‘Turning up in the UK after all these years and acting like butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth?’ Her words seemed bitter even to her, and she wished she hadn’t reacted at all.
‘I don’t think you’re right about that,’ he replied. ‘I’ve never been blasé, but I did what I did because if I hadn’t… things would have been a lot worse.’
‘Worse!’ she snapped in a whisper. ‘How could it have been worse?’
‘Sip me, baby, one more time!’ Finn chuckled as he drained his glass.
‘It could have been, believe me.’ Wyatt held out his hands as if to prove it. ‘But it’s nice to know you’re still bitter enough to need sugar syrup.’
‘What?’
He rubbed a hand over his face. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.’
‘Bitter? Why the hell do you think I’m bitter?’ she muttered, glancing over at Finn and Titus to check they hadn’t overheard her.
‘I… I just meant that sometimes it was really hard to speak to you about things. You’d get defensive and then I’d get tongue-tied, and it was… I couldn’t find the right words and anyway… Please just believe me. I had my reasons. Can’t you just trust me on that?’
‘When life throws lemons, squeeze them into a cocktail!’ Titus said as he juggled three lemons above his head.
‘Trust you?’ Edith pressed her lips together hard, then wiped her sticky hands on a cloth and removed her apron. ‘How can youeven think about suggesting that I trust you? Wyatt… you are… simply unbelievable.’
‘Thanks.’ He fixed her with a grin that didn’t reach his eyes and folded his arms over his chest. If she hadn’t known him at all, she’d have thought he was being arrogant but knowing him as she had meant she understood that she’d hurt him. He was feeling vulnerable and trying to protect himself with a physical barrier.
She wavered for a moment as some of the old fondness for him washed over her, but then she dragged her sadness and fury to the front of her mind and erected her own barriers.
‘Anyway… This is not the time nor place,’ she said with a pointed look at Finn, Titus and Thora, who were happily mixing more ingredients and giggling as they created their next cocktail.
Wyatt’s arms dropped to his sides, and he nodded slowly. ‘I know. I’m sorry.’
She sighed. ‘I’m sorry too. It must be the alcohol opening old wounds.’
‘And for those wounds I apologise,’ he said.
She gazed into his eyes, seeing all the things she’d once loved and wishing things were different. But they were the way they were, and there was, she knew, no point longing for a different outcome.
‘I’ve got one!’ she said, pushing her pain away. ‘Where there’s wine, there’s a way!’
‘And remember, it’s not good to keep things bottled up…’ Wyatt offered her a smile and after a few seconds she returned it.
They had a past, there was pain and sadness in that past, but they were here for their friends and so they needed to put their frustrations aside. Anything else was simply not good enough, and Edith never wanted tobe that kindof friend.
9
WYATT
The evening had gone well, and after they’d eaten and soaked up some of the alcohol, Wyatt accompanied Titus and his friends back to their hotel. Thora and Edith excused themselves to go to bed, and Wyatt remained with Titus and Finn.
‘What an evening!’ Titus collapsed onto a chair in the hotel bar.
Finn perched on the edge of a chair but then shook his head. ‘Nope. Sorry, guys, I have to go to bed. I’m not used to partying so hard and I need some sleep.’
‘Mind if I stay up for a bit?’ Titus asked.
‘Of course not.’ Finn leant over and kissed him. ‘See you later. Thanks for a great time, Wyatt.’
‘You’re very welcome. Glad you enjoyed yourself.’ Wyatt smiled and then stifled a yawn. ‘I’m quite tired myself.’
As Finn walked away, Titus said, ‘Time for one more drink?’
