‘Hey man, Alex is running late, obviously, and I don’t know about Lucia. She’s a rule unto herself.’
‘Need some help with that?’ Nate indicated the barbeque and the pile of coals stacked haphazardly in the middle.
Owen handed him the firelighters and the matches wordlessly. ‘I cannot take you seriously with that mask on.’
‘Uh, I prefer it if you address me as Donny, or Donatello,’ he said. ‘Either way, once this is lit, I want to meet Angeline, Paul.’
‘And we both want to meetyourgirl.’ Owen grinned. ‘Although I’m not sure we’ll get much of a look in. Jess has been beside herself since you emailed.’
Nate glared at his friend. ‘Look, I’m going to say this once. Laurel and I are not together. She needed a break, so I brought her here. As a friend. We’re friends. That’s it.’
‘Okay, okay! Sorry, man!’ Paul held his hands up in mock surrender. ‘She’s attractive though.’
‘I know what she looks like, thank you,’ he snapped, glaring at his friend.
Paul and Owen exchanged knowing looks and crowed with laughter.
‘I think it’s time I got some new friends, you bastards,’ he grumbled. ‘Actually, while we’re at it, do you have another room for her?’
Owen just grinned. ‘Nah, sorry, all rooms are taken.’
‘Really? All of them?’ he gestured behind him to the massive farmhouse.
‘Yep,’ Owen took a swig of his beer.
Paul sniggered behind his hand, earning another glare from Nate.
‘An airbed? A blanket? Anything.’
Owen clapped him on the shoulder. ‘Don’t worry man. I’ll make sure you’re sorted.’
Nate nodded and shuffled the coals around in the barbeque, trying to make it so they were in a little pile and pushed a few firelighters in. Yeah, he was sure Owen would make sure he was ‘sorted’. Mmm hmm.
He looked over to check on Laurel. Benji was demonstrating some of his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles moves to Laurel (rapt), Angeline (confused) and Jess (indulgent). He smiled.
Laurel
Benji was just the cutest. He was tall and gangly for his age, with Jess’ dark hair and Owen’s full lips, and he was the most amazing Leonardo Laurel had ever seen.
‘I’m going to be a ninja, Laurel,’ he said, for the third time.
‘Benji, darling, why don’t you have some TV time for a bit?’ Jess suggested, and his eyes lit up. ‘You’ve got thirty minutes, okay?’
He scampered off, leaving one of his plastic swords lying in the grass.
‘He’s adorable,’ Angeline said.
She was exotic in that pale and interesting way, with light brown hair that fell most of the way down her back, milky skin and clear blue eyes. The way she looked at Paul as well, Laurel could tell that they were absolutely smitten with each other.
Laurel glanced over at Nate at the barbeque and laughed out loud, pointing at him when Jess and Angeline both looked at her quizzically. The other two women burst out laughing as well, and all three men looked at them before heading over.
‘What’s so funny?’ Owen asked, perching on the arm of Jess’ rattan chair. Her garden furniture was a beautiful dark grey woven set, with cushions covered in green and pink mandalas. It was like they were in an incredibly beautiful Grecian story.
Paul kissed Angeline full on the mouth, like he couldn’t let his lips be away from hers for any longer. Nate sat next to Laurel on the low sofa, and she burst out laughing again.
‘What?’ He frowned at her.
‘I just—’ She tried to catch her breath. ‘I cannot take you seriously with that mask on.’
