the television screen in silence.
‘It’s Saturday night . . .’ he carries on.
‘Who’s going?’ I ask, thinking that if the answer involves Lou, I’ll stay right where I am.
‘Just Alex, Shane and a few of the guys from work.’
‘No girls?’ I check, because I’m not risking it.
‘Nup. Not unless I get lucky later. I’m joking!’ he exclaims when he sees my face. ‘Come on,’ he adds. ‘You need a drink after all those near-crashes earlier.’
‘Go to hell!’
‘Hey, get a sense of humour. I’ll even let you get me back by picking on my driving.’
‘I’ll pick on it on the way there. But we’re catching a taxi home, geddit?’
‘Whatever.’
Stirling is a pretty town. The streets are lined with long rows of single-storey shops, set back under a shady canopy of trees. Some colonial-style buildings are built out of cream stone and have intricate wrought-iron balconies.
The pub we go to is packed, smoky and full of drinkers. I know the only way I’ll have a good time is if I join everyone else in their game, so when Josh goes off to play pool with one of his mates and Shane drags me to the bar to do a shot of tequila, I go gladly.
‘Another?’ he offers when I knock back the first.
‘No.’ I’m trying not to wince.
‘Pommie lightweight,’ he jokes.
‘I bet I could drink you under the table.’ As if!
‘Is that a challenge?’ He raises two dark eyebrows at me and flashes me a cheeky smile. He’s actually not bad-looking. I don’t think I’ve noticed before because it’s hard to notice anyone else when Josh is standing in front of you.
‘I wouldn’t want to embarrass you,’ I reply childishly and he laughs and pulls out a cigarette packet.
‘Want one?’
‘No, thanks. I didn’t know you smoked,’ I say as he lights up.
‘Only sometimes.’
‘Does Josh smoke?’
‘Nah. Too much of a cheapskate,’ Shane shrugs.
‘Right . . .’ Shane grins and I try not to smile. ‘How long have you two known each other?’ I ask.
He leans his elbow against the bar and manoeuvres himself closer to me. ‘About six years. We were at high school together.’
I wonder if Shane knows how Josh’s mum died. Before I can ask, Josh himself appears.
‘You’re not making my little sister drink shots, are you?’ he asks, wrapping his arm around my waist and giving me a squeeze.
‘Get off,’ I grumble, pushing him away, but secretly craving the contact. I haven’t been held like that for what feels like a very long time.
‘Can we get some more shots, here?’ Josh calls to the barman. He hands one to me a minute later and I find I don’t have the will to decline.
‘Cheers.’ The three of us chink glasses and knock back the booze, me trying hard not to cough.
‘You alright, little sis?’ Josh grins as he pats me on the back.
‘Bugger off.’
Someone vacates their bar stool beside us. Josh props himself against it and wraps both of his arms around me from behind. I curse myself for blushing as I meet Shane’s teasing eyes.
‘Where’s Lou tonight?’ Shane asks Josh.
‘Fuck knows,’ Josh replies. Another stool becomes available behind Shane and he pulls it up so I find myself sandwiched between the pair of them. I try to stay cool.
‘Oh man, you’re not doing shots, are you?’ Brian and Alex appear from out of nowhere. ‘How many have we missed out on?’ Alex whines.
‘Only one,’ Josh replies, not taking into account the shot that Shane and I did earlier.
‘Can we get a few more?’ Alex shouts to the barman.
Josh downs his shot left-handed and doesn’t remove his right hand from around my waist. The next thing I know, it has slid under my top and his thumb is stroking the lower part of my stomach. I suddenly feel light-headed.
Brian nudges Josh. ‘Karen’s just walked in.’
Josh’s hand whips out from under my top and my skin instantly feels cool from his lack of contact. I turn to see who this Karen person is and spy a slim, beautiful
‘It’s Saturday night . . .’ he carries on.
‘Who’s going?’ I ask, thinking that if the answer involves Lou, I’ll stay right where I am.
‘Just Alex, Shane and a few of the guys from work.’
‘No girls?’ I check, because I’m not risking it.
‘Nup. Not unless I get lucky later. I’m joking!’ he exclaims when he sees my face. ‘Come on,’ he adds. ‘You need a drink after all those near-crashes earlier.’
‘Go to hell!’
‘Hey, get a sense of humour. I’ll even let you get me back by picking on my driving.’
‘I’ll pick on it on the way there. But we’re catching a taxi home, geddit?’
‘Whatever.’
Stirling is a pretty town. The streets are lined with long rows of single-storey shops, set back under a shady canopy of trees. Some colonial-style buildings are built out of cream stone and have intricate wrought-iron balconies.
The pub we go to is packed, smoky and full of drinkers. I know the only way I’ll have a good time is if I join everyone else in their game, so when Josh goes off to play pool with one of his mates and Shane drags me to the bar to do a shot of tequila, I go gladly.
‘Another?’ he offers when I knock back the first.
‘No.’ I’m trying not to wince.
‘Pommie lightweight,’ he jokes.
‘I bet I could drink you under the table.’ As if!
‘Is that a challenge?’ He raises two dark eyebrows at me and flashes me a cheeky smile. He’s actually not bad-looking. I don’t think I’ve noticed before because it’s hard to notice anyone else when Josh is standing in front of you.
‘I wouldn’t want to embarrass you,’ I reply childishly and he laughs and pulls out a cigarette packet.
‘Want one?’
‘No, thanks. I didn’t know you smoked,’ I say as he lights up.
‘Only sometimes.’
‘Does Josh smoke?’
‘Nah. Too much of a cheapskate,’ Shane shrugs.
‘Right . . .’ Shane grins and I try not to smile. ‘How long have you two known each other?’ I ask.
He leans his elbow against the bar and manoeuvres himself closer to me. ‘About six years. We were at high school together.’
I wonder if Shane knows how Josh’s mum died. Before I can ask, Josh himself appears.
‘You’re not making my little sister drink shots, are you?’ he asks, wrapping his arm around my waist and giving me a squeeze.
‘Get off,’ I grumble, pushing him away, but secretly craving the contact. I haven’t been held like that for what feels like a very long time.
‘Can we get some more shots, here?’ Josh calls to the barman. He hands one to me a minute later and I find I don’t have the will to decline.
‘Cheers.’ The three of us chink glasses and knock back the booze, me trying hard not to cough.
‘You alright, little sis?’ Josh grins as he pats me on the back.
‘Bugger off.’
Someone vacates their bar stool beside us. Josh props himself against it and wraps both of his arms around me from behind. I curse myself for blushing as I meet Shane’s teasing eyes.
‘Where’s Lou tonight?’ Shane asks Josh.
‘Fuck knows,’ Josh replies. Another stool becomes available behind Shane and he pulls it up so I find myself sandwiched between the pair of them. I try to stay cool.
‘Oh man, you’re not doing shots, are you?’ Brian and Alex appear from out of nowhere. ‘How many have we missed out on?’ Alex whines.
‘Only one,’ Josh replies, not taking into account the shot that Shane and I did earlier.
‘Can we get a few more?’ Alex shouts to the barman.
Josh downs his shot left-handed and doesn’t remove his right hand from around my waist. The next thing I know, it has slid under my top and his thumb is stroking the lower part of my stomach. I suddenly feel light-headed.
Brian nudges Josh. ‘Karen’s just walked in.’
Josh’s hand whips out from under my top and my skin instantly feels cool from his lack of contact. I turn to see who this Karen person is and spy a slim, beautiful
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