50

‘I think you’ll find Rob wears that crown.’ Another of the men cut in and was met with immediate mumbles.

‘Err no, I think I’m the one the ladies prefer.’ Another hit into the conversation and soon all of them were arguing over who had more sexual prowess and appeal, loudly and messily as they all shoved and poked at one another. Rose listened and laughed at the comedy of it.

She had never thought of Rob being one of the lads and having a group of mates like this. It somehow seemed at odds with the smooth mature businessman who ran around overseeing so much. Just another layer to his complex self. She could not imagine him among them or even how he would behave surrounded by these jocular blokes.

One of the men tugged Abby’s cheek in a little squeeze and she batted them away. Obvious that she had known all of these men for a very long time. They were teasing her about her height and obvious maturing. Pointing out her boobs had ‘come in’, becoming a woman instead of a ‘wee lass’.

‘Get lost, perves.’ Abby slapped away hands that were ruffling her hair, poking her in the face and generally teasing the hell out of her.

‘She’s one of the women now, guess we had all better be nicer to her seeing as she’s turning into a stunner and lost the pigtailed knobbly kneed look.’ Her cousin jested, the one she had learned was called Gavin.

Taking a cue from what was said, one of the other men mock knelt on one knee, proposing marriage and sending Abby into a laughing fit.

‘Shut up you nonce.’ Abby squealed, batting him away before he scooped her up and threw her over his back effortlessly. Rose could not help but let their infectious fun and laughter filter through and she felt better than she had in weeks. They had an energy that was catching, an easiness and light humour you had to get caught up in.

Damien leaned in purposefully while Abby was being swung around like a rag doll.

‘Is a dance later out of the question?’ He seemed shy and sincere and Rose smiled genuinely.

‘Of course, I’ll dance with you, Damien. It would be nice.’ he smiled, lowering his eyes and raising his beer in a laddish gesture. A gentled head nod, a little worse for the wear already.

Back on her feet and looking completely breathless, Abby pulled Rose off to find her parents and save them from her dad once more. Getting respite from the rowdy men and managing to calm her hair back into a sleek style.

Soon enough, they were back in fighting form and already boogying on the dancefloor. Rose cringed at the sight of her parents trying to do the time warp, joined by the now transformed man of the hour Hamish Munro and smiled affectionately. She could not help but laugh, watching the antics as she crossed towards them. Her parents looked so alive and young and were obviously having an amazing time.

‘R’ooo’se.’ Her mother squealed at seeing her, a little girlishly, an obvious slur to her speech. She embraced her with kisses on both cheeks. ‘Mum.... Dad.... Mr Munro.’ Rose nodded and smiled at all of them.

‘You look so much better, and very beautiful.’ Her mother stroked back her hair from her face in her usual maternal manner and then pinched her cheek. ‘Showing him what you’re worth!’ She winked, cheekily grinning and turning back to re-join her dancing partners. Rose sighed and resisted the urge to eyeroll. Rarely had she seen her parents drink and right now she had no desire to get caught up with them while she was very much sober.

Abby coaxed Rose into a little five-minute dance and twirl, to appease the old folks, before they left them all to it and headed to the pop-up bar. In great need of something cool in her parched throat; it was stuffy in here already and was only half filled with hot bodies.

‘Just a coke Ab’s!’ She stayed her hand as she gestured the barman. ‘You sure?’

‘Yeah, I want to stay clear-headed. I still feel a tiny bit fragile. No more booze for me right now, okay?’ she squeezed her hand gently and smiled warmly, knowing that staying sober when she would ultimately see Rob again would be for the best. She would need to handle seeing him with Morag, no doubt, and she didn’t want a repeat of earlier.

‘Okay dokely lovely!’ Abby ordered them two cokes, deciding to join her friend’s sobriety for the time being. A show of support.

The hall was fast filling up and Rose caught glimpses of Rob across the room unexpectedly. She had, for once, not been looking for him but still her eyes had managed to find him amid a sea of faces. He saw her too, but true to his word he did not react but kept his distance, smiling briefly at her and turning away. It didn’t feel good, but it felt safer than having him approach. Her eyes lingered on his wide shoulders and dark shirt a little longer that she should have, and she had to physically pull her gaze away, chastising herself inwardly.

Oh god, how much she missed him.

Morag sashayed in across the floor as though to serve as a reminder as to why Rose should keep her distance, her casual outfit from earlier replaced with a figure hugging short black dress and killer platform heels. All evidence of anger and crazy safely locked down as she headed straight for Rob’s side. Rose swallowed hard and bit on her lip to quell all the emotions swirling inside of her. Unable to stop looking her way.

There was a look on Morag’s face that was hard to translate and a few words in Rob’s ear, pressed close enough to him to make it obvious she was not entirely amused. The tension in both of their body language told Rose that she wasn’t being friendly. He turned shrugging her hands off his arm, saying something to her. Close to her face, almost nose to nose before turning and leaving her standing there alone.

To anyone else it looked like a domestic between lovers and that only irritated Rose more, she instantly wondered how many people in this town thought that Morag was his girlfriend.

Morag turned, scanning the crowd, possibly checking if anyone had seen the interaction, only now she looked livid. Realising there was an audience, she threw back her hair, pasting on a bright fake smile and picked at the canopies on the table. She glared at his back as he stalked away towards the group of men Rose had met earlier and was greeted with a beer and a chorus of a lot ‘Yay’s’, back slapping and male bonding ensuing.

Rose knew she shouldn’t be watching and staring but something in the little scene had made her feel better. Slightly triumphant despite not even knowing what it was about. Just seeing him push off her normally wandering hands and putting distance between them was enough to lighten the heavy thud in her chest, enough to make her relax a little.

She watched him being enveloped into the masculine group, laughing and joking, clinking beer bottles and behaving like lads did on a night out. He looked younger, carefree and so unlike his normal ‘all business’ self. Still the best looking of the group of men, she noted. Oblivious to the seething stares being cast at him mere feet away by his red headed serpent.

It helped that Morag was angry and storming away; her chin held high and daggers flying from those slanted eyes and a deep frown.

Maybe tonight Rose would get a chance to relax without being assaulted by the view of Morag feeling Rob up and acting like she owned him.

Abby caught her arm, bringing her back to the present and yanked her towards the dance floor as her favourite song came on. Relieving her of her drink as they passed the last table, she swung her into a clearing with little protest.

The floor was already busy but there was still room to move and Rose fell into the beat of the music effortlessly. One thing she had always been good at was dancing. In fact, she loved to dance and could already feel her tension lifting and floating up into the high ceiling. Duncan appeared behind Abby and began shimmying and sashaying with her, receiving a gentle shove in the chest and a mock telling off. He leant down, giving Abby a kiss briefly on her lips, his hand wandering over the girl’s backside sneakily then moved off to re-join his friends dancing nearby. She smiled at him, her eyes shining with love. ‘He’s a really nice guy you know?’ Rose yelled over the music.

‘I know!’ Abby had not torn her gaze from the tall boy across the floor, obviously smitten with the tall sturdy frame and light hair ‘. He even gets on with Rob, which I have to say is a bonus. I was sure Rob was going to take his head off when I finally admitted we were dating.’

‘He’s definitely a keeper then!’ Rose laughed as Abby turned back her way, a strange misty look in the glittering cheeky eyes.

‘I love him Rose!’ Her eyes filled with emotion and her cheeks flushed. It was almost as though she had been afraid to say it aloud and it scared her.

‘Tell me something I don’t know!’ She shook her head, grabbing Abby and spinning her round, killing the conversation as the music upped a gear and a dance tune blended in effortlessly. Somehow the sound got louder so talking was impossible.

They danced until their feet ached, stopping only briefly to sip their drinks and scream to another favoured tune. Abby and Rose were well matched in dancing skill and enthusiasm and she really was having a good time. Even with Rob in full view, with his group of men chugging down beer and talking to one another with animated gestures. Rose was enjoying herself.

The goodbye at the cottage. The lack of serpent by his side. It all felt somehow more bearable. She could do this if she set her mind to it and kept a reign on these damn emotions.

Her parents appeared and danced terribly besides them for two songs before admitting defeat and heading off to find a comfy chair among the sea of faces. Not that Rose was complaining, it had been excruciating and she wondered if she would ever become the kind of parent who embarrassed her kids that way. They really did think they were Torvill and Dean.

The hall was mobbed! The lights had been lowered to darkness and the twinkling fairy lights and disco balls were creating a moving pattern across the mass of bodies. It was almost magical.

A softer song blended in, slowing the tempo and bringing the chaos of hyper-dancing down to a calmer movement like a wave across the floor. The air around them quietening slightly as the pace was dropped. Duncan appeared, pulling Abby towards him and Rose turned to head off in search of food, not wanting to be a third wheel just as Damien appeared before her, mock bowing and offering his hand out towards her.

‘My lady, I would like to have that dance now.’ He smiled shyly.

‘Of course, kind sir.’ Rose grinned and curtsied, joining in the game, accepting his warm gesture and let him lead her back to the floor to take up a slow dance waltz position.