“We talk to people outside this club, Vienna. We have lives outside of you lot, believe it or not. How can younotknow this?” I asked.
“Yeah, it’s kind of concerning. How are you supposed to communicate with your old lady if they don’t even know yourlove language?” Jade asked, catching my eye and shooting me a wink.
“Nah. I’m not having this. You’re freaking me out. Oi, Dante!” He called. Dante ignored him, so Vienna stood in his seat and shouted him again, waving his arms around like a lunatic.
“Will you sit down, for fuck's sake? What do you want?”
“Do you have a love language? These all have a love language,” he pointed an accusatory finger at the table and waved it around at us.
“The fuck sort of question is that?” Dante laughed, pulling a pint of beer. “You gonna ask me what my star sign is next?”
“Maybe,” Vienna muttered and then sat back down. “Is sarcasm a love language? Because I think Dante has that nailed.”
We all stayed quiet, content with letting Vienna figure out on this own. “What do you think my love language is?” he asked.
“Oh, you’re an act of service guy for sure! Look at the way you’ve just willingly donated your drink to me. You’re so sweet!” Imogen said, snatching up Vienna’s pint and downing what was left.
“Nah,” Gemma said, shaking her head. “He’s a quality time guy.”
“Ooh, maybe he’s physical touch. Do you like to be touched, Vienna?” I laughed, leaning over the table and wrapping my arms around him.
An awkward silence fell over the table, and my stomach fell out of my ass when I heard Dante clear his throat behind me.
I dropped Vienna like a bag of scalding hot coals and sat back down, sinking down in my seat several inches.
Jenna kicked me under the table and I dared to sneak a glance at her, only to find her throwing pointed glances my way, her eyes wide, discreetly nodding her head in Dante’s direction.
Bit fucking late for the warning now, mate!
“I saw that, Jenna,” Dante said, causing her to shrink down in her seat, throwing him a sheepish smile as she did so. Heplaced fresh drinks on the table, and then, completely deadpan, informed us: “My love language is quality time.”
I scoffed before I could stop myself, earning another kick from Jenna.
This time it was my turn to shoot her a look, silently warning her that if she kicked me again, I was going to stick pins in her eyelids.
“Do you object to my love language, Rachel?” Dante asked innocently, raising his eyebrows at me.
I turned to face him, sitting back up in my seat. There was a strange look on his face, and I couldn’t decide if it was playful, or if Jenna was right and I had poked the bear once too often tonight.
But fuck it. I may have had one too many to drink, and poking the bear was my speciality.
“Well…” I began, and all the old ladies, including honorary old lady Vienna, stared at us, completely agog. “I happen to think you wouldn’t know the meaning of quality time even if it suddenly grew sentient, developed arms and smacked you in the face.”
“Excuse me? Who was it that insisted on an hour a day in the contract?”
I scoffed again.
“Well, that’s attractive,” he muttered.
“That wasn’t a love language thing. That was all about control. Nothing to do with quality time.”
“I kidnapped you, didn’t I? How’s that for quality time?”
I didn’t get the chance to respond, because Vienna chose that moment to link arms with Jade and eyeball Dante up and down. “I think you’re a physical touch kind of guy. Am I right, ladies?”
Vienna leaned over Jade to stroke Dante’s arm, and she took the opportunity to shove him with all of her strength, sending him tumbling to the floor.
“Well, it’s obviousyouare not acts of service!” He snapped at her, scrambling to his feet. “You haven’t even offered to relieve my burdens and get me a new drink.”
