The One Awakened: Book 1 in The One Trilogy (30 page)

I spend the next few hours, taking full advantage of the copious amounts of alcohol flowing freely and great company. I am determined to find strong fun Lulu and ignore the irritating blonde permanently glued to Seb’s side.

Gino is singing to Suzie… again! She looks utterly exasperated with him. Funny!
Dr. Alban’s Its my life
is playing and I love this retro song but he’s altered the words to
‘She’s my wife’
and is happily regaling it in front of her at very turn of the repetitive lyrics. He’s certainly no shy retiring wallflower.

I then double over in laughter as we watch Jess attempt the bull, ungainly climbing aboard, dress and all. She lasts less than a minute and flashes a brief menu of what she’d had for tea earlier, before being thrown like a rag doll onto the mattress below and sparking up a fag. She’s such a laugh but such a lad!

Then Stu, one of Gino’s work mates loses a bet and the good sport that he is, submits to his dare. Riding the bucking bronco, full throttle, sliding around uncontrollably at every jerk and thrust, whilst wearing only a sock on his knob!
Classic
. Not surprisingly others are reluctant to sit on the bull after his stint there!

It’s as I’m watching Stu, wander around, swinging his sock at anyone within a 5mile radius, I sense I’m not alone. To my left stands the clingy blonde, sipping her punch daintily, head tilted in my direction, eyes perusing. Her blond, artistically highlighted hair is worn similarly to my own, and falls in waves, around her shoulders, with caramels and honey lowlights woven in and amongst the more platinum shades – I want the name of her hairdresser; he or she, was an artiste.
She has large heavily made up deep blue doe eyes and a tall, lithe figure with a small waist and a good bust. Yes, definitely Sebastian’s type – I sulk to myself. I want to be a better person and try to warm to her but it’s unlikely to happen and I can tell she feels the same.
 

You can’t get on with everyone, especially when a certain gorgeous male contractor was the common denominator and the ultimate goal – for her of course; I remind myself!
 

“Lucia isn’t it? At last we meet. Sebastian and I have talked
all
about you.”
 

How is that someone can make such a simple sentence sound so bitchy?
 

How do I play this?

“I’m sorry I’m on the back foot I’m afraid?” My nonchalant tone hopefully knocks her down a peg or two but it was true I didn’t have a clue who this woman was, other than the latest in a long line of Sebastian’s scores.

“Really? I find that hard to believe but I’ll go with your play. I’m Toni. Sebastian’s…well his everything,” she ends her statement with a forced tinkly giggle.

Ahhh of course– the cogs turn, and heavy the click of realisation kicks in – this must be the illusive Toni with an
‘i’
!
 

Upon closer inspection, her face isn’t quite as pretty as I’d first thought, in fact was more angular and now spiteful in its glee of her branding of Seb. She’s very attractive though, in a Cameron Diaz kind of way. I consider her carefully, smiling back at her, never taking my eyes off her face, well maybe once to look her up and down condescendingly.
 

Finally I speak. “And?”

That floors her. I can tell by her narrowed glossy pout and the way she’s shaking her hair about ridiculously that she’s annoyed at my lack of emotion and attention.

“Sebastian said you had a strange sense of humour. I just thought I’d introduce myself as we’ll be working together on The Ashton project.”

Ugghh I’d forgotten about that.

She continues snootily. “We spoke on the phone?”

You mean when you spoke to me like a piece of crap?

“Yeah I remember now. Toni with an ‘i’. You and Seb are
very close.
”

Her eyes narrow, probably weighing up if I’m being genuine or sarcastic. “Sebastian said that you and I would get on famously but I’m not so sure. I don’t believe that men and women can be friends without sex and Sebastian does like sex.” She nods at her own assessment. “He doesn’t need a friend, when he has me. So maybe keep it professional, hey?”

What was this chick on? Maybe it was the fact that I’d suddenly seen Sebastian as a sexual object, rather than a mate but Toni with an bloody ‘i’ was seriously pissing me off.

“Look Toni, Seb and I have history both professionally and as best friends. I don’t like to be told who I can and can’t see, by anyone, let alone someone whom I’ve never met.” I add rather cattily, smug at her apparent irritation at my comeback.
 

Why am I being so off?
 

I can see Abby snapping her fingers in appreciation, rapper style behind Toni’s form and I smirk and return to my opponents steely gaze.
 

“Well there’s no need to get your knickers in a twist about it, I just think that it’s best that you leave this project to me to sort. Sebastian really doesn’t have the time for these menial decorating jobs of yours and there won’t be any mates rates you know!”
 

WTF? Menial decorating jobs?
This woman was about to go down. I can’t stick her after only a few minutes in her cloying perfumed company. I’m thankfully saved as Abby rescues me, introducing herself politely and asking the one thing I’d actually wanted to hear fall from the PA’s lips.
 

“So Toni, who did you come with?”

“Sebastian of course - oh and Chris.”

“Nice - a kind of works outing?”

“Well no but we all work together obviously.” Her nervous laugh is enough for me to see that she wasn’t truly with Sebastian tonight.

“Right Lu it’s time for you and I to strut our stuff and throw some shapes. Nice to meet you Tory.”

I smirk at the deliberate mistake and it doesn’t go unnoticed by Toni, if her narrowed blue eyes are anything to go by. We escape unscathed this time and I lick my finger and hold it up to Abby, stroking it through the air with a sizzle noise - definitely 1-0 to moi.
 

It is during those next few hours, as I begin to relax, keeping a close eye on the PA from hell and Seb, and flirting outrageously with my date, that I conclude that lovely though he is, Leo is just not for me and never would be. We just don’t connect in anyway; we have no history, no spark and he’s dull as dishwater. It was time to end things before it went any further.

If I’m honest I’d always known it but I had wanted to take the chance and test the theory that not all relationships were built on initial fireworks! The problem with Leo was his rocket had never left the soil. Whilst I’m powered with Dutch courage, courtesy of the lethal Pimm's punch Suzie had concocted this afternoon, I take the opportunity to grab Leo for a one-on-one. I feel very guilty. He had come to this party, at my request, mixed with everyone, most of whom he didn’t know and whilst he certainly hadn’t been the life and soul of the party, he’d at least tried.
 

“Lucia. A moment alone at last,” he smiles genuinely at me.
 

Oh bugger this was going to be harder than I thought.

“Have you had a good time Leo?” I try to ease into my end game, soothingly.
He even makes me sound dull.

“Hell yes. I’ve had a real laugh. My mates are less – shall we say – expressive?” he laughs at me and I join him. I can imagine the banking world full of uptight, stressed out tech-geeks and sympathise with him.

“I’m glad you had fun. I’m really sorry my head’s just not been in it tonight. I am glad you came though.” I look up at him, wishing that I felt something more for this rather simple undemanding man.

“Wouldn’t have missed it but I’m enjoying every last part as I know it’ll probably be the last time that we do anything together again, as a couple. Am I right?” his voice softens and lifts in the hope that his assumption is incorrect.

God I feel awful. I hated letting people down.
 

No be firm Hun. Now’s your chance and he’s making it easy for you.

I nod, scrunching my shoulders in and my head down, as though I’m about to duck for cover. “I’m so sorry Leo. Its not you…”
“…it’s me,” he interrupts. “Thought you were more original Ms. Myers.” His comment is heavily laced with sarcasm but I can tell his feelings are hurt.

“No it’s Ok really. I really like you but I can tell if a girl is into someone else and I’d rather be Numero Uno. Pretty much a deal breaker for me.” He shrugs amiably, “And I don’t mean your son.”

I look up at that, screwing my nose up. “Someone else?”

He smiles at me. “Your builder mate
,
Sebastian. I knew it the first minute I met him tonight. I’ve spent most of my time trying to avoid being visually hung, drawn and quartered.”

I snigger at his last comment. “Sebastian and I are just friends. We have been for years.”

“You may have been friends initially but I’m telling you now, from a male perspective, that man is
in to you
big time!” He says sadly but firmly.

“Sebastian is a law unto himself, always likes a challenge – don’t let him make you uncomfortable. But I’m glad you understand that you and I are not meant to be. I’d like to remain friends.”
I’m not about to tell him I’ve propositioned my best friend for sex. I’ve a feeling Leo would have gladly taken me up on the offer, had I posed it to him.

“I’d like that too - when I’m around you, you relax me, I’d definitely like to see you more. Besides you and I have some serious hours to spend together, over the next quarter to ready your books and balance your sheets, so we need to get along.”

Shit.
 

I’d forgotten all about my tie with him and Elysium but business was business and he was taking this really well so I’m sure things would be fine. I’m suddenly grabbed in a cuddle and squeezing me slightly he leans me back and kisses me softly on the mouth, perhaps lingering a little more than I would have preferred. I feel his hot breath against me; he tastes of beer and antiseptic. There is no tingle, no buzz that heads straight for my greedy bits, its just rather… blah. The moment is entirely awkward but I’m reluctant to make him feel any worse than I have already, so just go with the flow and statuesque, wait from him to release me. As we part I look straight into the eyes of Sebastian, who’s watched the whole scene from afar. He doesn’t look impressed - his liquorice blacks narrowing in discontent.

“Thanks Lu for your honesty. You’ve definitely got me back into the game. After my divorce I’ve found it hard to trust again but you’ve helped me. You’re special. Anyway, I’m going to make a move before the bull’s-eye on my back is hit by an angry jealous
mate
’s dart.”
 

So even Leo had felt Seb’s disdain.
We laugh together, at his correct assumption and he quickly hugs me to him again. This time I immediately withdraw. I didn’t want to hug him; didn’t want to give him false hope.

“You’re OK to get home?” he checks, ever the gent.

“Don’t be daft, I’ll get a taxi, later on but thanks for asking. You’re a true gentleman Leo Peterson. You’ll make someone a very happy lady one of these days.”