“What?” I snap, annoyed at her distraction, I can't unlock my eyes from his.
“Your mouth Lauren, Close. You’re. Mouth. It. Is. Wide. Open” She says each word slowly, as if addressing a child
“Fuck” How embarrassing. Did he notice, do I care? “Yes please” say Jemma and Lulu together, which results in the pair of them cackling with laughter like a couple of schoolgirls. Jo turns around from the bar and frowns at us as a reprimand. I actually feel annoyed with them too, not pleased with their interruption.
“Shit, I think we're being a bit loud, Jo's not looking happy”
The sex god leans forward and says something into her ear and they both look at me before she replies with a nod. He puts a couple of drinks on the tray she's holding, she shakes her head at him and then turns towards us carrying the tray loaded with shots.
“Surely she's is not knocking him back, he is fucking hot, hot, and hot” Lulu says as she watches Jo head towards us.
“Who the fuck is that?” Asks Jemma before Jo can even put the tray down. She laughs.
“Yeah, pretty easy on the eye isn't he? He’s actually one of three; the other two are just as fit but married unfortunately”
I say nothing as I know that he is still looking in our direction.
There is a gabble of noise and questions as the other two clamber for info, I am only half listening and have to tear my eyes from his unrelenting stare. “He's a client, well his company are clients, one of our biggest in fact” I keep sneaking little peaks but he is still just blatantly staring in our direction and I don’t want to get caught.
“He has a construction company that he runs with his brothers and sister, Jay probably knows of them Lauren, although they have expanded massively over the years, with jobs running all over the country nowadays and we manage their accounts for them, he's names Gabe, Gabriel Wilde and I think he's about thirty five and yes.... He is daaayam fine. Anything else ladies?”
The three of us pipe up together
“Is he single?” and burst into a fit of laughter at our unison, Jo laughs saying “yes actually he is, very much so, he was married years ago and has a daughter but he’s been single for a while, although he love, love, loves the ladies and has a bad rep for being a womaniser. Actually, he just asked me Lauren, who you were.... And, he bought you a drink”
She passes me a shot and smiles
“What? What did you tell him?”... What. The. Fuck...
“Chill, I said he would have to ask you himself as I didn't give out personnel info on my friends and I wasn't going to break his heart by telling him you have been happily married for like a hundred years”
I’m suddenly overwhelmed by her words. The tension at home, the alcohol, this gorgeous man buying me drinks and all the pretending to be happy in front of my friends. I knock back my shot and burst into tears.....
For a few seconds there is total silence. They all stare at me, it’s like a delayed reaction, then they close in. Lulu puts her arm around my shoulder; Jo and Jemma stand either side, blocking anyone else's view of my tears.
“I fucking knew it, as soon as you walked in I knew something was up, what's going on Lauren, you haven’t been right for months, tell us what’s wrong and we don't want to hear any crap” Lu passes me a vodka, which I also knock straight back.
“Any one got a cigarette? Let's go outside for a smoke and I'll talk” Yeah, I’m well aware of the health implications, but I’m in crises here and I need a smoke. We all look at Jo, who is a sometimes social smoker
“Come on, I've got smokes”
We go out onto the veranda of the bar, which is the designated smoking area and all but Lulu light up a cigarette. After a couple of puffs, I begin to talk. I start by telling them how good sex, and things in general have always been between myself and Jay, they know this any way, we have all been friends for a long time and it’s a standing joke amongst them that Jay and I still fuck like rabbits, even after all these years but I just feel the need to point out the good aspects of my marriage, the positives, before I share with them all the bad shit. I then explain that my marriage has been on a downward spiral over the past couple of years and that for me at least, it was now over and I was going to leave him.
They all look stunned. Jemma is eying me, she knows there is more to it, she knows how much I have always been in love with my husband. Lulu starts rambling, something she does when she’s stressed or upset…
“But why Lauren? Surely things can’t be that bad, surely with some counselling or…something, you two are so good together, surely nothing can be that bad, that it can’t be fixed…. Oh no, my God, he’s not having an affair is he? No, he would never …. Shit, it’s not you is it? You haven’t met someone else have you? Shit Lauren, not an affair, you wouldn’t?”