“I didn’t think you’d manage to get the night off. Don’t they need you in the kitchen?”
I grit my teeth, balling my hands into fists, trying to hold my rage at bay.
“I can do this,” I mutter to myself.
I can’t get enough air into my lungs to form an articulate response. But my unlikely date comes to my rescue again, putting yet another pompous arsehole in his place.
“It wasn’t easy. There’s total chaos whenever he’s not there,” Sean says, a smile planted onto his face. There’s a confidence oozing from him which I didn’t even think he was capable of two minutes ago. “But he’ll do anything for his family, and for such a good cause. Right, honey?”
I brush over the nickname he’s just given me and try to join in.
“E-Exactly.”
I did my best. No one can blame me.
“I don’t think we’ve met,” he says to Sean. “I’m Colm, Colm Brady.”
“My right-hand man,” my father adds, another blow to my stomach.
Sean shakes his hand, then looks over at his date. “And you’d be the left hand, I suppose?”
Something which feels suspiciously like wanting to cry starts to prick at my throat. I don’t know what it is, exactly – maybe emotion mixed with gratitude, or maybe sadness and bitterness. Because no one has ever bothered to string two words together for me before, and it’s so damn nice to hear somebody try – even though that somebody is only doing so because I asked him to.
He smiles politely and holds out his hand.
“Robert Jackson. I’ve just joined the team.”
I can’t help but scrutinise Colm – which he notices, of course. He flashes me a smile not unlike the one his date just flashed at mine. I let my attention fall back onto him.
“Now that we’re all introduced, I reckon we should get back to our table. Your speech starts in fifteen minutes, Brendan,” my mother says to my father. “You’re all at the top table with us,” she says.
“Really, that’s not necessary,” Sean begins, but my mother grabs his arm.
“I’ll have two more seats prepared.”
She lets go of Sean and leans into me. “I’ll see you at the table,” she says, before taking my father’s arm and walking away.
“See you later,” Colm says then, grabbing his date and following my parents over to the table.
Sean and I stay standing – basically still in the doorway – in silence. Our minds are full of information we maybe weren’t ready to digest – not so quickly, and not with all these eyes on us.
“I think I saw a bar,” Sean says, the first to break the silence. “Down there,” he continues, nodding.
“There’s always a bar,” I respond, flat.
“Shall we go and scope it out before heading over to the top table?” There’s a thread of sarcasm in his voice which I appreciate in that moment – just as I appreciate the way he immediately suggests alcohol to make it through the evening.
“I think sounds perfect.”
“After you,” he says, gesturing for me to lead the way.
We head over to the bar and get some drinks. I order straight whiskey and he goes for a glass of champagne. We both finish our drinks in one go and allow our gazes to settle on each other.
I think this is the first time we’ve really looked at each other. And I don’t think I was prepared for this kind of contact.
“If you’re expecting me to thank you…”
The corner of his mouth lifts. “No, I’m not here for you to thank me.”
