Page 86 of Toy Boy

“What are you apologising for? I know the score. We’re just friends enjoying each other’s company, remember? Friends with one or two added benefits.” She smiles, too, and I find myself relaxing. I don’t deserve her, I really don’t. “So, what’s your next move going to be, then?”

“Hmm? Sorry…?”

She jerks her head in the direction of Xander and Megan who’ve now, thankfully, stepped apart from each other as they talk to Greta and Maisie Michaels, one of Beachcastle Bay’s local councillors. “If you still think you can win back your ex-wife, what’s your next move?”

I haven’t a clue, if truth be told. And the more I watch her with that man, the harder I know it’s going to be.

“Until he leaves, I’m not sure there’s a lot I can do.”

“He’s definitely going?” Tania asks, her gaze flitting this way and that as she tries to find someone she hasn’t yet said hello to. I’d forgotten how much of a social butterfly this woman is.

“I hope so.”

She looks at me, and the smile she gives me this time, there’s a hint of pity in there, I’m sure of it.

“Alright, so, until that happens, why don’t you and me just concentrate on what we have here, and continue to enjoy each other’s company.”

“I think I’d like that.”

“Okay, well, if you could tell that to your face I’d be more inclined to believe you.”

I breathe out, and laugh quietly. “Jesus, Tania, I really am sorry. I don’t know what came over me, I didn’t mean to bring the mood down.”

She waves my apology away with the flick of her wrist, shaking her head. “Forget it. Come on, the night is still young, we’ll give this party another half an hour and then how does a Mezze sharing plate at Mika’s sound?”

“That sounds perfect.”

I smile, so does she, and when she squeezes my hand it feels safe and comfortable and it throws me for a second. But then I look over at Megan, who’s staring up at Xander as he gently strokes her cheek with the back of his hand before leaning in to kiss her, and my heart aches with a pain I can’t shake. And Tania squeezes my hand again and I look at her.

“You know, Scott, if things don’t work out with you and Megan, don’t close yourself off, don’t think there isn’t something – someoneelse out there. Because, one day, you just might find that something – that someoneyou didn’t even know you were looking for. And it just might be perfect.”

When she says that I see something in her eyes that physically hurts my heart, and I lean in to quickly kiss her. “Thank you,” I whisper.

“For what?” Her fingers curl a little tighter around mine.

“For being the kind of friend I need right now.”

She just throws me another smile as we head back inside. “Don’t mention it. I just want to see you happy again.”

“Iamhappy.”

She fixes me with a look that says she doesn’t believe me. “But you’d be happier if Megan gave you the time of day.”

It’s not a question. So it doesn’t require an answer.

“Anyway, I’m just popping to the bathroom. Get me another drink, will you? And tell Frank to be more generous with the gin this time.”

I watch her walk away, and I can’t help smiling. Instead of fighting it I should just accept that Tania’s exactly what I need right now, while I wait for Xander to leave Beachcastle Bay; wait for Megan to get this quite obvious mid-life crisis out of her system. In reality, all of this is giving me the time I need to get my head together; to work out what it is I’m actually trying to achieve here. And what happens if I don’t get what I want…

Megan

“I didn’t know you were coming tonight?”

“Just because I don’t live in this town anymore doesn’t mean I can’t come and help an old friend celebrate his birthday.”

I raise an eyebrow and sip my drink. “You neversaidyou were coming, Laney, that’s all.”

“I wasn’t planning on it, to be honest. Russell and I were supposed to be going to a charity dinner in town, but he got called into work at the last minute. There’s been a development in the trial he’s involved in and he needs to talk to his client. Anyway, I didn’t much fancy an evening on my own, and seeing as I’d already had my hair done it seemed a shame to waste all that effort, so, here I am.”