Dirty Bad Secrets(94)

I’d been such a fucking asshole.

I downed my shot and got to my feet, heading in her direction at the same time she headed in mine. We met by the playroom corridors, and I was already speaking as I reached her, blabbering a load of crappy excuses about workload, that she didn’t hear because she was blabbering, too.

We both stopped. Took a breath. And she took mine. She was radiant, stunning, fucking perfect. Everything I ever fucking wanted.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m really sorry, Andy.”

It took me aback. “Actually, I was going to say sorry. It’s me who should be sorry, Faye. I’ve been a sour-faced cunt tonight.”

“You have every right to be,” she said, sadly. “This club is a massive beast, I never really gave you credit for how hard it must have been to fly solo. I never even said thanks. So, thanks.” She smiled. “I’m sorry, I just wanted to say that.”

“Faye, look at this place. Look at what you’ve done here.” I gestured to the balloons all around us, to the crowd going wild. “This is amazing. It’s fantastic. You’ve done yourself proud, you’ve done us proud. I was just too much of a sulky, bitter sack of shit to give credit where it’s due. I’m not used to needing to, but that’s no excuse.” She pressed her fingers to her lips, and her eyes were welling, but she was smiling.

“That means a lot,” she managed, but her voice was thick with emotion.

I reached out for her hand, squeezed it in mine. “I’m proud. Proud of our club, and proud of you. I’m so proud, Faye. This is exceptional, you’ve brought the place to life.”

“And you,” she said. “This is our club, Andy, you did it too.”

I shook my head. “No, I didn’t do this, I wouldn’t even know how.” I risked a laugh. “You still can’t seem to get the fucking banking in on time, but I think I can let you off that.” I offered my hand for a handshake, and fluttery eyes met mine so nervously. “Partners?” I said. “Real partners. No stupid coin tossing, or tit for tat.”

Her smile lit up the whole fucking world. She took my hand in hers and she shook it well, just like she had when we first took the plunge on this crazy place. “Partners,” she said. “So, what now?” She looked me up and down. “Where do we go from here, partner?”

I smiled and let go of her hand. “I think it’s about time I contributed a little something to our big birthday bash, don’t you?”



It was all hands on deck to shift the crates, but we made short work of it. Champagne by the bottle, over two hundred of them, all lined up and ready to go. Topaz filled flutes, and Demelza and the other hostesses handed them out, and Faye and I did just like old times, we joined forces behind that bar, and we popped corks and lined up those glasses, and made sure our guests had a damn good time. Twenty bottles remained when the toasts were filled, and we dished those out too, handing them out to randoms on the dancefloor as Faye and I made our way to the middle of the throng.

“Wait!” she said, and she was off, darting back through the masses to our sweet little Topaz. She led her by the hand, delivering her at my side, and the poor girl looked confused.

“I need to be on bar…” she said.

I shook my head. “You can take five,” I smiled. “This is your club too, Topaz. It’s a celebration for all of us. Even spunky little barmaids who are getting a bit too big for their boots.”

She blushed and it was delicious, and on cue, the DJ announced the toast, the fourth year of Club Explicit and all its blissfully decadent filthy fucking fun.

We raised our glasses and the crowd went wild, and it really was a birthday to remember. They fired up the very first song we played, and Faye’s face was a picture.

“We danced to this!” she squealed. “Me and you! Can you remember?”

I leaned in close. “Of course I remember. How could I ever forget?”

And just like back then she was a livewire, a jumping, writhing, hot minx with her arms around my neck as she dragged me along with her euphoria. She grabbed a bottle of champagne from a passing Demelza and the crazy cow shook that thing right up and popped the cork so hard it bashed off the lighting rig, and how it fucking sprayed. It sprayed me, it sprayed her, it soaked poor little Topaz so badly that her peachy nipples darkened through her blouse, but it was awesome. Truly fucking awesome.

And then the floor was alive with bubbles and fizz as popping corks went off all over the fucking place and our dancefloor turned into a champagne fucking sea.

“This is a health and safety fucking nightmare!” I yelled, but she was smiling, pressing her soaking wet body to mine, scorching my skin through my shirt.