Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Will

" N o," I said to my mate Sam Jeffrey's. "I'm not doing it."

"Why not, it's just a fucking t-shirt?"

I worked my jaw as I stared at him, wondering whether I should just punch him on his stupid nose and be done with it.

"There is no way I'm wearing something which says, ‘Wet Willy Will' on the front of it." I snatched the t-shirt that was in his hand and held it up. "How come you get ‘Cocky Sam'?"

"Because my name is Sam, why do you think?"

"‘Sam is a Cock Head' would be better." I threw the t-shirt back at him. "What about our guest of honour anyway? What's Gary got?"

Sam grinned. "Genital Wart Gary."

"For fuck's sake, Sam. That's just mean. No woman is going to go near him with that plastered across his chest."

"And they shouldn't. It's his stag night."

"Yeah, but you don't need to throw him under the fucking bus because of it. Genital warts, my arse," I muttered, getting Sam a bottle of beer. I popped the top and then slammed it on the bar in front of him.

"Changing the subject," he said pausing the bottle halfway to his mouth. "Did you get Maddy booze for tonight?"

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Liam and his new mate Zak are going over there."

"Two things: who is Zak, and why are boys going over?"

"He's the kid from London. I told you about him. His dad is a surgeon, and they moved here toward the end of last year."

I nodded. "Oh yeah, I recall you mentioning it. So, to the second point, why is Diane letting boys in the house when she's not there?

"I'm guessing that she doesn't know. I only know because I heard Liam on the phone to Zak."

"And you didn't think to stop him?" I shook my head and took a long swig of my beer.

"Because they're fucking kids, Will. It's their last year before uni—let them live a little."

"Fuck, Sam I've been a seventeen-year-old boy. I know what is going on in their heads." I felt my heart rate speed up at the thought of what could be happening at that very moment in a house full of teenagers and no adults. "Did Liam take alcohol?"

He shrugged as he took a drink of beer.

"Why am I even asking that? Of course, he did."

"Will, just calm down. Maddy is a sensible kid, and it's Liam we're talking about. They're practically brother and sister."

"I don't know this kid Zak, though," I protested. "And in thirty minutes we're getting on a fucking bus to go an hour and a half away. What if she needs me?"

Sam rolled his eyes. "She'll be fine. I'll get Louise to check in with them."

"Maybe Louise could go and pick her up."

"No, Will," he snapped. "Let her have fun. Besides, Louise is taking Darcy to the cinema and then pizza."

I rubbed my chest and groaned. "I'm being an overprotective dick, aren't I?"

"Yes, you are. Christ knows what you'll be like when she goes off to uni."

"Oh shit, don't remind me." I was the one who wanted her to go. I was clearly a masochist.

Laughing, Sam put his beer down on the bar and handed me my t-shirt. "Stop fussing and get this damn shirt on before everyone else get here." I opened my mouth to object, but he held his hand up to silence me. "No. You're wearing it and if you do, then I'll consider asking Lou to go round and check on them."

I snatched the white cotton from him, deciding that wearing a shit slogan t-shirt was worth it if it meant I got to find out my daughter was safe.

We were in a bar which sold craft beers and great food, but it was dark and had a slight tackiness to the floor. The music played quietly in the background, making it ideal for twelve blokes on a stag party. We were at the bar, chatting the usual crap after having eaten a meal, and, just as I'd predicted, everyone was flagging.

"I've got a stomach ache," Gary complained rubbing a hand under his Genital Warts t-shirt. "I think that I need a lie down."

"Me too," Gary's future brother-in-law, Casey, groaned.

"I told you not to eat that extra slice of chocolate cake," Luke said, as he patted his flat stomach. "Right, where next?"

Luke dragged Gary into the mele of some of the other blokes in our group, with Casey following closely behind. As I watched them, I pulled out my phone to check the time. It was almost ten-thirty, which, by my calculation, meant we had another three and half hours before we could get back on the bus home. It was good to be out and enjoying myself, but I was still worried about Maddy. I had to trust her though, she'd be gone to university soon enough, and then I could be almost two hours from her if she went to Lancaster. Further, if I managed to persuade her that Edinburgh was better—or so my research over the last couple of days had suggested. Seeing as she'd shown interest in Lancaster, I thought it might be a good time to see what else was out there. Trying not to think too much about my daughter and what she might be doing, I turned to the bar to order another drink.

"Stag party?"

The voice coming from my right was soft, sultry and definitely interested me. I turned with a smile and was glad I'd stayed at the bar. She was stunning. Chestnut-coloured long hair that fell down her back and golden-brown skin garnered my attention. She smelled good too.

"Yes, it is," I replied and thumbed behind me. "The one with the genital warts."

Her head whipped around in the direction of Gary, and she smiled. Her teeth were straight and white but had a little gap between the top two. I recalled Mrs Powell telling me once that it was lucky to have a gap like that. When her gaze landed back on mine, I felt like I was the lucky one.

"You're really beautiful you know that?" I couldn't help myself; it just came blurting out.

"Thank you."

I liked that she didn't deny it coyly or preen like some influencer looking for followers. She just smiled as she gave me thanks.

"I'm Will, by the way." I held out my hand and watched as she looked down at it.

"You don't have genital warts too, do you?"

She was grinning but still didn't move her hands from the bar, where they were resting.

"Nope. I'm," I said, opening my jacket, "I'm Wet Willy Will."

"Wow, a wet willy. Nice." She looked at it with a raised eyebrow and laughed before taking my hand and shaking it. "Maya."

"Pleased to meet you, Maya."

"Whose idea were the t-shirts?" she asked.

"Cocky Sam's." I pointed directly at Sam, who was urging Gary to down beer from a jug. "I think he gave me a shit one on purpose because I am and have always been, so much better than him in every way, right from when we met as teenagers."

"You sure have confidence in yourself."

I shrugged and smiled, enjoying the feeling that talking and flirting with a beautiful woman gave to you. There were no bills, no employee issues, no worries about stock—just a level of freedom that made you glad that you were young. Glad that you were healthy. It was that feeling of anticipation of what might be about to come.

"I find the best person to back you is yourself in this life."

"Very true." She turned to face me, resting her elbow on the bar. "So how come you're standing alone and not with the rest of the guys, knocking back beer and singing Oasis songs."

I looked over to the guys to see they had indeed moved onto singing.

"I guess I'm not a singer." I copied her stance, placing my glass on the bar between us. "What about you? Who are you here with?"

She glanced over her shoulder. "I'm with two friends. It's kind of a divorce party."

"Ah, okay." I nodded slowly. "Yours or one of your friend's."

"Morgan's, my friend. I've never had the pleasure of being married." It was at that moment that the barman came up, throwing a towel over his shoulder.

"Sorry to keep you folks, what can I get you?"

"Another of these, please, and…" I held my hand out to Maya, but she shook her head.

"It's fine. I'm getting another bottle of wine."

"That's okay." I turned to the bartender and handed over my card. "Get the lady her bottle of wine too."

"Honestly," she said, "I can't?—"

"Yes, you can. But could I buy just you a drink, too?"

She paused, looked at me and then back to the bartender. "I'll have a rum and Coke, please, but let me just take the wine back. Is that okay?"

"Sure, as long as you promise to come back."

"I will." She gave me a smile that made her eyes sparkle and took the bottle from the barman. "I'll be two minutes."

I watched her walk over to her friends and put the wine on the table. She crouched down at the side of the table and the three of them put their heads together. First one friend looked my way, and then the other one. They then huddled their heads together again until her friend closest to me dropped her head back and roared laughing. Maya rose slowly with her eyes on me, and I smiled at her. When she gave me a little wave, I stood up straighter and smoothed down my shirt.

"Hey, Will," Sam's booming voice got me swinging around in his direction. "We're heading out to the bar next door."

I glanced back at Maya who was flicking her hair over one shoulder. "I'm going to stay here."

Sam blinked. "What?"

"I'm staying here," I repeated. I looked over my shoulder, and when I looked back at him Sam's eyes were also in that direction.

"Oh right," he said his face breaking out into a grin. "Don't forget, minibus leaves at two."

I shook my head. "I'll find you before then. I just want to finish my drink."

"Whatever. Just message me and I'll let you know where we are." He slapped my back and gave me a wink. "Be careful."

I couldn't say that I always was, because I had a seventeen-year-old daughter to prove otherwise. "I'm just finishing my drink," I stressed, but Sam laughed and started to round up the rest of our party.

I kept my eyes on the door, watching them leave when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see that it was Maya.

"Okay?" I asked.

She nodded and lifted her rum and coke. "Thanks for this."

"My pleasure." I looked around the bar and spotted a booth. "You want to sit down?"

"Yeah, sure."

As I led Maya to the booth, I knew that I wouldn't be joining the party again until it was time to go home.