“Annie!”
“Okay!” I slam my glass down in frustration. “I fucked him. Or he fucked me. It was unbelievably good. He was unbelievably good, but aside from his capabilities, there was…” I fade off, a string of shocked gasps coming from my friend. “Something.”
“‘Something’?” she asks quietly. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t know,” I grate, reclaiming my wine and taking a long slug. “Chemistry. A connection. Something I haven’t experienced before.”
“Oh shit,” she breathes.
“That doesn’t help.”
“I can’t believe you kept this from me, Annie!”
“Well, with you and Jason—”
“Bollocks to me and Jason. He’s a cheating dick. How was it left? Did you give him your number? Arrange a date?”
I cringe all over my kitchen. “I snuck out when he was asleep.”
“What?” Lizzy screeches, slamming her own glass down. “Are you fucking shitting me?”
“No. I wish I was.” I surprise myself with my willing answer, and the fact that, yes, I regret walking out and leaving no line of possible contact. “I can’t stop thinking about him, Lizzy. It’s driving me fucking loopy!”
“Wow. That good, huh?”
I collapse to my arse on a chair, exhausted after my confession. “It’s crazy, isn’t it?” I wonder for the millionth time whether Jack has thought about me. I want to believe he’s as tummy-tied as I am, reliving the night, obsessing about the connection we had and what it might mean.
“Have you looked him up?”
I laugh. “I’ve hardly got much to go on. His name’s Jack and…well, his name’s Jack.”
“Do you want to find him?”
Now, that’s the operative question. Right now it’s all in my head. Safe and secure in my mind, where I can relive the perfection day and night forever…even if it’s slowly driving me mad. I shouldn’t do anything stupid, like risk ruining that. Like finding him and discovering that he’s actually a dick. Like realizing that drink clouded my judgment. Like discovering that he is nothing like I remember. But what if he is? What if the sparks fly again and the constant butterflies in my tummy erupt?
Lizzy stands up and my eyes rise with her, until I find her face. She’s smiling knowingly. “Tonight we get pissed. Tomorrow we hit Google and see if we can find the man who’s knocked my mate’s knees bandy.”
Screw it. He’s clearly not going to fuck off out of my head. “Fine.” I head for the door when I hear the doorbell ring, answering to Micky, Nat, and a scattering of more people behind them. They all wave bottles at me, their tickets for entry. I laugh, swing the door wide open, and let them all trample through my apartment as they sing their hellos. Just as Nat passes, I snatch her elbow. “Where’s John?” I ask, doing another quick check of the sea of heads to make sure I’ve not missed him.
“He’s not here.”
“Oh?” I release her arm when she shakes off her light blazer.
“Annie, I’m just not made to deal with kids.” She rolls her eyes. “And bubble gum. I owe it to my hair to make a stand.”
I give her a sympathetic face to hide my own eye roll. “There’s a bottle open in the fridge.”
“Fab!” She’s off down the hall quickly. “Now we’re all single!” she sings, crashing into the kitchen and demanding alcohol. I smile and follow her, letting Lizzy kiss me on the cheek as I pass her.
“Okay?” she asks tentatively, wiping away the pink lipstick she’s just smeared on my cheek.
“Perfect.” I chink our glasses and throw back the first of many wines.
*
An hour later, Micky is playing DJ and everyone is shouting requests at him. The drink is flowing and the chatter is lively, laughter filling my new home. I smile as I stand in the courtyard watching all of my friends mingle and drink. Nat comes from the kitchen, her eyes scanning the crowd. She spots me and waves an arm in the air. “More guests at the door!” she calls, pointing through the kitchen to the hallway before she makes a beeline for Micky, delighted at the sight of shots.
I rush to the door and swing it open, finding Colin. “Hey!” I sing, opening up the path to him. “Welcome, come in.”
“Hi, Annie!” Colin chimes happily, walking into my hallway and taking me in a friendly hug. “Thanks for the invite.”
I let him release me, and an attractive lady in a silver dress quickly crowds me, holding up a bottle of wine, tapping the side with a long red fingernail. “I brought you this, since we’re technically gate crashing.”
Colin laughs. “Annie, this is Stephanie.”
I accept the bottle. “Nice to meet you, Stephanie.”
“And this is her husband, Jack.” Colin nods past me. “My contractor.”
I turn back toward the door, frowning, my brain slow to catch on.
Jack? Contractor?
Husband?
My blood runs cold and the bottle of wine slips through my fingers, shattering at my feet as I stare into familiar, intense gray eyes.
Chapter 6
Jack.” I barely whisper, my mouth dry, my hand squeezing the door handle to try to steady my trembling.
“Oh no!” Stephanie cries, appearing at my side. “Are you okay?” She bends and starts collecting the broken pieces of glass. “Oh my, there’s wine everywhere!”
I just stare. And so does he. I know Stephanie is talking, but I can’t make out a word she’s saying, hearing only Jack’s voice through the flashbacks currently bombarding me, more vivid and real than any time before.
I blink rapidly, my breathing coming in short, fast bursts. I need to pull myself together. Quickly. Ripping my eyes away from Jack’s, I drop to my haunches and start carelessly collecting pieces of glass, my mind in chaos.
He’s here? Oh my God, he’s here! And he’s married? I start to sweat.
“I’m so sorry,” I mumble to the floor, feeling a sharp stab of pain bolt through my finger. Dropping all of the shards I’ve clumsily gathered, I suck in air and look blankly down at blood trickling from the cut. Tears flood my eyes, a mixture of pain and desperation as Stephanie grabs my arm.
“You’ve cut yourself,” she says, pulling me to my feet. “Let me see.”
I’m trembling in her hold. She must feel it. “I’m sorry,” I mumble mindlessly, looking up at her.
She looks straight into my eyes, and I look away quickly, fearful of what she might read in them. “Here, Jack, take Annie to clean up in the bathroom while I clear this mess up.”
“No, it’s fine!” I blurt out, yanking my hand away fast, my panic rising. “Honestly, it’s just a silly nick. I need to mop this up.”
“I’ll wipe up,” Colin offers. “You get a bandage.”
“Come.” Jack’s voice hits me from the side, and then his hand claims my wrist.
I jolt like a frightened animal, jumping back a few steps. Then I do something so utterly stupid. I look at him, finding gray eyes full of concern.