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“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.”
