m being kidnapped against my will! Owww, what the hell was that?’ I exclaimed as he smacked my backside firmly.
‘Screaming is very unladylike behaviour, Georgina,’ he said, mimicking my mother. ‘Hey, Kitt, good to see you again.’
‘You too, Weston.’
‘Stop struggling, Georgie,’ he said, smacking my bottom again.
‘Oh you … you … brute. Put me down. Charlie, seriously, do something!’
‘I wouldn’t be shrieking if he had me over his shoulder like that,’ she called back as they stood up to see what was going on. ‘It’s seriously hot. I’m getting images of him just wearing those firefighter trousers and braces, his bare chest and biceps all oiled up.’ She giggled, Weston chuckled, and Kitt laughed as I swore at her.
‘It’s not hot. He’s forcing me to go to The Cock,’ I moaned, as he stepped into the lane.
‘Are your neighbours always so brutally honest?’ Kitt asked with an astonished look on his face.
‘Not Weston’s,’ Charlie laughed, swatting his arm. ‘She meant The Cock & Bull pub. She won’t go inside and I think it’s a great idea he’s forcing her to. You have every right to be in there, Georgie,’ she called, as Weston almost vaulted the stile opposite her front gate. ‘Don’t let either of them drive you out.’
‘Our friendship is officially over, Charlie,’ I yelled, losing sight of her behind my swinging hair as Weston continued his determined march across the paddock towards the back of the pub. I slid my hands down into the back pockets of his jeans, my fingers curling around his penknife, the metal surprisingly warm from being so close to his body.
‘Don’t even think about stabbing me in the backside, Georgie Basset,’ he warned as he spanked me again.
‘Will you stop that? You’ve read too many of Charlie’s books. Not all women find a spanking a turn on, you know.’
‘It wasn’t meant to be a turn on for you. Maybe I just like having you at my mercy.’
‘Well, just remember what I might do when I have you at mine later in bed. I’m seeing a ménage of the non-sexual variety as Bertie snuggles down for the night, right between us,’ I hissed.
‘Right, after a week apart? I’d like to see you try and resist. Your self-control when it comes to me is appallingly weak,’ he correctly observed.
‘Sometimes I hate you,’ I muttered.
‘You’re too nice to hate anyone, Georgie,’ he replied as he made short work of the next stile and continued across the rear car park of The Cock. ‘If you were capable of hating, you’d have been back in the pub sooner and called them both out in public for what they did to you.’
‘So why are you forcing me to do it now?’ I whined like a petulant child. ‘It’s New Year’s Eve, they’re bound to be in there.’
‘I’m not forcing you to do it,’ he stated as he crouched and gently set my feet back on the ground. ‘If anyone’s going to say anything, it will be me. Let me handle it, ok? I’m not going to spend the rest of our lives avoiding our local.’
‘Rest of our lives? Our local?’ I repeated.
‘Rest of our lives,’ he nodded. ‘And as for the “our local” bit, that was a figure of speech as I spend more time here than at home.’
‘A home I’ve never even been to,’ I reminded him.
‘About that,’ he huffed, running his hand up into his hair. ‘There’s something I need to talk to you–’
‘Oh God, I knew it. His car’s here. That’s Greg’s flashy car.’ I pointed at the Porsche sitting on the forecourt.
‘Red, right, what a surprise that is,’ Weston scoffed as he looked at it.
‘Come on then. If we’re doing this, let’s get it over with,’ I sighed.
‘You’re going in voluntarily?’
‘Don’t act so surprised. You manhandled me here to do just that. Besides, I’m sort of intrigued to see his reaction when he discovers that I upgraded to a much hotter model than him,’ I shrugged.
‘I’ll pretend you didn’t just objectify me and take that as a win,’ Weston replied with a shake of his head, the corners of his mouth curving into a faint smile as he took my hand.
‘You’d win hands down every single time, handsome.’ I pursed my lips and lifted them up to let him meet me halfway. ‘You’re everything he wasn’t. Everything I didn’t know that I needed.’
‘Georgie,’ he whispered, closing his eyes as he dropped his forehead to mine.
‘Soppiness over. Move it, mister. My new-found courage is going to fade in about thirty seconds, so we need to walk through that door before it runs out on me and I follow it.’
It was almost as if the universe had stolen everyone’s voices, that or my hearing, as there was an eerie silence as we walked in holding hands and all heads turned to face us. I swallowed a ball of anxiety in the back of my throat as Weston gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.
‘Evening, everybody,’ he said loudly.
‘Evening,’ came a chorus of voices, and I felt all eyes scrutinising us, including a few furtive glances from the women over in the corner to my left by the blazing fire. I twisted my head and took a sharp inhalation to see Greg staring at me open mouthed, his arm slung around Rowena. My hackles began to rise when I saw her complete focus was on Weston as she checked him out.
‘Is that him?’ Weston asked quietly.
‘Yes,’ I whispered, nodding as I looked back at him.
‘I ordered a bottle of champagne with the meal. Why don’t you go and see what table we’re at and I’ll join you in a moment,’ he suggested.
‘You’re not coming with me?’ I asked hesitantly, cringing as I watched Rowena flounce past me towards the toilets, first shooting me daggers, then giving Weston a sickly smile.
‘No. I’m going to have a quiet word in his ear.’
‘Weston, I don’t want any trouble,’ I warned.
‘No trouble, Scout’s honour,’ he saluted.
‘Were you even in the Scouts?’
‘Yes, as a matter of fact I was. Where do you think I got the penknife? It’s my lucky thing, I’ve had it since I was seven. I promise there’ll be no trouble unless he starts it. I just want to make it clear that you’re owed a public apology and that if he ever sees you again, belittling you or making you feel uncomfortable isn’t something I’ll tolerate. From either of them. Now do as you’re told and go and see what table has been reserved for us.’ His tone left me in no doubt that was his “Captain giving the orders” voice and he expected immediate compliance. He dipped his head and slowly brushed his lips deliberately over mine, letting everyone see that we were together in any way but as friends. A gentle push propelled my legs in the direction of the bar.
‘It’s good to see you in here again, Georgie,’ Tony smiled as he stepped forward, polishing a beer tankard with a tea towel.
‘Can I tell you in about an hour if it feels good to be in here again?’
‘I know what they did to you, and I find it despicable. But I can’t fire a barmaid for her bad choices outside of work, or bar him when he’s done nothing against me and the missus. I don’t want no trouble in here though.’
‘He promised me there wouldn’t be any and I’ve no reason to doubt him.’
‘You sure about that?’ he asked, as we heard a high-pitched squeal that sounded suspiciously like Greg emanate from the corner. I grimaced as Tony stepped to his right to see past me, and I looked over my shoulder and frowned. It seemed like Weston was just leaning down, one hand on the small table as he spoke to Greg. There didn’t appear to have been any punches thrown, or any form of bodily contact, but Greg looked terrified as his eyes flicked over to look at me, then back to Weston as he nodded vigorously.
Weston straightened up and slapped Greg on the back, before spinning around and sticking one of his hands in his back pocket as he walked over to join me with a smile on his face.
‘So, where do you want us?’ he asked Tony as he brushed my hair away from my face and kissed my temple gently.
‘Table six, follow me through,’ Tony said, eyeing him suspiciously. He flicked his head towards the opening to the small restaurant, which took up the other large room of the downstairs of the pub. I breathed a sigh of relief as we headed through behind him to see we were next to the fire that backed onto the one in the pub. There was a wall separating us from Greg and Rowena’s view. With any luck, I could forget all about them until we were ready to leave.
‘Ok?’ Weston asked, rubbing the back of my neck as he scanned the set menu that Tony had placed in front of both of us.
‘What did you say to him?’
‘Nothing much, just making it clear that I wouldn’t tolerate any abuse coming your way,’ he shrugged. ‘I think I might have the scallops to start and a steak with the peppercorn sauce. How about you?’
‘He virtually screamed.’
‘Where’s that on the menu?’ he asked, not looking up at me.
‘Weston, I’m not being funny,’ I warned.
‘No punches were thrown, I didn’t lose my temper, and he’s still alive. Now, I’d really prefer not to spend the rest of my night with you talking about your ex, if that’s ok with you?’ His eyes lifted to mine and he quirked an eyebrow. I sighed and nodded.
‘Scallops and steak with peppercorn sauce sounds perfect,’ I replied.
‘Excellent. Now kiss me like you really missed me,’ he ordered, as he pulled on my neck to bring me closer to his lips.
‘I did really miss you.’ I flung my arms around his neck and gave in to the most perfect kiss I’d experienced in a long time. I loved that I was with a man who wouldn’t let me hide from my fears and got his point across without losing his temper. It was just such a shame that he didn’t feel able to confront his own fears, or let me help him to.
‘Tell Joyce that was the best steak, and bread and butter pudding, that I’ve ever eaten,’ I told Tony when he came over with the bill.
‘She’ll love to hear that. Never been to any fancy cookery school, my missus, but by God is she talented. You can see why I have this pot on me,’ he laughed, grabbing his protruding belly and giving it a wobble with both hands.
‘You can eat well and still have a six-pack. Weston has a huge appetite.’
‘I’ll bet he does,’ Tony chuckled with a wink, making me blush and Weston laugh.
‘How much would it cost to replace one of your stools?’ he asked as he started peeling some notes out of his wallet.
‘Well, that’s an odd question to ask a fella, isn’t it?’ Tony replied, as I gave Weston a curious look. It was a strange question.
‘Humour me,’ Weston said as he put enough money down to cover the meal, and a substantial tip, on the table.
‘I guess around fifty pounds. Why?’
‘I might have accidentally damaged one, so here’s the money to buy a replacement.’ I watched with my eyebrows raised as Weston put another sixty pounds onto the table, then abruptly stood up and shook Tony’s hand and began to talk over his objections. ‘Thanks for a great evening. We’ll be coming in a bit more often from now on. Georgie, ready?’ He gave me a look that told me he didn’t want me to question his odd behaviour.
‘Ermmm, yes, ok.’
‘How about I check the stool you might have damaged first before you pay me for it,’ Tony suggested.
‘No need, I’m pretty sure I did. Happy New Year, Tony. See you again.’
He was walking me back through to the pub before I even had a chance to wish Tony a happy New Year myself.
‘What in the world was that about?’ I asked, looking up at him as he hustled me towards the exit.
‘Nothing to worry about,’ he replied, flashing me a smile as he snaked an arm around my waist and drew to a sudden halt.
‘Ermmm, hello, Georgie, long time no see.’ Greg’s nervous voice made me snap my head around to see he was blocking our exit.
‘Personally, I’d have loved it to be much longer, Greg. Preferably never.’
‘Ok, I guess I deserved that.’
‘Trust me, on the list of things you deserve, a snarky remark is very low in priority,’ I shot back. He grimaced and quickly reached up to drag a finger around the inside of his t-shirt collar. He was nervous, that was something he always did when he was nervous. As he dampened his lower lip and shot a quick look over at Weston before looking back at me, I wondered what I ever saw in him. I felt nothing for him, except a residual feeling of anger. But even that was dissipating. If he hadn’t treated me so badly, I might not have been single when I met Weston. ‘What do you want, Greg?’ I sighed, putting my arm around Weston and sliding my hand into his back pocket.
‘I wanted, no, I needed to apologise to you, Georgie. What I did to you was … reprehensible. I treated you appallingly by cheating on you and letting everyone think it was the other way around, and for that I’m more sorry than you could ever imagine. I was … weak and unworthy of a woman as magnificent as you. And I spend every day regretting letting you slip through my fingers. No one will ever compare. Rowena was just … she was easy and I couldn’t resist her when she threw herself at me, but she’ll never replace you in my heart. You were always too good for me,’ he stated with seeming sincerity, though his voice was wobbling as he spoke. I frowned. It also didn’t sound like him speaking, it was like he was repeating words from a script.
‘You arsehole!’ screamed Rowena as she snuck up to him and tossed her pint of cider in his face, a chorus of gasps rising from the silent pub patrons, who were all watching the Dilbury soap opera unfurl. ‘I heard every word of that. I always said you were a spineless idiot. Well, now you’ve let me slip through your fingers too.’
‘Baby, don’t be so hasty,’ he spluttered, as I watched in shock.
‘Don’t “baby” me. You told me that I was the love of your life and now you’re talking to her like she was. You said she was nothing to you.’
‘I … I …’ Greg stuttered as he quickly looked over at Weston again, his face pale and clammy, then nodded. ‘I made a mistake, Rowena. Georgie’s one of the most amazing women I’ve ever known. I shouldn’t have been blinded by your … your ...’
‘My what?’ she demanded. He ran his fingers around the inside of his collar again and gulped hard before opening his mouth and saying something so quietly, none of us heard it. ‘My what, Greg?’
‘Sluttiness,’ he forced out with a grimace.
‘Sluttiness?’ she shrieked as she flew at him, her long pointy fingernails poised to strike. I hissed as Weston quickly stepped back, taking me with him. Rowena knocked Greg to the floor and proceeded to beat him up while he screamed like a girl and tried to protect his face as some of the locals started to laugh at the unexpected show.
‘Out, both of you,’ roared Tony as he strode over and hauled her up, kicking and screaming, off a hysterical Greg. ‘Rowena, you’re fired. I won’t have customers attacked in my pub and this is the last in a long list of reasons I’ve been wanting to use to get rid of you. You’re nothing but trouble, coming on to all of the men who come in here.’
‘I don’t need this stupid job anyway, stuck here in the middle of nowhere. Dilbury my arse. Stupid name for a stupid boring village. It should be called Dulbury.’ She shot me a glare as she straightened her short skirt, so short I wasn’t entirely convinced that it wasn’t actually a belt, then ran her hands over her hair. She glared down at Greg and kicked him once more for good measure in the side before stalking out of the pub.
‘Here, take my hand,’ Weston offered as Greg trembled on the floor. He nodded hesitantly and Weston hauled him up, then gripped the front of his t-shirt as he eyeballed him, before releasing it and patting it down. ‘It was nice of you to apologise to Georgie for cheating on her in front of all these people. I’m sorry you got dumped in such a public and humiliating manner, but I think you’re well rid of that one. She seems like a bit of a bunny boiler to me. I heard you’re not the first guy she’s stolen away from his partner. She’d likely have cheated on you too at some point. Looks like she did you a favour.’
‘Yeah … yes,’ Greg nodded, looking down at the floor as he sniffed.
My eyes were darting from Weston to Greg as I tried to work out what the hell was going on here. Admittedly, Greg had never been a macho guy, but equally I’d never seen him so scared and defeated.
‘Come on then, gorgeous, our boy will be waiting at home for us. Happy New Year all,’ he called as he walked me out, my mouth still ajar at all of the drama.
‘What just happened in there?’
‘Karma, I’d say,’ Weston grinned as he gripped my hand and led me around the side of the pub.
‘Weston Argent, why do I think you had something to do with that?’ I demanded.
‘Beats me,’ he shrugged.
‘No secrets,’ I reminded him, digging my heels in as he tried to keep walking and pulling my hand from his.
‘Fine. I may have had a quiet word in his ear and suggested that you were overdue an apology, and said what words he might consider using, and that he might be better dumping a girl who was prepared to steal another woman’s man, that’s all.’ He gave me an annoyingly attractive half-smile as he turned to face me, and I crossed my arms over my chest as I scowled at him.
‘That’s all? That’s all?! You spoke to him for all of sixty seconds. What can you have possibly said to make him publicly humiliate himself by grovelling to me and insulting his girlfriend to such an extent that she dumped him?’
‘I can be very persuasive when I want to be,’ he replied. He pulled his penknife out and cocked his head as his smile spread, then juggled the red and silver knife from one hand to another. He flicked out the razor-sharp blade and ran his thumb over it before snapping it shut and shoving it back into his back pocket as I waited patiently for an answer. ‘It’s amazing what a blade between the thighs, close to your manhood, will make a man agree to. I did stab it a bit forcefully into the leather seat though.’
‘That’s why you paid Tony for a stool. Weston!’ I exclaimed, swatting his arm as he burst out laughing. ‘You can’t go around threatening all of my ex-boyfriends’ ability to procreate.’
‘Exactly how many ex-boyfriends are there?’ he demanded, a dark, jealous shadow crossing his face.
‘Not the point.’
‘He got the point. I promised not to cause any trouble and I didn’t. He could have chosen to say nothing, but he didn’t.’
‘I can’t believe a penknife between his legs made him not only apologise, but inadvertently dump her as well.’
‘I may also have told him that I know of over fifty ways to dispose of a body without leaving any trace of evidence.’ He winked at me and I couldn’t help but laugh.
‘You’re so bad.’
‘Bad, but still loveable?’
‘Still loveable,’ I nodded as I grabbed his waistcoat and tugged him towards me, then kissed him. ‘Thank you.’
‘I’m sorry, I’m not sure I can go out with a girl who condones veiled threats against her exes,’ he replied, his arms holding me in a tight and welcome embrace.
‘I think the word you’re looking for is outright threats. And I’m not sure I can go out with a guy who publicly humiliates my exes, and their hussies, then makes sure I can walk back into my local with my head held high and no fear of bumping into them again,’ I exhaled against his lips.
‘You. Promised. You’d. Never. Leave,’ he answered, puncturing each word with a fast, hard kiss.
‘Actually. That. Was. Your. Promise,’ I replied, doing the same.
‘Then make me the same one, Georgie. I know I’m not the easiest guy to go out with. I’m guarded, and I don’t share parts of my life that I know you wish I would. But no one else will love you as fiercely as I do, or do as much to protect you.’
‘I promise,’ I whispered, blinking back some tears at his impassioned declaration and what he’d just done to make sure I’d received an apology.
‘I need to hear you say the words.’
‘I promise to never leave,’ I repeated. ‘Just don’t do something to make me break that promise, ok?’
‘Ok,’ he nodded, after a brief hesitation. ‘Come on, let’s get home.’
He grabbed my hand and we headed back the way we’d come, guided by the moon and a myriad of stars that twinkled down on us. I breathed in the crisp air as we walked in silence. It was nearly the beginning of a New Year and I had a feeling that things were only going to get better from here on out. I snuck a curious look at the man walking at my side and felt my heart skip a beat. I’d never loved anyone the way that I loved Weston. I just wished I knew him better. I had a feeling I probably knew him as well as he’d allowed anyone to know him. But I wanted all of him, the way I’d given him all of me.
‘Looks like Charlie’s sharing her pizza after all,’ I observed as we passed her drive and saw Kitt’s car still parked outside.
‘I thought she was into the doctor,’ Weston asked, sounding puzzled.
‘Oh, she definitely is. Just because a woman invites a man inside doesn’t mean there’s anything there other than friendship.’
‘Trust me, any man who’s invited inside thinks the exact opposite.’ He released my hand and swung the front gate open for me.
‘You don’t think men and women can just be friends?’ I asked, giving him a surprised look.
‘I think women like to imagine they can, whereas men see it as a precursor to sex.’
‘Abbie and Heath are good friends, and they’ve never had sex,’ I reminded him as he reached in his front pocket for his keys. I’d relented and had a key safe installed, and had an extra key cut for him for when he came over.
‘Maybe, but I guarantee if he doesn’t now, that at one point he wanted it.’
‘Honestly,’ I huffed, rolling my eyes.
‘What? Men are programmed to react to an attractive woman, even more so if she shows an interest in them.’
‘I think we’ve evolved enough that men aren’t just cavemen with clubs who beat their chests and drag a woman back to their cave anymore, Weston. Not everything is about sex, you know.’
‘How are we suddenly on the verge of an argument?’ he asked, holding his hands up in surrender. ‘I was just stating an opinion.’
‘Well, men are stupid sometimes. What’s wrong with being honest with a girl? If you don’t want to be friends and just want sex, you should say that. There’s plenty of women out there, like Rowena, who would be up for that. What’s wrong with just being honest with people?’ I grabbed the keys out of his hands and jabbed the right one in the lock as I felt my temper flare uncharacteristically. If people were honest with each other, it would save so much heartache.
‘Georgie, in the spirit of honesty, I really need to say something and I need you to–’
‘Bertie, what’s the matter?’ I cried as I heard a pitiful howl from behind the door. I quickly pushed it open and gasped. He was sitting in the hall with a subdued face and sad puppy eyes, feathers all over his head and body, looking like a freakish cross between a white barn owl and a bulldog. There was also a trail of toilet paper streaming from his front paw all the way into the kitchen and out of sight. He rushed forward with a whimper and flung himself at my legs. I quickly caught him and lifted him up, carefully pulling the toilet paper off his claw. All of them were well overdue a trim. I tried to pick the feathers off his face, which was wet and sticky and smelled suspiciously like alcohol.
‘What the hell?’ Weston asked as he stepped inside and saw the state of him.
I raised my eyebrows as I shook my head and stepped into the lounge as Weston shut the front door and tossed his keys on the hall table.
‘Oh. My. God. Baby boy, what did you do?’ I gasped as I took in the carnage in front of me. The glasses of white wine had been knocked off the coffee table, their contents all over my nice cream carpet. In spite of our assumptions that he couldn’t jump up onto furniture, he’d proved us completely wrong. He’d decimated all of my silk cushions. It looked like a chicken serial killer had been at work, there were simply hundreds of feathers everywhere. The table lamp had been knocked onto the floor and was in pieces, and he’d managed to chew through the cable. I clutched him closer to my chest, my heart racing at the thought that he could have been electrocuted, as I spotted he’d also had a go at the cables underneath the TV cabinet. I looked down at Bertie and he whimpered and nosed his way into my armpit to hide his face. He knew he’d been naughty.
‘Jesus,’ Weston muttered as he stepped in and took in the destruction. ‘Why the hell would he do this?’
‘Because he was upset. We left him all alone.’
‘We’ve left him alone before,’ Weston reminded me.
‘Once, when he was asleep and we nipped up to the shop. We were twenty minutes at the most, not three hours like tonight, when he was wide awake when we left him. I dread to think what he’s done in the rest of the house. Just tell me he hasn’t learned to climb the stairs yet.’
‘Not that I know of. What’s that smell?’
‘He’s covered in wine and goodness knows what else. He’s never done anything like this when you’ve left him alone before?’
‘He’s never on his own, he’s always looked after.’
‘I guess you drop him at your mum’s or a sitter’s when you go to work,’ I nodded.
‘Well, a quiet, relaxing night and seduction on the sofa is out while it stays in this state. I’ll try and tidy up, why don’t you take him to the parlour and give him a bath?’ Weston suggested, undoing the buttons on his shirt cuffs and rolling up his sleeves.
‘Ok,’ I sighed, giving Bertie’s neck a gentle massage to reassure him that he wasn’t about to be punished. He was just acting out like a teenager, and while I hadn’t done that, I’d seen plenty of girls at boarding school do it. ‘I’m sorry, you were going to say something outside before he interrupted us, and I had a feeling it was important.’
‘No,’ Weston replied with a tight-lipped smile. ‘It can wait. You’d better get him in the bath before he gets drunk on the fumes. It’s not quite eleven. If we work fast, we might even be able to snuggle up in time to see the New Year in, all three of us.’
‘All three of us,’ I agreed, giving him a quick kiss before picking my way through the mess in the kitchen and heading for the dog parlour with a sigh as I looked back down at the state of Bertie. This time his eyes twinkled and he lifted his head to lick my jaw, making me laugh. ‘Now I know I’ve fallen in love with you too, Bertie, in spite of your awful behaviour today. Men,’ I uttered with a shake of my head. I decided to call Abbie to wish her an early happy New Year as I spruced him up, knowing she’d get a kick out of my entertaining evening.