by C. J. Duggan
“Yeah, well, I guess I have no prior invitations so it looks like I can close.” I watched for a reaction, but he didn’t even flinch.
“Thanks, Amy, I owe you one.” He ruffled my hair in that annoying way boys do. I sneered as he went back into the main bar. I would still have words with him, but just not right now. I turned to see Sean standing before me, placing his empty glass on the bar.
“Nice hair.”
I must have visibly flamed, as I cut him a searing look that only seemed to amuse him more.
I changed the subject, running my fingers through my hair. “So, didn’t get a lecture from Chris last night?”
Sean crossed his arms and leaned on the bar. “What about? Keeping you all to myself yesterday?”
It would have been a perfect opportunity to flirt back; it was an open invitation waiting for me to wipe that devilish grin off his face. Instead, I fought the flame of crimson and settled for my usual snarky comeback.
“Not brave enough to say that in front of Chris, though, are you?”
“Ha! Chris doesn’t scare me. It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve come to blows.”
“Really?” I asked, surprised.
Sean looked on reflectively. “Year Ten, we had a duel in the school ground over Sharnie Maynard.”
“Over a chick?” I asked. “Now why doesn’t that surprise me? Who won?”
“Neither. It turns out she had the hots for Toby all along.”
“Oh dear!”
He shook his head. “Broke my heart.”
“Well, if it’s any consolation, my best friend had the massive hots for you.”
Sean stilled, his brows furrowing. “Who?”
I sighed. “Tammy Maskala.”
The blankness never left his face, just like I suspected all those years ago: he didn’t even know she existed.
I rolled my eyes. “About so high, mousey brown hair, big blue eyes, lurking in the shadows every place you went.”
“Don’t know her.”
“Well, trust me, she loved you!”
“Is that so? So what’s Tammy up to these days?”
Something unexpected jolted in the pit of my stomach, a sudden urge to shut up about Tammy.
I shrugged. “I think she’s married.”
Liar!
“Probably got a couple of kids.”
Liar!
“Probably doesn’t even live here anymore.”
Liar! Liar! Liar!
As far as I knew, Tammy had never moved away and I had never heard of her mythical marriage or children, but for some utterly disturbing reason I didn’t want Sean asking questions about her. I knew it was insane; it wasn’t like she was his type anyway and she was probably long over him by now …
Oh, my God, I was going straight to hell.
Sean studied me for a long moment as I tried to act nonchalant by picking an invisible thread off my top.
“Fair enough,” he said. “You seem to have your finger on the pulse there.”
I smiled weakly. “Yeah, we kept in touch.”
Liar!
“Sean, mate, we’re up!” Stan called out as he racked up the billiards.
“Thanks, mate! I was starting to get a bit weary of Amy’s incessant flirting.” Sean rolled his eyes at Stan.
My draw dropped and I gaped incredulously.
Stan laughed. “Yeah. Jeez, sounds rough.”
***
The more attuned I was to Sean, where he was and what he was doing, the more it made everything about me wooden and unnatural.
I cursed Ellie and her idiotic advice – it was a stupid idea; I was not going to flirt with Sean Murphy.
“Because it’s you … you’re like everyone’s kid sister.”
I glowered to where Ellie and Tess sat on the couch, taking my fury out on the ice bucket, stabbing it violently with the spoon.
“Whoa, easy! What did that ice do to you?” Chris squeezed past me, grabbing a couple of pot glasses to fill at the tap.
“I just called last drinks; do you want to sweep around and do a glass run for me?” Chris asked.
Thank God, a means to an end!
I was mentally exhausted by what had been a massive day and a never-ending night. I swept around the bar, collecting empty glasses and the odd empty chip packet. I weaved my way through the poolroom and all the people holding onto the dying minutes of the night. One last drink, one last pool game, one last smoke before the strike of the clock, one last song on the jukebox. I headed towards it to collect the empty glasses on top of the flashing fluoro pink dome. I stilled, seeing the familiar broad back of Sean, one arm leaning against the machine while the other flicked through the song choices.
I walked up to stand beside him.
“Play Kenny Rogers?” I asked innocently.
He broke into a brilliant smile, not once taking his gaze from the folders that flipped before his eyes. “Not a chance.”
“Don’t be like that – ‘Ruby’ is a classic.” I reached for the glasses on top of the jukebox and accidentally brushed against him.
“Off to the Point then?” I asked.
“Well, there isn’t anything else going on.” He pushed his song selection in before looking down at me.
Curving my brow, I teased, “What, no damsels in a short dress to escort home tonight?”
I was beginning to loosen up and feel like my normal self for what felt like the first time tonight.
Bob Seger’s ‘Night Moves’ flooded the speakers as Sean cocked his hip against the machine and folded his arms. He looked at me for a long moment. “That’s the unfortunate thing.”
“What’s that?” I asked with a frown.
“I can’t exactly walk the publican’s daughter home,” he said with a glint of amusement in his eye.
Maybe it was the knowing look, or the fact that last drinks had been called and the night was over, or maybe it was the term ‘publican’s daughter’ that had me thinking about what Ellie and Adam had implied. That I was just the same little Amy as when I was fourteen.
A surge of defiance surfaced in me and, as Sean’s last words hung in the air between us, I took the chance, the one moment I might never have the courage to act on ever again. I did my best seductive look – I bit my lip and slowly moved forward. I reached for the empty pot glass Sean held, deliberately sliding my fingers over his, slowly, softly, as I pulled the glass from his hand. I quirked my mouth and looked into his eyes. I leaned closer still, speaking so no one else could overhear, and shrugged one shoulder.
“You can always walk me to my bedroom.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
I had aimed for a moment of blissful silence, so when his response was that of catatonic shock I began to worry.
All amusement fell from Sean’s face as his eyes flicked rapidly over mine, as if he was looking at a stranger.
Yes! Victory! I had rendered him speechless.
When he swallowed deeply and seemed incapable of responding, I smiled my best sultry vixen smirk and walked away, with my head held high. Okay, I might have put a little bit more thought into swaying my hips than usual.
As I rounded the corner out of sight, I broke into a winning grin. I wanted to fist pump the sky and do a little dance at the satisfaction of wiping that smug look from Sean’s face.
Chris jumped the bar. “So you sure you’re right to lock up?”
“Yep!” I saluted, still running high as I kept picturing the priceless look on Sean’s face.
Chris cast me a doubtful look. “You all right?”
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” I scoffed at him.
“Because you look different. I don’t know, you look … happy?” Chris had said every word as if he was deeply troubled by the possibility of me being in a good mood. I didn’t know how I felt about that – surely I wasn’t such a grouch, was I?
Toby walked into the front bar, guiding Tess by the hand. He looked at Chris. “Ready?”
“Yep! What are t
he others doing?” Chris asked.
“They said they’ll follow us up there.”
Chris nodded and turned back to me. “I’ll move them out. You lock up behind?”
“What, you’re not coming, Amy?” asked Tess.
I smiled. “Not tonight, I’m pretty beat.” I followed them to the door as Chris worked on rounding up the poolroom patrons, making sure all the pool cues, billiard balls, and glasses were accounted for before everyone left. Drunks had a habit of pinching anything that wasn’t nailed down.
Ellie shouldered her bag and made for the door. I wanted to catch her eye on her way out to give her a cheeky thumbs up, knowing she would know exactly what it meant. I didn’t need to as she made a beeline for me, grabbing my arm, and pulling me aside, her serious eyes zeroing in on me.
My smile vanished. “Ellie, what’s wrong?”
Ellie seemed really highly strung. “Whatever you do, don’t go flirting with Sean, all right?”
My stomach plummeted and my mouth ran dry. “W-why?”
“Adam must have overheard us talking about him.”
I relaxed a little. “Yeah, bloody big ears. It’s all right, I already know.”
However, Ellie didn’t look any less worried as she shook her head.
“He let it slip, Amy.”
“What?”
“After you left Sean at the jukebox, Adam, who I might add has had waaaay too much to drink …”
I looked over Ellie’s shoulder to see Adam and Stan shadow boxing each other on the way out of the door.
I’m going to kill him.
“What did he say?”
“I’m not sure exactly, but he must have lectured him or something. Sean’s definitely onto us, because Adam came up to me and said he was a dead man.”
“Who, Sean?” I asked.
“No, Adam. He thinks you’re going to kill him.”
Oh, I was going to murder him, all right. I felt instantly sick. Sean now knew that I was deliberately bunging on the seductress act. I would never forgive Adam and his big ears or his fracking big mouth.
“Don’t worry, Amy, you can just deny it. Say Adam’s just talking drunk talk and he is an idiot. No damage done, right?”
I bit my lip and didn’t answer. “Oh shit,” Ellie said. “What have you done?”
I grimaced. Ellie pushed me farther to the side and lowered her voice. “Right, here is what you have to do. Act as if nothing has happened. If he doesn’t mention Adam, you don’t mention it. If he tries anything, play dumb and just go with it. Knowing Sean, he will be out to press your buttons, so don’t let him win, okay?”
I rubbed my temple – this had gotten way out of control way too quickly. Adam had asked me, what if it backfires? Well, now, thanks to the drunken little shit, it had.
Big time.
I nodded, taking a deep breath. “It’s all right. You’re all heading to the Point, so I’ll just avoid him till he leaves and lock up.” Then, I’ll hide under my bed and never come out again.
“Good plan.” Ellie nodded.
“Come on, Parker, you’re holding the line up.” Chris held the door open for the stragglers.
Ellie hugged me goodnight. “See you tomorrow, Chook.”
“Ellie!” Chris warned.
“I’m coming!”
I followed Ellie over to the exit and took the door from Chris, who walked out after Ellie. “Make sure all the main lights are off.”
“Yes, Dad. Night, kids,” I yelled.
I shut the door, deadbolted it and twisted the locks into place. With a sigh, I ran my fingers through my hair and walked into the poolroom to hang up the cues that had no doubt been left on the table, like always. I stopped in the archway that led into the poolroom. Sean sat casually on the edge of the table, his elbows on his knees, rolling a well-worn cue in his hands. He straightened as soon as he saw me, the same wicked grin slowly spreading on his lips.
“Ready to be walked to your bedroom?”
Fuck!
Ellie’s words echoed in my mind: “He will be out to push your buttons, so don’t let him win.”
My gut reaction was to say something snide and tell him in his dreams, but the simple fact was that I actually did have the upper hand. I knew he knew, but he didn’t know I knew he knew. Oh yeah, this was so simple.
“How did you manage to escape Chris’s security checks?”
Sean hopped off the pool table and walked over to the mounted rack on the wall. He slotted his cue back into place and shrugged one shoulder in that cool, casual way he always did. “I hid under the pool table.”
“What?” I laughed.
Sean worked on grabbing the other cues off the pool table and securing them back into place. “Yeah, it wasn’t my proudest moment.”
My smile slowly fell as I realised that he had deliberately hidden out so he could ‘walk me to my bedroom’. I was suddenly well aware of how alone we now were, just Sean and me. I was snapped from my anxious thoughts by the sound of stool legs being scraped along the floorboards. Sean tipped the stools upside down to rest on the bar: the night-time ritual.
“Do you want a job here? We’re hiring, you know …” I mused.
He lifted the last of the stools next to where I stood, before smiling down at me wickedly. “You just can’t handle being without me, can you?” His knowing eyes waited for the reaction he was no doubt expecting.
It took every ounce of my being to fight against what would have been my natural, snarky reaction. I met his gaze unflinchingly, giving him nothing. I pushed off the wall I was casually leaning against – I could almost feel the heat radiate off Sean we stood so close, but not touching.
“Kill the lights. I have to empty the beer trays and give the bar a wipe down,” I said matter-of-factly, before skimming past him to head to the main bar.
“Yes, ma’am! The sooner we get this shut down the sooner we can get out of here,” he called after me.
I couldn’t see his face as I walked away, but I could tell by his cocky words that he was no doubt grinning from ear to ear, the smug bastard. At least turning away from him I was able to sneer slightly, letting out some of my pent-up frustration.
Adam Henderson, you are a dead man.
I emptied and washed the beer trays, rolled up the beer mats, and wiped down the bar. I turned around and slammed straight into Sean.
“Watch it!” I snapped, rubbing my shoulder.
“Sorry, I just came to empty the ice bucket.” His eyes darted to the container that now lay filled with ice cold water and only a few dismal floating chunks of ice.
“Oh, okay, thanks,” I said, inspecting my shoulder for instant bruising.
Sean had plunged the poolroom and the outside into darkness. Now, only the main light in the bar remained on. I knew once that went out, there was no going back. I should just admit defeat and say, “All right, the jig’s up, you win. Now get out,” but a part of me hated the fact that he was enjoying trying to make me squirm. He was intently watching my reactions, every smile, and every quip. He was expecting me to fail or to concede defeat, which only infuriated me more. It was like a game of chicken or who would fold first.
As I went to the final light switch, my heart leapt in my chest as fear set in. I didn’t know what kind of game I was playing or how completely out of my depth I was getting, but as my hand hovered over the switch I took a deep breath. Sean leaned on the bar looking expectantly at me. His twinkling eyes and confident, relaxed manner made me want to punch him in the face. It was also all I needed to make my decision.
Challenge accepted, Sean Murphy.
I smiled slowly, making sure that I held his gaze long enough before making my next move.
“Ready when you are,” I said as I flicked the switch and plunged the bar into complete darkness.
May God help me!
Chapter Thirty
What was I doing? WHAT was I doing?
My head screamed with every step I took up the staircase. My
stomach twisted with every light switch I flicked off as I passed, leaving pitch blackness behind me.
On most nights, I yawned and stretched and casually made my way up the staircase, but tonight each step was a step deeper into trouble, as I was acutely aware of the presence of Sean right behind me. Even in the dark it felt like his eyes were burning into me. I faltered on one of the steps, stopping to gain my balance when Sean walked straight into me.
“Owww!” I said, a bit dramatically.
“Shit, sorry,” he whispered.
I pushed him in the chest. “Why are you whispering?”
There was no one else here. I swallowed deeply. Just me and Sean Murphy walking up to my bedroom.
We continued up the stairs, guided by the light that glowed down from the landing. We made our way to the top, Sean peeling off to the left, me to the right. We both turned, looking at each other, confused.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
Sean frowned. “Where are you going?” He looked towards the door of my Dad’s apartment.
“My room’s this way.” I tilted my head towards the hall.
Sean raised his brows in surprise. “Well, I was going to have a coffee first and unwind but I see you don’t want to muck around.” He smiled a devilish flash of white teeth.
“Oh, umm, did you want some …?” I was mortified by the insinuation that I was eager for him to be in my bedroom.
“It’s all right, I can take a hint.” As he passed me, he deliberately brushed against me as he made his way up the hall.
I glared at his back. He is loving every minute of this, I thought bitterly. I had to break from my scowl as he turned with a questioning look and pointed to a door.
“Keep going, last door on the left,” I said, trying to keep my voice even.
The walk down the narrow hall was the longest of my life. I tried not to meet Sean’s watchful eyes as he stood, waiting by my door, without a care in the world. Was I really so proud as not to admit defeat? To own up to the fact that I was trying to beat him at his own game simply to teach him a lesson? That I knew what he was up to and, nice try, buddy, but I’m calling you out on it? All these thoughts ran rapidly through my mind as I closed the distance between me and Sean and my room. And then another thought entered my mind.
