Never Again

Part Six

Erin tried to look indignant, but despite the content of the comment, it was meant as a compliment she knew that, and the fact that she was different gave her a real buzz, “Mr Reilly, it isn’t good manners to laugh AT someone and then admit it! I knew you were an idiot, but I didn’t take you for rude!”

Jack grinned, “You know EXACTLY what I mean!”

Despite the frequency of seeing his face over the last few years, she couldn’t remember ever hearing his voice until the previous weekend. It was deep, calming with a still discernible Irish twang. Yes she knew what he meant damn him.

                “So you’re new to Manchester?”

She nodded, “been here two weeks, hope it’s not this ‘exciting’ every week!”

He grimaced, aware that he was a huge part of that excitement, “how is the darts player?”

                 “Barney?” She chuckled. “He’s ok, he’s at my mother’s, he has to be sedated to keep him calm, stop him running around whilst his leg heals. I couldn’t care for him here, not when I’m at work. So he’s having a holiday in the country!”

He felt like such a bastard, “You must miss him! I’m really sorry for what happened, I was angry that evening, maybe distracted, I SHOULD’ve seen him, and I’m really sorry.”

She sighed, “he’s coping, I should have maybe had him on a lead, he’s so well behaved that I get quite blasé about it all.” He saw her take a deep breath, “I shouldn’t have been so hard on you, and maybe I owe you a small apology too.”

He stepped back dramatically, placing a hand to his head in feigned shock, “can I have that in writing?”

She swatted at him, “I’ll take it straight back?”

Laughing he returned to lounge against the bar again, “I’m glad we bumped into each other, if nothing else I wanted to apologise properly. You were so angry that night, rightly so, but I wanted the chance to explain.”

At that moment, a voice burst their bubble. “Reilly you dark fucking horse!”

Then a rather drunk Josh thrust himself between them, “Beautiful Erin, don’t tell me you fell for his bullshit? I’m so much better than him! Younger, fitter...”

Jack’s face contorted into a smile and he patted the younger man on the back, as he was about to speak Erin beat him to it.

                “Josh, how nice to see you! Do you know this man? He likes my friend, so we came up for free champagne,” leaning close she gave a theatrical whisper, “don’t tell him I’m gay or he’ll stop the supply!”

Jack was now trying his damndest to appear innocent and calm, but he was failing. As Josh disappeared back to his friends to tell them all about Jack being cuckolded, Jack turned to her with a smile, “so you like denting my reputation?”

Erin sipped her champagne before looking up at him, “I think you do that well enough by yourself!”

Though he feigned pain and hurt, the comment did hurt, he hated the thought of her disapproving of him, but as he also knew that his past was shameful by most people’s standards, and he regretted that now as she looked at him with a smile.

Erin was floundering, she’d offended him, well he looked offended anyway, and that surprised her for all the banter they’d shared. Then there was this bloody room where she felt like a sacrificial lamb, all these so called ‘VIPs’ preying on the unsuspecting public below. It was all a bit weird. Then he smiled and she forgot her worries, she could quite happily sit and absorb his smile.