Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 116759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
I tried not to laugh at his expression, like he’d just tasted sand in his burger. “You can tell her to stop, you know.”
“Oh, I have. But I don’t recognize her right now. She’s not the mum I grew up with.”
At the sad bitterness in his tone, I reassured him, “It’ll pass. This separation and whatever has caused it must be devastating for your parents, no matter if they say it’s not. And I imagine they’ll act in all kinds of uncharacteristic ways until they themselves make peace with the change. You need to be patient. As difficult as it might prove. And know I’m here on the days it is more difficult to deal with. You can always talk to me.”
Sebastian tilted his head, studying me.
“What?”
“Nothing. I’m just so glad you decided to be my friend.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
SEBASTIAN
This guy is an arsehole.
Ifrowned down at the text Lily had sent. I was surprised it got through, considering I had one bar of signal on my phone. Courtesy of being deep in the Vaults. The Vaults were hidden beneath Edinburgh’s Old Town and were once slums and criminal dens. Some of them had been turned into nightclubs and bars. Whistlebinkies was loud and crowded as people drank and waited for the band to come on. Harry and Zac were talking to a couple of girls at the end of the long bar near where the band would play, while my gut knotted at the possibilities of why Lily’s date was an arsehole.
When she’d reminded me yesterday she was bringing her date tonight, I’d ignored my irritation. But I was irritated again. And concerned.
Another text came in before I could reply.
Just preparing you so you know he’s a dick.
Will be there in 2 mins.
Fan-fucking-tastic.
My focus remained on the stairwell entrance.
“Bas. Bastian!” Harry nudged me.
I turned to find him gesturing to one of the three girls. “Alana is asking if you’ve seen Vistas live?”
“Yes.” I nodded absentmindedly. We’d caught a gig or two of the local rock band in first year. My attention returned to the stairs.
Harry nudged me again.
“What?”
He widened his eyes as if to say “What the hell?”
“I’m waiting for Lily.”
Zac pushed off the bar. “Lily’s coming?”
I nodded and glanced back as a pair of shapely legs came into view on the stairs. I was about to turn away when I recognized the long, thick dark hair spilling down the woman’s shoulders. It was Lily. Alone. I pushed away from the bar and held up an arm so she could see me as she turned. I saw her expression melt with recognition before she walked around well-guarded tables and the cluster of people at the bar.
Heat licked down my spine at the sight of her. She wore a tartan pleated miniskirt with an oversized long-sleeved band T-shirt. The sexy casual look shocked the hell out of me because I’d never seen her bare legs before. Now I couldn’t understand why. My God. She wore Nike trainers because the woman didn’t need heels to accentuate anything. I tried not to ogle the sight of her long, olive-toned legs but then got stuck ogling her face instead. At uni, Lily didn’t wear a ton of makeup, but tonight her eyes were all done up and she looked incredible.
She also looked flustered and annoyed. As she reached me, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and huffed loudly, “He’s outside on a call.”
Settling a hand on her lower back, I drew her into my personal space.
So I could hear her better.
“What happened?”
“Och, what didn’t?” Lily rolled her eyes. “His name is Kyle. He works in finance. He was twenty minutes late and didn’t apologize. He didn’t ask me one question the entire drink at the bar or the walk here. I don’t think he knows my name. But he managed to make a bunch of passive-aggressive comments about me being a student, and he is now talking to his friend on the phone.”
“What a prick.” I pressed a sympathetic kiss to her temple. She smelled amazing. A different perfume tonight. Something headier. “Let me get you a drink.”
Harry and Zac said hello and introduced Lily to the girls they’d met while we waited for the bartender. I caught the older guy next to us staring down at Lily’s legs and glared at him in warning. He blanched and turned away.
“There you are!”
The booming male voice had us all turning around.
Something sharp and ugly swept through me at the sight of the finance guy named Kyle.
He was very good-looking, and I was very glad Lily thought he was a prick.
Well-mannered, however, Lily introduced us all and asked him what he was drinking.
Once we all had a glass in hand and were huddled in a group, I casually rested my free arm around Lily’s shoulders as we chatted.