shoulder. From where she sat, Megan could
only glimpse the tips of Lawson’s fingers as he reached up and patted Brenda’s
hand before dropping his own back down onto the bar.
Brenda’s mouth pursed in a triumphant smirk, reminding Megan of
Brenda’s comment about all being fair in love and war. However, Megan thought,
love on the rebound is dangerous territory. She ought to know. When Brenda
returned with the drinks, Megan would remind her of that. That’s if she ever
did. Ordering drinks was evidently the last thing on her mind.
Megan glanced across the room, just in time to see Mr Ginger
Moustache swagger through the door and head for the table to sign in and
collect his name badge. Instinctively, she averted her eyes, avoiding any
accidental eye contact.
Pauline Meyer had yet to make an appearance. Maybe they wouldn’t be
graced with her presence tonight. She imagined Lawson would be more than a
little grateful about that. The way she fussed over him it must’ve felt like
having your mother tag along with you on a date. Now that was a scary thought.
Pauline chose that moment to make her entrance. Carrying herself
with great aplomb, she waltzed through the room greeting her clients with a
fixed smile and cursory nod as she glided past. Like a queen and her subjects.
Megan had been so engrossed in watching Pauline that Brenda was
almost at the table before she noticed her. Brenda’s face was fixed in
concentration as, balancing two full champagne flutes, she negotiated her way
through a conglomerate of elbows and backs. Immediately behind her, with his
dark hair flopping over his eyes, followed Lawson looking no less glum than
before.
Shuffling sideways across the bench, Megan made room for the pair.
She’d have to wait until later to remind Brenda what had happened when she’d
become involved with a man on the rebound. After all, Brenda had been the one
to pick up the pieces.
In one sense it seemed as if it’d happened a lifetime ago, but in
another it felt like it had only been yesterday. Megan had foolishly believed
Darryl when he told her he no longer had any feelings for his ex. She’d
unwittingly thrown herself body and soul into the relationship believing he was
the one. When Darryl suggested they move in together, she’d been ecstatic. Life
was finally coming together for her. Then less than a month later, with no
forewarning, her world imploded. His ex was pregnant, or so he said. For the
baby’s sake, his child, he had to be there. Surely she could understand that.
The low-life had been sleeping with both of them. He even had the gall to
pretend he still loved Megan.
Brenda carefully set the two glasses on the glass-topped table
before turning around to check Lawson was still with her. Satisfied that she
hadn’t lost him, she clambered up on to the bench next to Megan.
Lawson either didn’t see or didn’t take the hint when Brenda patted
the seat beside her. Instead he chose to remain standing with his back to the
room. His eyes were downcast and he seemed so distant that Megan wondered why
he’d even bothered turning up. Clearly his tryst with Mata Hari hadn’t panned
out as planned. Even Brenda’s fawning had failed to boost his spirits.
Megan lifted her glass in a quasi-toast before downing a mouthful of
champagne cocktail, the bubbles teasing her tongue. If the start of the evening
was any indication, she didn’t hold out much hope for the rest of the night.
She banged her glass down on the tabletop more heavily than intended, startling
Lawson and sparking a chuckle from Brenda. Lawson gave his head a sharp shake
and straightened his back, peering around as if suddenly realizing where he
was.
Smiling sheepishly, he set his glass of beer on a cardboard coaster
and pulled up a stool. Whatever had been troubling him seemed to have all of a
sudden been forgotten, the transformation quite extraordinary. It was if
someone had flicked the “on” switch. His face lifted, becoming open
only glimpse the tips of Lawson’s fingers as he reached up and patted Brenda’s
hand before dropping his own back down onto the bar.
Brenda’s mouth pursed in a triumphant smirk, reminding Megan of
Brenda’s comment about all being fair in love and war. However, Megan thought,
love on the rebound is dangerous territory. She ought to know. When Brenda
returned with the drinks, Megan would remind her of that. That’s if she ever
did. Ordering drinks was evidently the last thing on her mind.
Megan glanced across the room, just in time to see Mr Ginger
Moustache swagger through the door and head for the table to sign in and
collect his name badge. Instinctively, she averted her eyes, avoiding any
accidental eye contact.
Pauline Meyer had yet to make an appearance. Maybe they wouldn’t be
graced with her presence tonight. She imagined Lawson would be more than a
little grateful about that. The way she fussed over him it must’ve felt like
having your mother tag along with you on a date. Now that was a scary thought.
Pauline chose that moment to make her entrance. Carrying herself
with great aplomb, she waltzed through the room greeting her clients with a
fixed smile and cursory nod as she glided past. Like a queen and her subjects.
Megan had been so engrossed in watching Pauline that Brenda was
almost at the table before she noticed her. Brenda’s face was fixed in
concentration as, balancing two full champagne flutes, she negotiated her way
through a conglomerate of elbows and backs. Immediately behind her, with his
dark hair flopping over his eyes, followed Lawson looking no less glum than
before.
Shuffling sideways across the bench, Megan made room for the pair.
She’d have to wait until later to remind Brenda what had happened when she’d
become involved with a man on the rebound. After all, Brenda had been the one
to pick up the pieces.
In one sense it seemed as if it’d happened a lifetime ago, but in
another it felt like it had only been yesterday. Megan had foolishly believed
Darryl when he told her he no longer had any feelings for his ex. She’d
unwittingly thrown herself body and soul into the relationship believing he was
the one. When Darryl suggested they move in together, she’d been ecstatic. Life
was finally coming together for her. Then less than a month later, with no
forewarning, her world imploded. His ex was pregnant, or so he said. For the
baby’s sake, his child, he had to be there. Surely she could understand that.
The low-life had been sleeping with both of them. He even had the gall to
pretend he still loved Megan.
Brenda carefully set the two glasses on the glass-topped table
before turning around to check Lawson was still with her. Satisfied that she
hadn’t lost him, she clambered up on to the bench next to Megan.
Lawson either didn’t see or didn’t take the hint when Brenda patted
the seat beside her. Instead he chose to remain standing with his back to the
room. His eyes were downcast and he seemed so distant that Megan wondered why
he’d even bothered turning up. Clearly his tryst with Mata Hari hadn’t panned
out as planned. Even Brenda’s fawning had failed to boost his spirits.
Megan lifted her glass in a quasi-toast before downing a mouthful of
champagne cocktail, the bubbles teasing her tongue. If the start of the evening
was any indication, she didn’t hold out much hope for the rest of the night.
She banged her glass down on the tabletop more heavily than intended, startling
Lawson and sparking a chuckle from Brenda. Lawson gave his head a sharp shake
and straightened his back, peering around as if suddenly realizing where he
was.
Smiling sheepishly, he set his glass of beer on a cardboard coaster
and pulled up a stool. Whatever had been troubling him seemed to have all of a
sudden been forgotten, the transformation quite extraordinary. It was if
someone had flicked the “on” switch. His face lifted, becoming open
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