Page 85 of Holiday Home 3
“That sounds like a story I need to hear,” Avril said.
“You do not,” Victoria said, barely granting the sister of her former fiancé a glance. “Is this the first time you’ve had a chance to wear this since you bought it?”
Liam finally managed to tear his gaze away from Tess’s gorgeous figure. The way Victoria had asked that question, it sounded like she remembered precisely when and why Tess had purchased it.
Just briefly, Tess’s joy cooled. She answered her colleague with a nod. “The chance to wear it back then never arose.”She reignited her smile. “Five years later, I can finally wear it, though. It’s a costly outfit just to have hanging in your closet for half a decade.”
“You look resplendent in it,” Victoria said.
“You both look handsome as well, Liam, Avril,” Tess said, reaching the bar and taking the seat adjacent to Anna. “I shouldn’t be surprised, of course, about either of you.”
“Was there ever any doubt?” Avril said. “Put me in an evening gown or a work uniform, and I’ll make it work.”
“Yes, but it’s the first time you’ve ever put on one of those things,” Victoria sniped.
“That is not true. I’ve… worked.”
She received dubious looks from all three other women. It bought Liam a bit more time to finish containing his visceral response to Tess’s arrival—to all of them, truly. A withered man in a desert stumbling upon an untapped oasis wouldn’t have been as happy as he now was.
“I think you all look fantastic,” Liam said, striding to Avril’s side. “Even you, Avril.”
“Evenme?! What the hell?! I’m hot as fuck in this outfit.” She sniffed and made a show of tugging down her vest.
Anna sighed exasperatedly, but Tess smiled. “So, we’re all getting drinks before we play, or you were just waiting on me?”
“Bit of both, but you can get your drink now, and then we can all mosey on over to the playing table.”
Tess’s smile took on a rather Avril-like aspect as she leaned onto the bar. “How well stocked are you back there?”
“I can make anything your heart desires.”
“My heart desires a Vieux Carre, assuming you think you can make it well.”
Avril’s confidence plummeted faster than he’d ever seen. “That’s… vermouth, rye whiskey, cognac… and…?”
“Benedictine liqueur,” Tess said. “Add them all with some aromatic bitters into a mixing glasswithice. Stir until chilled, and pour into a glass with ice. I prefer cherries as my garnish, but a lemon wedge would be fine. It’s a tricky drink to make well. I have a second if you don’t think you can manage it.”
“Just watch me,” Avril said, already digging out appropriate bottles of the various ingredients. “Ashgrove Casino is up to any task, no matter how intentionally cruel its customers might be.”
Tess smiled. “Guilty as charged.”
However, Tess provided Avril some aid while she worked to hit the proper flavor balance between the many ingredients called for by the drink. In the meantime, sipping his lemonade, he, Anna, and Victoria made small talk. Around the time that Avril started straining the mixture into a short glass, Tess glanced at him.
“I take it you’ve volunteered to be our designated driver.”
“Chosen by decree more than volunteered, but yeah,” he said. “I’m the taxi for tonight.”
“What about you, Avril?” Victoria asked. “Are you making yourself a drink before we begin playing?”
“Sure, I will. Gotta get the customers first, though. I’ll sip a little something during the first game, see how it goes.”
“The first game?” Anna said.
“Well, yeah,” their dealer said. “There’re only four of you. Odds are high we’ll need multiple matches to keep us all here until the ball drops. More chances for you all to win points, too.”
“Points?” he and Tess said at the same time.
“I’ll explain when we’re all at the table,” Avril said, finishing Tess’s drink with her requested cherry. “Before that, let me know how this tastes.”