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I shake my head. He shouldn’t even be asking me that, but he’s looking at me like I’m the one in the wrong. Instead of biting his head off, like I want to, I just back down. What’s the point in saying any more? We’ll just end up in a fight that will end the night.
“I’m shouting you boys a drink and then we’ll work out who we want to place a bet on next,” I say.
“You’re picking mine,” Seb says.
“Aren’t you down?” Duncan asks him. “Isn’t it time to quit?”
“Ben will loan me some cashola, right, mate?”
“Whatever,” I say.
“You know Lainey is over at Cass’s tonight?” Duncan asks as we keep moving towards the counter.
“Is she?”
I try not to sound that interested, but I am. Yesterday she was really down because dinner with her dad didn’t go well. She never told him about her writing and she’s giving herself a really hard time about it. I’m glad she’s got a friend with her tonight.
“They’re having a girl’s night, watching movies and having a drink. Cass said we can join them later if we want.”
“It’s guy’s night,” I grind out, as a reminder to both him and me, because fuck me, I’m actually considering it.
What the hell is wrong with me? I saw her yesterday and we spent the whole damn night talking. Yeah, I’m worried about her, but tonight I’m with my boys. It’s a rare occasion these days. I have to make the most of it.
“Yeah, and we can keep drinking and gambling,” Duncan says. “I’m just saying that when we’re done...”
“When we’re done, what? You want the three of us to go round there and crash their pillow party?”
“Seb can come if he wants to, or we can go, just you and I.”
The words hang in the air between us as I stop and stare at him. “Let me get this straight. You want the two of us to go around to Cass’s and watch movies there with Cass and Lainey, like some sort of double date?”
“No, mate. Not a double date. You and Lainey are just friends.”
Last time he said it, I believed him. This time, not so much. The look in his eyes... he doesn’t think Lainey and I are just friends. This has set-up written all over it.
“Lainey and I are never, ever, going to be boyfriend-girlfriend. So get the idea out of your head.”
“It’s out. There’s no reason why you can’t watch a movie with your just-friend, though, is there? According to Seb, you spent all of last night out at the pub talking to her.”
I shoot Seb a glare, but he just shrugs and looks longingly towards the counter where my winnings are.
“Your sister is the only woman I’ve ever loved—the only woman I’ll ever love—and no one, not even Lainey, is going to change that. Got it?”
Duncan puts his hands up in the universal gesture of surrender. “It was just a suggestion. I thought you might want to have an early night, hang with the girls, and watch a couple of movies. Guess I was wrong.”
“Yeah, guess you were.”
“Never mind, then, let’s keep gambling and drinking.”
I storm off towards the counter again, and when Angie catches up with us again, I don’t put a stop to her flirting or send her away. I’m sending a message to Duncan. I don’t do relationships, and I’m definitely not going to wind up in a relationship with Lainey. No matter how much I enjoy her friendship, or how gorgeous I’ve realised she is.
***
At ten-thirty, theracetrack is winding down and emptying. Angie is hanging off me as we start walking out. My arm is around her, helping her walk because she’s a bit tipsy with all the champagne she’s been drinking.
“Well, I’ll catch you guys later,” Duncan says as we reach the taxi rink out the front.
“Where are you going?” Seb asks him.
