“It was the performance,” Freya added, grinning. “I thought McCoy might die from the shock!”
“Meh,” I said, with a casual shrug. “I was too busy molesting Bryce to worry about Radleigh.”
Even as I said it, my eyes shifted round to where he sat. He was still watching me, annoyance on his face. When he saw me looking, he glared and turned away.
I don’t want to love you this much. You don’t deserve it.
“Leah, how can you care about someone who looks at you that way?” Will asked, distracting me from my wistful thoughts.
“He doesn't mean it. It's something he does when he isn't getting his own way.”
My comment alarmed me because I hadn’t been consciously aware I could read him that well. I knew I was right though. If there was anything I doubted after chatting with him that afternoon, it wasn't that he cared about me, it was that he was too damn egotistical to do anything about it.
“Either way,” Will said, “it can't exactly endear you to him.”
“It's not one of his finer traits.”
“I wasn't aware that he possessed any.”
“Well, I think you have to be female to fully appreciate them.”
Rolling his eyes Will said, “Right.”
“Anyway,” I said, eager to steer the conversation away from Radleigh, “are you really gonna lecture me about my taste in men? Isn’t it time you grew a pair and told Freya you love her?”
He smiled. “Yes. Actually, I’ve been thinking about doing that while we’re here in London. Not tonight while we’re … rat-arsed … but maybe while we’re away from home it’ll be easier to get the words out.”
Short of Radleigh sweeping me off my feet, nothing could have made me happier than Will’s words. I kissed him on the cheek. “That’s what I like to hear!”
“Don’t get too excited yet. I might still wimp out!”
“You won’t. It’s easy when you already know she feels the same way.”
“Oh sure, why don’t you go and tell Radleigh you love him?”
“Because he’s an arse. Freya is a sweetheart and she deserves for you to tell her the truth.”
He nodded. “I know. I will.”
We left Slinky's at one-thirty, which was relatively early for us but everyone was pretty tired so we decided to call it a night. Both Bree - who took full advantage of the fact that she could legally drink - and Freya were smashed, so Will, Miguel, Jude and I took it upon ourselves to take them back to the hotel. Everyone else stayed at the bar, and after saying goodbye to them, we fell into a cab.
“I wish I was drunk,” I said to Miguel as we got out at the hotel.
“You could always go and attack the mini bar in your room.”
“Don't think I haven't considered it.”
Miguel put his arm around my shoulders. “There are better answers than drinking.”
“I know, but look at them,” I said, jerking my head in the direction of Freya and Bree who were giggling uncontrollably as they tried to make their way up the steps to the hotel. “I wish the only thing I had to think about was getting back to my room without falling over.”
“You need some sleep. If having a drink is what it takes to help, than have one. But don't get drunk. It's not worth it.”
I let out a groan and rested my head on his shoulder, more lonely and unhappy than I’d felt in a long while.
I’d faked having fun for the rest of the evening, and I'd really tried to be enthusiastic but it was difficult when my mind was elsewhere. I kept thinking that if being apart from Radleigh was so difficult, then I should just speak to him and put an end to it. But every time I looked at him he either glared or feigned disinterest and that only served to make me angry with him.
“I don't think I'll meet up with you guys next time you're here,” I said. “If it's going to be like this, I … I'd rather be at home with my parents.”