Page 102 of A Dark Fall
Jin nods and all but pulls me toward the sofa as Nick goes to the kitchen.
When my phone rings a second later, I decline it immediately and turn the thing off.
“So, you’re a doctor like his dad?” he asks, eyes wide and gleaming with interest. “And your dad, of course.”
I nod at this.
“It’s so great. Nick said he’d have loved to have gone into medicine but just wasn’t smart enough. He’s so proud of you, you know? He talks about you all the time.”
I blink in surprise. Did Nick want to go into medicine? How did I not know that?
“Honestly, Nick is one of the smartest guys I know, so that’s just him being modest. Which isn’t his thing normally—but you’ll know that by now.” I laugh, and Jin nods in agreement. “So, Nick said you’re a chef? That you have your own restaurant?”
“Yes, I do.” He nods. “It’s fairly small, but I honestly think we have the best Korean food in London.”
“Ugh, I love Asian food. I need to come and try it.”
“Please do! You’re so welcome, Alex.”
He’s got an infectious, charming way about him—much like Nick does, actually. There’s a lot to be said for being attracted to a personality type close to your own, I suppose. Jin’s witty and intelligent, and I can see why he caught Nick’s attention. Plus, the way he looks at him as he talks and watches when he leaves the room is adorable.
If I hadn’t liked him, Nick would have been devastated.Exactly how I would have been if Rob hadn’t liked Jake last night. None of which matters now.
Was that really only last night? Christ, what a day.
Dinner at Ècole is comfortable and fun, and I feel less like a gooseberry than I feared. While I drink too much wine, Jin tells us stories about growing up in Busan and why he decided to open a restaurant in London. His family has money, it sounds like, and supported his move to the UK. He studied at Hull, learned English from American TV shows and movies, and now thinks of London as a second home. Nick watches him, completely enraptured, and it makes my heart giddy and warm. It’s lovely to watch. And because Jin and Nick are cute and funny, I don’t need to think much about what’s going on inside my head. I only need to watch, listen, and drink a lot of wine. Too much wine.
After dinner, we take a taxi to Soho to meet some of Nick’s friends, including Seb, Nick’s oldest friend who practically grew up at our house, and Seb’s sister, Rebecca. A few of Jin’s friends are there too, and everyone is in high—extremely high—spirits. This is going to be messy. Actually, when we arrive, it already looks pretty messy. Shot glasses clutter the table, buckets holding all colors of wine. I can already feel the hangover settling over me.
To be honest though, messy is probably what I need tonight. Messy should keep my mind off him and his tart.
As we approach the table, I wave at the friends of Nick’s I know before Jin introduces me to a female friend as “Nicky’s beautiful baby sister.” I squeeze into the seat next to Sebastian and lean across to hug him, trying to remember the last time I saw him.
“Alex! How are you doing? What’s happening?” he says, squinting at me through his drunken haze. I wonder how many of these empty shot glasses are his.
“I’m bloody great, Sebastian, you?” I lie, looking around the table for some non-carbonated wine to consume. I don’t want to start on champagne at this point. Tomorrow will be a washout if I do that, and tomorrow, I have lots of crying and self-pitying to do.
I’ve no choice in the matter of avoiding champagne though because Seb stands up and pours me a glass. Because I don’t see any other wine and the bar is busy, and because I have terrible willpower, I take it from him.
“Thank you,” I say as I take a sip. It tastes great, actually. Though I can’t think of an occasion where champagne wouldn’t taste great. Even now, heartbroken and stupid.
“So, you’ve met Jin then?” Seb says, smiling. We both cast a glance over at them where they stand, heads close, Nick’s arm resting on Jin’s lower back.
“I have. He seems perfect.”
Seb nods. “Yeah. Fuck, he’s almost ridiculously hot, isn’t he?” He shakes his head in disbelief then quickly looks back at me. “I mean, for a guy. Which isn’t my thing. At all. Anyway, you and Uncle Ben still over?”
I laugh loudly. Partly at his conversational acrobatics, and partly at the nickname, which I forgot about entirely.“We are very much still over, yes.”
He grins. “Seeing anyone else yet?” He raises his eyebrows flirtatiously. He doesn’t like me like that, and we both know it—it’s just how he acts around me and Tash.
“Yes, Sebastian, I am seeing someone. Sorry.” I smile back.
He makes an exaggerated noise of disappointment and drops his head back.
“But there’s a nice attractive girl over there. Go try your luck with her.” I indicate toward a pretty dark-haired girl standing at the bar, looking in the general direction of our table. Not that I can blame her—there are a lot of attractive men sitting here. It’s just unfortunate she’s not exactly their type. Though, perhaps she’s looking at Jin’s female friend.
“But you know it’s you I want, Doc. You know I’ve always had a thing for Nicky’s sisters. You and Tash are like my dream women. She still married?” he asks, and I laugh again, shaking my head. “Drink?”