Diving Deep (UK Crush #2)

Chapter 21

"Now, let's see if I remember the code to this gate," Teddy said, punching in some numbers. The gates swung slowly open, and I sent Gethin a text telling him we'd arrived. As we pulled up to the front of his house, the door burst open and he came flying out, followed by Ronan, who had arrived earlier in the day. I was out of the door before the car had stopped rolling and was running to meet them, leaping into their arms. They swung me around and around, making me dizzy, nearly dropping me in the process.

"Tinker Bell! Tink! Man, are you a sight for sore eyes!" Ronan shouted. "I missed you so much those first few weeks I almost bought a ticket to London to see you! Like just for a day, no joke!" He put his hands on my cheeks, kissing me on the mouth, over and over. "Ah, god, I can't believe you're here at last. And you look absolutely splendid, angel, just splendid! You spend some time in the sun? You look a glorious color, love, truly, like honey on your skin." He smiled admiringly at me.

"Ronan! Stop hogging the girl," came Gethin's voice. He scooped me up from behind to kiss my neck. "Mmm, Tink, never forget that wonderful smell, poppet. Missed you so much, so fucking much."

"Me too, you guys," I exclaimed. "I mean, FaceTime and texting is great, but I can't sit on your laps and hold you and be held by you on FaceTime, you know? I can't smell you, or cuddle with you, or watch movies with you, or go out to dinner with you, or any of that other stuff that I loved to do with you in Japan. And I'm so looking forward to it." We walked into the house, arm in arm.

Teddy came into the house carrying the bags. "I don't suppose anyone's happy to see me?" he asked. We all turned and the boys descended on him, enveloping him in a huge hug, taking the bags and carrying them upstairs. Gethin had a large, comfortable house, modern, but with a feel of libraries and cocker spaniels sleeping by fireplaces. It was cozy, but with mod cons hidden in out of the way places, and a state of the art kitchen, Aga and all. I noticed while passing through the huge main room that he had a very nice grand piano, a shiny black Steinway.

"Matty'll be here in a couple hours, he left early this morning, but he can really fly in that little blue car," Gethin said with a smile, "as you two know."

"All that with Matthew go okay?" Ronan asked, slipping an arm around my waist. "All sorted out now, right?"

I nodded. "Yes, thank god. We're all good. It was a little dicey for a couple days; I was really worried."

"I know, lass, we all were," he said, bussing the top of my head. "So happy it's all over."

I sat down as Gethin handed me a glass of wine and Teddy a beer. "Not nearly as happy as me, believe me. I had images of being branded the Yoko Ono of UK Crush; the similarities were too frightening, what with me being Japanese and everything? Jesus, I would have had to go into hiding for the rest of my life." I took a swallow of wine.

I leaned on Teddy's shoulder. "Gentlemen, you see before a perfectly happy girl," I announced. I raised my glass. "To being happy, you guys," I toasted.

"To being happy," they echoed in their deep voices. I drained my glass and held it out to Geth for refilling. He stared at me, then looked to Teddy.

"Theo, have you turned our Tinker Bell into a raving lush in a few short weeks?" He asked as he refilled my glass.

"No, mate, believe me, she's done that to herself," Teddy grinned as he hugged my shoulder. "She can put it away when she's not working." He kissed my cheek. "Drinks me under the table regularly." I punched him.

"I'm half Japanese," I explained. "Ro, you'll understand this, it's like being Irish, it's a genetic thing. As a race, we're just used to putting away the liquor, you know?" I sat up. "And besides, drinking a lot doesn't necessarily mean getting sloppy drunk. That's you guys, if memory serves." I looked around. "I can remember helping each and every one of you at least once when you were either falling down drunk or in the throes of an agonizing hangover."