Laughing, she slumped back in the seat and pouted. “But I’ve seen this gorgeous peach floral dress with the most adorable ruffles and lace edging.”
“I would wear it, Chloe, but I would never forget it. Remember that being the first one to get married sets the precedent for how I choose your bridesmaid dress.” I wanted to add if I ever get married but that would only make her talk at me about how stupid I was being.
“You know I wouldn’t. I’ll have to steal you away from Damon to try some on.”
“Hoes over bros, Chlo-Chlo, you know that. Name a date and I’ll be there. You’ve probably not got long…”
Her eyes widened. “Don’t I know it? Logan wants to do it as soon as possible and so do I but he’s not the one organising everything. There’s so much to do, I feel like I’m going crazy already.”
“You’re a wedding planner,” I said dryly.
“Yeah, I know. That’s what I thought, too. Oh it’ll be easy because I do this for a living. Not so bloody easy, actually!”
“Have a drink. I’ll help wherever I can. Do you honestly think she’s just a friend?”
Chloe started laughing. “Oh, you don’t care at all. Open up and let him in, Nell. I have a feeling you’ll be so much happier when you do.”
“To start with maybe.” My parents were great at first. I was young when things were all happy, dancing unicorns and glitter but then it changed. I wasn’t confident enough that I wouldn’t change the way they did.
“What does that mean? Come on, talk to me. You’ve said yourself a million times that we can discuss anything. What can’t you tell me?”
What I didn’t want to tell her wasn’t going to be spat out over drinks in a bar. I didn’t ever want to talk about it. I liked that she only knew the (mostly) strong Nell. Having someone know how messed up my head got sometimes made me feel sick.
“Look, both sets of my grandparents had a lot of issues, my parents did too, and I’m not willing to go down that road. Love can be so fickle, you only have to watch The Jeremy Kyle show to know that. People that were once madly in love can turn against each other. I’d rather not do that, especially with Damon. We’re friends and I like having him around, why would I want a relationship to screw that up?”
“What if it didn’t?”
I shook my head. “I don’t think I can do that.” It was too risky. “Anyway, you absolutely suck at getting me drunk.”
She took my conversation change the way she was supposed to – shut up about my relationship quirkiness. Ha, I bet she’d put it differently.
“Alright, prepare to wake up with a mouth drier than a dessert and a marching band in your head,” she said, shuffling out of the booth and heading to the bar. Oh well, at least I’d have something to do tomorrow then. Spending the day dying with my head over the toilet would take my mind off my absent special friend.
When Chlo returned I raised my glass. “To spending tomorrow feeling like I’ve just deep throated a cactus.”
Two shots and three cocktails later I was off my face and Chloe was trying to keep me under control. Once or twice the staff had looked over when I laughed a little too loudly or stumbled my way to and from the bathroom.
“Honestly you get a little tipsy and everyone thinks you’re crazy,” I said, dropping myself back in the booth.
“Probably because you can’t walk in a straight line and your skirt is tucked into your knickers.”
I should’ve been embarrassed but I burst out laughing. I had a fairly decent arse. Ripping my skirt out of the material of my French knickers, I shook my head. “Whoops.”
“The old man at the bar got a real good look,” she said, laughing along with me. Brilliant, I was an old man’s wanking material tonight.
I did notice how my best friend let me walk the entire length of the room rather than rushing to my aid and covering my bare arse.
“I think I’m done tonight, Chloe. When the whole bar sees your backside it’s time to call it a night.”
“Alright, let’s get you home. Wait there until I come around, I’ll make sure you’re fully dressed before you stand up.”
“Oh, now you want to protect my dignity. You’re a little too late for that tonight, sweetheart.”
She smiled as I used Logan’s pet name for her. It was cute and started out with him calling everyone sweetheart but the more he fell in love with her the less he used it for anyone else.
God they made me sick.
Chloe helped me up, out and home. She was an angel. “I love you,” I said to my best friend. The alcohol had made me feel warm and fuzzy and in need to tell everyone how incredible they were.
She laughed as she carried me into my bedroom. “Love you too.”
“Chlo-Chlo, I’m going to be hung over for dinner with my mum tomorrow, aren’t I?”
“Yes, honey. Probably the day after that as well.”