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Sophie felt her cheeks colour. Kate’s specialist alcohol-free drink was taking for ever and she could really do with it arriving just about now to get her out of what she assumed was about to become an uncomfortable situation. ‘No, I’ve not been here in a while.’
Sophie recalled the last time she’d come to the pub and remembered the balloons bobbing about as she tried to keep them contained. Her thoughts flickered to Liam. He was such a different person to her now compared to the man who’d taken her on that awful date.
‘Maybe I could tempt you out for a drink sometime.’
There it was. The suggestion that Sophie had dreaded since the man had pushed himself through the crowds to settle at the bar next to her.
‘Perhaps.’ She didn’t want to sound impolite.
The barman returned with the man’s beers on a circular tray. He paid up and pulled a card out of his wallet. ‘I’m Mike. Give me a call if you fancy it.’
He winked at her and then carried the tray over to his mates, who cheered when he offered them round. Sophie didn’t know if they were pleased their drinks had arrived or if they were being lads about the scene that had just unfolded in front of them.
She went up onto her tiptoes and looked along the bar to see her barman still playing around with apple slices and fancy straws. She twizzled Mike’s card between her fingers. It was flattering to be asked, of course, but she wasn’t used to having a total stranger ask her for a date out of the blue. The internet had been her dating tech of choice – not that it had worked overly well in the past year.
‘Who was that?’
Sophie looked up to see Liam, and she smiled, surprised.
‘I don’t know. Just someone who was buying drinks next to me at the bar.’ Her cheeks coloured again, and she felt the warmth rising on her face. ‘What are you doing here?’ she asked, attempting to divert Liam’s attention away from the man who had just asked her out on a date. It wasn’t exactly the kind of thing she wanted to share with him.
‘Christmas drinks with the boys from the farm.’
He nodded over to where he’d been sitting, but Sophie couldn’t really see beyond the crowd of people at the bar.
‘I didn’t realise a Wednesday night would be so popular.’ Liam looked around at the throng of people jostling to be served.
‘Most of them are with me. Teachers very much enjoy a Christmas night out.’
‘Is that one of your lot?’ Liam looked over to where Tom was resting his head on the headteacher’s shoulder, his tie now wrapped around his head but covering his eyes. Miss Davies didn’t look best pleased.
‘Afraid so.’
‘Well, he looks like he’s had a great night.’
‘I don’t think he’ll agree when he has to survive thirty seven-year-olds at eight thirty tomorrow morning.’
Liam laughed as the barman finally put Sophie’s drinks down in front of her. She passed him a ten-pound note.
‘Not drinking?’
‘God, yes! It’s the only way to survive this thing. Mine’s the wine, that’s for my pregnant friend and the water’s for Tom.’
She looked up at him and smiled. A moment passed where neither of them spoke. Sophie didn’t know what to say.
She was about to pick up the tray and turn to go when Liam said, ‘The last time I came here was with you … and an enormous bouquet of balloons.’ He smiled but bit his bottom lip with the embarrassment of the memory.
‘That was the last time I was here, too. I couldn’t bear to return after the humiliation.’
‘Hey!’ Liam frowned with mock hurt.
Sophie laughed.
‘I’m sorry about that,’ he said. ‘It was a pretty awful date and I’m sure that was almost entirely my fault.’
‘It probably was,’ Sophie agreed.
‘Oi!’
