Such beautiful lips.
Stop!
“Crisps, love?” Mandy asks, holding up a basket of crisps. “I’ve even got salt and vinegar!”
My favourite wasReady Salted, but I wasn’t about to offend her. I nod as she tosses me a packet and places the whiskey in front of me.
“Good choice.” She nods at my drink. “A stiff drink to warm your cockles.”
Her attention is distracted from me by the couple that has come down to the bar, all rosy checked and clearly merry already. They were in their late sixties, as an estimate, but they still clasped their hands together like teenagers, making eyes at one another as they laughed and chuckled.
“You’re welcome to stay at mine.” Dylan’s voice interrupts my people watching, his eyes following mine. “Or you can stay here, at the bar, watching couples on their jollies. Whatever floats your boat, love.”
“I’m not watching them,” I lied, necking the whiskey. “I’m just…”
“Watching them?” Dylan chuckles, nodding at my glass. “Listen, can you handle your liquor? I don’t want you puking up.”
I turn to gaze at him, lifting my glass to Mandy for another. This pleases her, her fleshy cheeks widening into a grin of approval. She refills my whiskey, and I insist on paying myself this time.
“Do you want another?” I indicate towards the half-drunk pint, but Dylan shakes his head. “Yes, I can handle my liquor.”
“Well, slow down, darling. Don’t wanna carry you home.”
My teeth sink into my lip as I stare down into the whiskey, my cheeks burning.
Home?
“Are you sure I can stay? I’ll sleep on the sofa.”
“You can sleep in my bed,” Dylan says firmly, pointing at me as he lifts his glass to his lips. “I’m a gentleman.”
“Since when?”
“What do you actually know about me, Merry?” Dylan huffs, raising his eyebrows at Mandy, who smiles politely. “I may have been a dick in school, but I’m not a bad guy.”
“You’re lovely, Dylan. Handsome to boot. You could do worse, love,” Mandy says, polishing a glass that’s already sparkling.
“Thanks, Mandy. I’m just going to the little boy's room. Be right back.” Dylan finishes his pint, pushing the glass towards Mandy. As he strides towards the toilets, Mandy beams at me.
“How did you end up with our Dylan then, Miss Meredith?”
“Oh, I was stranded by the road as my car skidded on the ice,” I explain, watching the ice clink around in my glass as I twist it between my fingers. “He stopped, luckily.”
“Ooh, like a knight in shining armour!” Mandy clasps her hands together as she leans closer to me. Her perfume filled my nostrils, but it wasn’t overly unpleasant. “He’s a lovely bloke, considering what he’s been through.”
Her eyes widened and her lips pursed together sadly, leaning back with an expectant look as I took the bait.
“What has he been through?”
“Poor lad. His last woman left him for another chap. Why would you leavehim? At Christmas too.”
I stared at Mandy, my mouth falling open slightly. Has someone broken Dylan Charmers' heart?
At that moment, Dylan exits the toilets, his eyes on the floor as he makes his way over to me. My heart aches for him, knowing exactly how it felt to be left for someone else.
But at Christmas?
I can’t imagine how incredibly sad that is.
