She got ready. An hour later Ebony walked into the pub and saw two of the women from lunch: Selena was there with another woman who Ebony recognized from the college but couldn’t remember her name. They waved her over.
Selena made room around the table for her. ‘We thought we’d join you. Hope you don’t mind? We usually end up seeing Christian here on a Thursday night when he doesn’t have Elsie. He said you were on your way.’
Christian was at the bar. He waved at her and picked up a bottle of white wine as a question. She smiled back and nodded her reply as she sat down at the table.
‘This is Julie.’ Selena introduced her to the other woman. Julie was looking a little too glamorous for a pub setting, with false eyelashes and a spangly micro-dress. ‘You remember her from lunchtime?’
‘Yes. I remember seeing you there.’ Ebony smiled at her. She didn’t seem too smiley in return. ‘We didn’t get the chance say hello; it was all a bit hectic. Looks like you’re both still in the party mood?’
‘Just getting going,’ laughed Selena. Julie’s laugh was overly loud but her eyes were elsewhere. Ebony looked up to see what she was watching and she saw Christian approaching with the bottle of wine and two glasses.
‘I thought you two could use your own glasses,’ he said, setting the bottle down in front of Ebony and pulling up a chair near her. Selena flashed a disgruntled look towards Julie, who knocked back her wine and held her glass out for Christian to fill it. He poured out the contents of the bottle between them.
‘You coming with us? We’re off to a club down the road,’ Selena said.
Christian looked across at Ebony. ‘I’m happy here; but if you’d like to go?’ Christian seemed nervous.
Ebony shook her head. ‘To be honest it’s been a busy day for me. I think a couple of glasses of wine is about my limit tonight.’
Julie smirked at Christian. ‘Boring… Well, Christian… if you change your mind and fancy a late night you know where we are.’ Ebony saw how Julie didn’t take her eyes off Christian. He was the reason she’d dressed up tonight. Now she was satisfied, after taking a good look at Ebony, that she was no threat and hardly worth acknowledging, she could flirt if she felt inclined. Julie knocked back her drink and stood. Selena picked up her coat from the chair next to her.
‘Nice to see you again, Ebony,’ she said. ‘See you tomorrow. Not too early. About eleven? May see you later then, Christian. You know where to find us. Usual place, be strutting our stuff till two and then who knows? The world is our oyster and thank God for babysitters.’ Selena waited for Julie to get her coat on. Julie leaned very close down to Christian to whisper something in his ear and then they left. He looked as if he wanted to squirm but tried to cover it with a friendly smile.
After they’d left Christian turned to Ebony. ‘I’m sorry about that.’
She shrugged. ‘About what?’ She looked like she didn’t really understand what he was getting at.
‘They’re a couple of party animals. I bet they won’t be alone long.’
Ebony frowned. ‘Looked like Julie was hoping you’d be meeting up with her later.’
‘Huh…’ he scoffed, embarrassed. ‘She can hope all she likes.’ Ebony smiled into her drink. ‘Okay… I admit it. We have a tiny bit of history, me and Julie.
Ebony’s eyes opened wide. ‘Really?’
‘Yeah.’ Christian laughed. ‘No need to take the piss.’
She smiled.
‘You’ve made a habit of dating the women on your course then?’
He shrugged and gave her a sideways glance, grinning. ‘Seriously? What can I say? I’m in the market for a relationship.’
‘You don’t have any trouble finding them – obviously there are lots of willing victims?’ He grinned but his eyes had turned hostile. Ebony tried one more push. She wanted to see what buttons he had and how much they took pushing. ‘You are a grass greener type?’
He took a drink, his eyes fastened on hers as if he was trying to read her and the atmosphere became a little strained.
‘I’ve had a few relationships along the way. Just not found the one I’m looking for yet but I don’t believe in giving up.’
‘What are you looking for?’
He shrugged irritably. ‘Not looks.’ He flashed her a look which said obviously. ‘It’s about personality, compatibility, making each other laugh – great sex.’ His eyes stayed on hers, they had softened again. Ebony blushed and looked away. Even though she was getting the attention by false means it didn’t stop it feeling a bit too real. He smiled at her embarrassment. ‘I have lots of boxes that need ticking – I have a kid, after all.’
‘Is that why you choose single parents?’
‘Whoa…’ he scowled – getting irritated. Ebony thought she’d pushed too hard.
‘You make it sound like I prey on them.’ He took a drink. ‘Which, of course, I don’t. I don’t just date single parents. It just so happens that I’m at college with a lot of them.’ He started playing with his beer mat, beginning to look over her shoulder and around the bar.
‘Sorry, not my business.’ She took a drink.
‘Look – bottom line.’ Christian smiled and nodded, relaxed. ‘I date women on my course as well as others – it’s no big deal. I have great respect for anyone who wants to change their life around.’
Ebony was nodding, thinking of what to say. Christian stared at his glass and flashed the odd glance towards Ebony to gauge her reaction.
‘I never intended to split with Elsie’s mum. It wasn’t just up to me. I really tried to make it work. I know what it’s like not to have a mum on the scene full time. My mother didn’t exist for me. She went off to fuck her way around Europe. She left me in boarding school and when I got chucked out of there, I lived with my dad, who couldn’t have cared less either.’ He paused; finished his drink and poured the rest of the bottle into his glass and then looked across at her and smiled.
‘The college, the people on the courses, they are my friends. I get close to some of them and we end up having a bit of fun together – where’s the harm in that? It’s all fun. I don’t usually have to justify myself this much?’ He raised an eyebrow and gave her a cheeky smile.
Ebony turned away, smiling, but wondering whether she should ask him how he felt about breaking hearts that had already been broken in some cases, and preying on the vulnerable. But she resisted. She had to remember who she was supposed to be. She thought about the character traits that Hawk had exposed. Could Christian kill, torture? Could he hate women that much? Hawk was clever and manipulative. He had a warped sense of women and motherhood. Christian fitted the bill.
‘How long have you been on the course?’ she asked, leaving those thoughts for the moment. She felt as if she were floundering a little. She needed to give herself time to recover and get back into seduction mode.
‘Seems like forever,’ he answered, a little deflated, bored. ‘I never seem to get to the end. I change my mind about what I want to do and then start in a new direction.’
Like you do with women, thought Ebony. ‘Sounds expensive,’ she said.
‘It is. But I don’t have many overheads and I’m lucky enough to be good at poker.’ Ebony raised an eyebrow. ‘I play it online. It fits into my lifestyle and Elsie’s. But it’s a bit of a lonely existence.’ He paused, played with his glass, looked at Ebony. She wondered if I’m lonely was one of his standard pick-up lines.
‘What about Elsie’s mum?’ she asked.
‘We share childcare. I have Elsie for half the week and every other weekend.’
‘And normally you’re out clubbing with Selena and Julie on your “other” weekend?’