“Yeah, just with some friends,” Luke told her, standing up to get the broom from the corner of the kitchen. My glare had obviously worked on him.
“And you’re not going?” she asked him
“Uh, no. Stuff to do around here.”
She seemed pretty happy with his response and didn’t press further before turning to me. “So, Abby. What do you do?”
“I’m the front office manager at Avalon IT. They distribute software.” I gave her my memorised job explanation.
“Do you like it?” She put the scissors into her bag and leaned forward on her elbows on the kitchen bench.
“Yeah, it’s pretty good.”
“And are you Marie or David’s niece?”
“Marie and my mum are sisters.”
Our small talk was interrupted by the front door opening. Scott looked surprised to see us all talking around the bench. “Oh, hi Mum.” He dragged his bags into the kitchen. “Hi Abby.” He casually acknowledged me as he passed and started unpacking the groceries.
“Luke just told me you were going away this weekend,” Julie said.
Scott shot me a glance. I kept my face expressionless. He understood. “Yeah, just with some friends. Get out of the city.”
“Anyone I know?”
“Nathan.” He looked at me apologetically. “A friend of his won the trip. No one you know.” He pulled out a bottle of lemonade. “Anyone for a drink? Abby?”
“Thanks.” I was just grateful for something to do.
“Do you need your hair done while I’m here, love?” his mother asked him. I started to notice the resemblance, same almond shaped eyes and straight nose.
“No, I think it’s okay for the moment.” He ran his hand through his fringe, the gesture I’d become accustomed to. Of course this was a bit awkward for him. “Maybe next time.”
“Alright. Well, how about I take you out to dinner then? Abby, would you like to join us?”
“Oh, um... thank you but I...” I couldn’t just say yes.
“Come on.” Luke interrupted, “you weren’t doing anything tonight, were you?” His eyes twinkled tauntingly.
I glanced at Scott. It was his mother after all, and I didn’t want to get involved where I shouldn’t. He smiled at Luke’s teasing and nodded at me. “Yeah, come on.”
Permission granted. “Sure, thank you.”
The Thai restaurant was small and had only a handful of customers when we were seated at a corner table.
“Whereabouts in England are you from, Mrs. Ryan?” I asked when we had ordered our food and a bottle of white wine was being divided between the four of us. “I noticed your accent.”
“Dover, in the south. And please, call me Julie.”
“How long have you been in Australia?”
“About twenty-one, no, twenty-two years.”
I did a quick calculation then looked over at Scott “Were you born in England?”
“Yep.” He smiled as though I had just discovered a special secret.
“All my children were,” Julie went on. “We moved here when Jamie, our youngest, was two.” She turned to her son. "I'm seeing him tomorrow. Have he and Claire seen you play?"
"He did the first few times, but his shift has changed at work. She comes out quite a bit though."
I sat back in my chair and avoid looking at Scott. I was enjoying the opportunity to find out more about him without having to ask him direct personal questions. “How many children do you have, Julie?”
“Three. Two boys and a girl.”
“So you’re the oldest or the middle?” I asked Scott.
“Middle,” he replied.
“So am I.” I announced to the group. “Two brothers.”
Luke snorted. “Yeah. I remember when we were kids, Ben would pick on you, and then you would pick on Toby. And then you’d get into trouble with your Mum so you would run to your Dad.” He leaned over and stage whispered to Scott. “Abby was a Daddy’s girl.”
I scoffed. “That’s a bit rich, coming from Aunt Marie’s baby boy.” Everyone at the table giggled knowingly. Luke was an only child and, at least until adolescence, could do no wrong in the eyes of his mother.
Our food arrived, and we all started piling spicy green curry chicken, crunchy stir fried vegetables, and fluffy coconut scented rice into our bowls. I observed the interaction between Scott and Julie. She nagged him about his eating habits, asked why he didn’t come home more often, and teasingly questioned when he was going to get a real job and settle down with a nice girl, all of which he answered with an inaudible mumble, before she turned to Luke and pestered him with the same questions. It was plain to see that Luke was practically part of the Ryan family. Both men instantly became more animated when Julie changed the subject to the band and their forthcoming album.
“The album’s going great.” Scott enthused. “But we need two or three more songs, so we have to really get stuck into some more writing.”
“Yeah, but we need a tragedy or heartbreak to give us some inspiration,” added Luke. “One of us needs to get dumped or something.”
“You could always write about Bianca,” Julie suggested to Scott. My ears pricked up. Bianca must be the ex-girlfriend. I held my breath for more information.
“I’d hate to say it, Mum, but the split with Bianca wasn’t exactly heartbreaking,” he answered, glancing quickly at me before going back to his meal. “Besides, Daniel usually does the lyrics. We’ll have to speak with his girlfriend.”
“Are any of your brothers married?” Julie asked me between mouthfuls.
I nodded, hurriedly swallowing to answer. “Ben’s been married for about three years, and he’s got a little girl and a baby on the way. Toby only just came out last year, and he’s seeing someone, some guy he met through friends. I don’t know how serious it is.” It suddenly occurred to me that I was the only single one in the family. It would have been depressing if I wasn’t having such a good time right now. “Have you any grandchildren?” I asked.
“My daughter, Corrine, has two children with her partner, Jason.” Julie grinned and spoke mostly to Scott. “Jason’s just confided in me that he’s saving for a ring, but don’t say anything to Corrine; it’s a surprise.”
Scott just looked confused. “But they’ve been together for years. What’s the point?”
Julie shook her head and addressed the table. “My dear son, always the cynic.”
***
“That was awesome. Thank you, Julie, I haven’t had food like that in months,” I exclaimed as we walked back to Scott and Luke’s flat.
“Don’t tell me I’ve got another person’s eating habits I have to keep an eye on.” She joked to me. We reached her car, and she took each of us in a goodbye hug. “Lovely to meet you, Abby. You keep an eye on these boys for me, will you?” she said before driving off.
The three of us wandered into the cold flat, and I picked up my bag from where I had dropped it. “I’d better get going.”
“Are you sure?” Scott asked. “You can stay if you like, you know.”
“Thanks.” Now having met Scott’s mother, and being given an insight to his personal life, I felt a bit uncomfortable staying there with a fresh view of him. It would take a couple of days to be able to look at him in the same way again. “But it’s just having met your mum and heard about your family; I can’t look at you as a sex object tonight,” I told him.
He laughed and walked me back outside. “So I guess I’ll see you at your place Friday evening when we make the big trip.”
“Sure.” I gave him a chaste peck on the cheek and drove off.
CHAPTER TEN
FRIDAY AFTERNOON COULDN’T COME quickly enough. At twenty past five, I started packing up my papers, shut down my computer, and rushed out at five-thirty on the dot. Scott’s van was already parked on the street outside my block of flats, and I could hear excited talking through Kate’s open front door when I reached her floor.
“Hey, guys.” I s
tuck my head through the doorway to see them all relaxing around the table. “I’ll just change and be right with you.” I ran up to my flat, got out of my tailored work gear and into a comfortable tracksuit, shoved the food I was designated to bring into my esky, and picked up the weekend bag I had packed the previous night, locking the door behind me.
***
Although the chilly winter air suggested otherwise, the cabin interior was pleasant and welcoming. Within minutes, Nathan effortlessly started a roaring log fire while the rest of us set to work putting the food away in the cupboards and fridge of the surprisingly spacious and well-equipped kitchen. Moments later, we were sitting on the cosy, floral patterned couches while Kate handed each of us an excessively large glass of cask red. The greasy takeaway I had practically inhaled on the way had settled comfortably in my stomach, and I was feeling fresh and alert despite the long drive and late night arrival. Kate and Nathan were snuggling together on the other couch, their heads bent close, talking quietly. Nathan’s soft chuckle was only just audible as he ran his hand lightly over Kate’s taut, legging enclosed thigh. I looked over at Scott who was on the same couch as me, engrossed in the cabin’s information booklet, not looking at me and not touching me, even though I was sitting close enough to feel his body warmth. I wondered how our relationship could be exactly the same as Nathan and Kate’s and yet so different. I picked up a pamphlet about the local ski school and pretended to read, mainly out of desire to not look bored or rejected—or both. Maybe Kate and Nathan should have come here on their own. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to invite us. Maybe it was too romantic.
“Hey, I’ve got a great idea, you guys.” Kate barely contained an excited squeal as she interrupted my thoughts. “Let’s all hop in the spa.”
Scott tossed the booklet on to the floor. “Great idea,” he declared, patting my knee and jumping up off the couch.
We all stripped down to our underwear, my insecurities dissolving as the warm water enveloped my body and the wine put my head into a pleasant haze. I leaned back into Scott’s arm, which was draped behind me, closed my eyes, and breathed in the fruity aroma of the bubble bath I had over-generously tipped into the spa, the bubbles now reaching astronomical heights in the churning water. Kate lit some candles and switched off the overhead light so we were wrapped in the soft glow— which would have been almost romantic had there been two in the tub rather than four. Those two I meant - not us two.
“I’ve got another great idea!” Kate effervesced from the other side of the bath. “How about a game of Truth or Dare?” Scott, Nathan, and I all groaned, but no one objected.
“I’ll go first,” Kate continued. “Nathan. Truth or dare?”
“Truth,” Nathan answered enthusiastically.
“What’s your longest relationship been?” Kate asked him, most likely out of her own curiosity.
“Six months,” Nathan promptly answered and left it at that. “Scotty. Truth or Dare?”
“Uh, truth I guess.”
I waited eagerly for Nathan’s question.
“Ever had a threesome? With two chicks, I mean.”
“Er,” Scott shifted uncomfortably. “Yes.”
I wanted more information. When? Who with? Was Tanya one of the girls? I reminded myself that, at least for the moment, he was with me and whatever he had done in the past was none of my business— then I cursed that the rules of the game dictated only answering the question and not being able to give details unless another ‘truth’ question requested it.
“Kate.” I wondered why Scott’s Truth or Dare was directed at Kate and not at me. Oh, no. That meant Kate would be asking me. I knew that, as she has had a few drinks behind her, if I were to choose ‘truth’ she would most likely ask something about Scott, or worse still Josh, and put me on the spot. I decided in advance to answer ‘dare.’ Surely the worst would be that she would ask me to kiss Nathan or down a glass of wine in one go. This game was so predictable.
“Dare.” Kate lifted her chin in a ‘take your best shot’ pose.
“Get out of the bath and dance like they do in Riverdance here in your undies for one minute.”
Kate, ever the show-off, jumped out of the bath, foamy white bubbles sticking to her porcelain skin, and began an amateur jig on the bathmat, giggling uncontrollably as she unsuccessfully tried to keep her arms stuck to her side.
“That was the worst, yet most entertaining Irish dancing I have ever seen.” Scott chuckled as the minute of dancing ended. I nodded in agreement, unable to talk as my stomach hurt from laughing so hard.
I received a rude shock when “Dare” was my answer after she had settled into the spa again.
“Off with the bra.” Kate demanded.
“Oh, why can’t I do a dance too?” I protested, realising I would have actually preferred to answer a curly love question.
“You can cover yourself with the bubbles if you like,” Scott whispered to me as he reached his hand down my back to undo the clasp.
“You’re not helping my cause here,” I scolded him, scooping up the lather in my hands, as he had suggested, to cover myself.
“Well, I know Nathan isn’t really a breast man, so I think I’m really the only one benefiting from this—and I’ve already seen them.”
“Oh, what the hell.” My modesty vanished, and I stopped gathering bubbles as Scott pulled the garment off, flinging it onto the bathroom floor. “I’m going to get you back for this, Manning,” I warned Kate playfully. “Truth or dare.”
“Dare.” She giggled, pulling off her bra before I even asked. Getting naked was not an issue for Kate, who was confident with her slim, athletic figure. I, on the other hand, needed the Dutch courage and soft lighting in order to show my curves off to anyone other than my current lover, and even now, it was difficult not to ask Scott to pick my bra up off the floor so I could put it back on.
Scott and Nathan both grinned widely.
“This is great.” Scott enthused. “Thanks for inviting me.”
“Now all we need is for you girls to kiss…” Nathan joked. I splashed him with my foot. “Or is that pushing it?”
“That’s such a cliché.” Kate shook her head at him then winked at me, “But tomorrow’s another day. Whose turn is it? Oh, mine. Hmmm….” She looked from Scott to Nathan and back again. “Scott... Truth or…”
“Truth.” Scott interrupted her. “I’ve only got my undies on, and I’m not taking them off.”
“Okay, Mister Smarty Pants. Here’s a curly one. Have you ever been in love?”
“Where’s that?”
“Ha Ha. Answer the question.”
Scott looked thoughtful, gazing down at the bubbles in front of him. “You know what? I thought so once, maybe twice, but looking back I don’t really think I have.”
“How come?” Kate pressed further.
“I think... hey, only one question, missy.” He nodded to Nathan and spoke before Kate could question any more. “Truth or Dare, buddy?”
“Er, Truth I guess.”
"Hmm." Scott rubbed his chin in thought. “Have you ever shoplifted?”
“Oh, Scott..." Kate groaned. “Ask something interesting—about girls... or sex.”
Scott exhaled. “Okay.” He paused for a moment “What’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever done?”
"You're not very good at this, are you?" I nudged him with my elbow.
“Jesus, what a soppy question,” Nathan confirmed. “That’s for the girls’ benefit, isn’t it?”
“Of course.”
“Okay. I spent the evening in a spa bath in a cabin in the snow with a girl I’m seeing… and our friends… and answering stupid questions while playing Truth or Dare.”
“You guys are both so sad,” I told them. “Am I the only one here who’s had a mature relationship?”
“That’s because you’re the only mature one here.” Kate piped up. “Or the only boring one.”
“Cute, though,” Scott consoled me, ruffl
ing my hair.
“Thanks.” I shook my head at them all. “Who’s got the wine, anyway?” I picked up my now empty glass from the edge of the bath, and Nathan filled it from the cask he had placed on the floor within easy reach of the spa.
“Truth or Dare, Abby,” he said.
“Truth.” Surely Nathan couldn’t come up with anything I would rather not admit, he didn’t know me that well. He looked stumped for something to ask.
Kate whispered something in his ear. Oh, no. So this was going to be rather torturous.
“Who’s that?” he asked her.
“Just ask her?” Kate demanded. God, she's bossy.
“Okay. Abby... would you get back with Josh if he wanted to get back together?”
I gave Kate the filthiest look I could muster and cleared my throat, trying to ignore Scott’s non-reaction beside me.
“Who’s Josh?” Nathan enquired. “Is that your ex?”
“Yeah. He’s my ex, I mean, and I don’t know if I would get back with him. Probably not, so make that a ‘no’.”
“Yay!” Kate lifted up her arms in a cheer, splashing the rest of us in the process. She lowered them and examined the wrinkles on her fingers. “God, I’m a prune - I’m getting out. Are you coming, Nathan?"
They both got out of the spa, leaving Scott and I alone in the candlelight and rapidly cooling water.
“Are you ready to get out yet? Or shall I put more hot water in?” He reached towards the tap, indicating what he would rather do.
“Stay.”
There was a knock on the door, and then Nathan barged in. “Do you two want to keep playing the game out here?”
“No.” Scott answered. “I’d rather stay in here and snog.”
“Let me see,” Kate yelled out and soon appeared behind Nathan, hoping to catch us kissing.
“We haven’t started yet,” I informed her.
“Aww.” She pouted. Why was this such a big deal to her?
“Oh, for God’s SAKE.” I grabbed both sides of Scott’s face and planted a lingering kiss on his mouth. “Are you happy now?” I looked at Kate.
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