Beneath This Man (This Man 2)

We settle at a table, and I take my first relaxed sip of wine. I gasp in pleasure and close my eyes in appreciation. Oh, that is so good.

‘Oh good Lord! What the hell is that?’ Tom dives over the table and grabs my hand and proceeds to dribble all over my new friend. ‘The Adonis?’

I shrug. ‘I’m crazy in love.’

‘You’ve known him, what…a month?’ Victoria’s disapproving tone riles me. ‘And he owns a sex club?’

‘And?’ I spit at her. I feel all defensive.

She recoils at my hostility. ‘And nothing, I’m just saying.’ she huffs, and flops back on the stool.

‘When did this happen? The last I knew, you were just sleeping with him.’ Tom mimics my own words.

‘Well, now I’m marrying him.’ I yank my hand back and take refuge in my glass of wine. I’m conscious of the fact that I’m facing an Olympic gold medal worthy interrogation from my parents and Dan. I don’t need it from this lot too. Oh, Dan’s back tomorrow. With all of the spectacular events of the last few days, it had slipped my mind. A wave of guilt washes over me for forgetting his return, but it’s soon replaced with a twinge of excitement and then, just as quickly, replaced with dread. What will Dan say to all of this? I glance over my glass and Kate gives me a reassuring smile.

‘It just is.’ I muse.

‘How’s Drew?’ Kate asks Victoria.

I’m not so sure that it’s a sensible question. After Victoria’s foul mood and the revelation that Drew had invited her to The Manor, plus the fact she wasn’t with him last night, I can’t imagine the response is going to be good, but I’m thankful for my friend’s diversion tactic.

‘I wouldn’t know.’ she answers haughtily. ‘I’m not seeing him anymore. I have a date.’

‘Tonight?’ Tom asks perplexed, leaning over the table accusingly.

‘Yes.’ she answers.

Tom scoffs and sits back in his chair. ‘Well, thanks a lot! You’re ditching me!’ he exclaims.

I look at Kate, who has the same expression on her face that I suspect I have on mine; humour.

Victoria’s eyes bulge at Tom’s huffiness. ‘You don’t think twice about casting me aside if you’re offered a bit of action!’ Her tone is reproachful and quite rightly. Tom has abandoned Victoria on many occasions if a g*y man flashes him a promising stare.

‘Still, there are six other days you could have picked. Who is it, anyway?’ He stirs his Pina Colada, trying his hardest to look bored.

‘Just a friend of a friend.’ she muses. I’m glad she seems unaffected, and she’s clearly over the dashing, black haired Drew. They just don’t make sense. ‘Oh, there he is,’ She jumps up. ‘See ya!’ She heads towards an average height, average looking guy at the bar and they greet each other with an awkward kiss on the cheek and a hand shake. She says something in his ear and he nods before they leave. That’s a sensible move. We’ll all be watching how the date progresses and Tom will just be a total bitch.

‘Well,’ Tom huffs. ‘Isn’t that just marvelous?’

Over the next hour, we laugh, chat about anything and everything, and drink. It’s lovely. I’m reminded why I need to battle with my challenging man on this matter. I need my friends, especially Kate. With Tom here, I’ve not had an opportunity to bring her up to date with the Mikael and Coral saga or interrogate her on The Manor and her recent visits there.

‘And how’s Sam?’ Tom turns his attention to Kate.

‘Why? Do you still want to screw him?’ she jokes, winking at me. Tom flushes from head to toe and flashes Kate a g*y, dirty look. It still staggers me how he is so taken by laidback, casual, goodtime junky Sam.

‘No,’ He tuts and crosses his legs. It’s the g*yest possible gesture. ‘I was just being polite. How’s Jesse?’

My glass is just touching my lips, ready for a tilt and gulp, when he asks the question. He can’t be avoided all night and I am marrying the man. It’s common knowledge that he’s challenging…but only with me. Everyone sat at this table – and quite a few who are not – have seen him in action at some point.

‘Why? You want to screw him too?’ Kate jumps in with her tongue and cheek question, and I burst into laughter as Tom gapes at her.

He looks between us in disgust. ‘So, it’s pick on Tom night, is it?’

‘Looks like it.’ I say and raise my glass. ‘Tom, Jesse would blow…your…mind.’ I say seriously.

‘Ava!’ he gasps.

‘Oh, please! I have to endure torturous stories of your sexual encounters.’

Kate laughs. ‘I’m going for a fag if we’re getting into Tom’s sex life.’ She jumps down from the stool and makes her way to the smoking area.

‘I need the lavatory.’ Tom grumbles, and clears off to the toilets, leaving me people watching, a pastime I usually enjoy, but then Matt comes into my field of vision and I find myself ducking slightly.

Shit!

My ring is suddenly burning through the flesh of my finger and I’m breaking out in a sweat. I didn’t reply to his apology text and I know the slimy worm has been on the phone to my parents again. Just when I think I’ve evaded him, his beady eyes land on me like a kettle-bell and I sag on my stool as he approaches. I glance around the bar, mindful that the doorman could be watching out for me, and then return my eyes to Matt, catching a glimpse of a healing black eye. I mentally applaud Jesse and suddenly wish I had relented and stayed at home with him.