Page 38 of All Mine (The All Mine #1)

Isabella

If Gabi and Jesse hadn’t arrived that day and distracted her, Isabella might have self-combusted with sexual excitement. Knowing she was finally going to give in to the urge and put her hands on Etienne made her tingle in all the right places.

Jesse’s first visit to Honeybridge demanded a tour of the town and Gabi was happy to tag along, showing off her newly acquired stunt skills as they went. Walking on her hands along the riverbank, and doing parkour jumps across the bollards marking the square.

‘Believe me, you never know when they’ll come in handy in my line of work. . .’

Nonna pinched the cheeks of her other granddaughter until they were pink and treated Jesse like an adopted grandson, complimenting the precision of his beard and his expensive-smelling cologne.

‘I spray it on my sheets before I put them in the tumble dryer!’ He cupped Nonna’s hand to her ear theatrically, to share one of his trade secrets for being the best-scented man Isabella had ever encountered. That is, until Etienne. That woody fragrance that followed him around was intoxicating.

When she got dressed that night, she put on a silky top with buttons, remembering Etienne’s text messages. She slipped into a mini skirt which sat low on her hip and high on her thigh, teaming it with strappy high heels. Gabi’s eyes widened when she saw her.

‘You look hot!’ she said. ‘Am I underdressed?’

She most certainly wasn’t– with hot pants and knee-high boots, her pixie cut pointed to her cheekbones, she looked perfect, elfin.

‘Special effort for someone tonight?’ Gabi went on. ‘Etienne by any chance? The one whose leg you were nearly humping last time I came?’

‘Pre-drinks for the gossip!’ Jesse announced, joining them with a bottle.

A glass of prosecco later, Isabella had told them of the no-sex deal. Jesse pretended to tip his hat to her.

‘If there’s ever a woman who knows her own mind, it’s you, Isabella. . .’ He winked at Gabi. ‘And you of course, darling.’

Gabi agreed, with an admiring tilt of her head.

‘Good on you, girl,’ she said. ‘Keeping your promise and eating your cake!’

‘Can’t wait to check him out!’ Jesse rubbed his hands together and Isabella made them swear to be discreet, or at least not to make a show of her when they met.

By the time she got to The Bolthole, Isabella was like a fuse waiting to be lit. Rosie whistled as she shimmied out of her coat.

‘He doesn’t stand a chance,’ she said, shaking her head.

Wren arched an eyebrow in agreement. ‘I almost feel sorry for him,’ she said.

Gabi kissed them both and Jesse enveloped them in a hello hug they weren’t expecting but seemed to love when they got close enough to smell him.

The bar was two-deep, but Amber had a friend working and they were soon settled in a booth with their drinks. Isabella tried not to be obvious as she scanned the dance floor.

‘He’s not here yet,’ Rosie said. ‘Walker said they’re coming at nine.’

Isabella resisted the urge to check her watch and leaned into Amber’s conversation, who was telling the others about Nonna’s arrival.

‘So, she’s living with you? How sweet!’ Rosie clapped her hands.

‘For the time being,’ Isabella said. ‘I managed to persuade her at last. But she doesn’t want to live with me for ever. She’s a very independent woman. Ideally, she’d like somewhere of her own so that she can bring a boyfriend home if she wants to.’

Amber spluttered on her drink.

‘Boyfriend?’

Isabella laughed. ‘My nonno has been dead a long time. I guess she still has needs!’

‘Must be nice for you to have some family around, with your parents being away.’

‘It’s so lovely to see her. And the restaurant is all about family, so it feels right that she’s here at the start.

How long she stays is up to her. I think a lot of it will depend on how long my parents travel, and how long she wants to cook for.

We agreed that when she’d had enough, she’ll train someone else on the family recipes. ’

‘Has she settled in? She didn’t mind you coming out tonight?’ Rosie asked.

‘You obviously haven’t met her yet!’ Gabi laughed. ‘She’s out herself. Went to join the local chess club.’

‘I guess that answers my question then. Good on Grandma.’

‘Tell us about you, Jesse?’

Jesse wiggled in excitement in his seat at being the centre of attention.

‘What do you want to know?’

‘Everything!’ Rosie said. ‘Like, why you smell so good for a start!’

Gabi and Isabella rolled their eyes at each other as Jesse beckoned the girls closer with his finger to stage-whisper about the aftershave tumble dryer trick.

‘And talking of laundry, did you hear how I met Isabella?’ He then proceeded to tell them in excruciating detail how he met her in the first week of university when she was so drunk she peed in the laundry basket for their dorm.

‘Lifelong friends ever since!’

They all clinked glasses, Isabella distracted by the door opening as Fox, Walker and, finally, Etienne entered the club and headed for the bar.

All nine of them were now squeezed into the booth. Isabella was trapped at the back, hemmed in by Gabi on one side and Amber on the other. She felt something tap her foot and locked eyes with Etienne, who was half smiling at her across the table. Her stomach lurched.

Birthday drinks were ordered, toasts were made.

‘Is there a band on tonight?’ Isabella asked, thinking of Throwback Thursday, and that it might give her a chance to get up close and personal with Etienne on the dance floor.

Wren looked up, surprised. Rosie snorted.

‘Didn’t you tell her?’ Wren asked. Amber bit her lip to stop herself laughing.

‘It’s a thing we do– for birthdays,’ she explained.

‘Whoever’s birthday it is,’ Amber said, and everyone pointed at Etienne, ‘has to do karaoke first. Then there’s a DJ later.’

Etienne nodded, almost sheepishly.

‘It’s been running at The Bolthole for ages. That’s why Etienne’s name is up there.’ Amber pointed to a chalkboard above the bar, where it had two names printed in capital letters. SYLVIA and then ETIENNE.

‘Looks like there are two birthday parties today.’

‘That’s why the guys got here at nine, because that’s normally when the karaoke starts.’

As if on cue, the bar manager jumped the bar and leaped onto the stage. His long hipster beard was impeccably groomed; he must have spent a fortune on beard oil to make it gleam in the spotlights.

‘Welcome to The Bolthole!’ he said, doing a quick spin on the spot, arms wide, dozens of leather bracelets tied around each wrist. The crowd cheered.

‘First to the stage tonight for Birthday Karaoke is the lovely Sylvia!’

A booth on the other side of the stage erupted into cheers and whistles as a petite blonde girl stood up and waved before downing the drink in front of her. A spotlight followed her onto the stage, where she smoothed her hair off her face and straightened her shoulders.

‘Have you had a good birthday, Sylvia?’ the bar manager asked. She nodded and hiccupped at the same time. ‘And what are you going to be singing tonight for us, Sylvia?’

Sylvia took the microphone he offered her and said, ‘“It’s Not Unusual”!’

‘Over to you, Sylvia!’ The bar manager spun on the spot again and then jumped off the stage. The music started and Sylvia was straight into it, sidestepping in time.

The entire club joined in immediately and Sylvia’s smile widened. By the end of the song, she was absolutely belting it out. Once Sylvia had taken a bow to the crowd’s deafening applause, the bar manager bounded back up to the stage.

‘Is it you now?’ Isabella said across the table to Etienne. He grinned.

‘Not quite yet,’ he said.

‘So as is customary, the birthday girl’s table will now have their go!’ Three girls in Sylvia’s booth jumped up and down before running to the stage.

‘Sorry, we didn’t tell you the whole story!’ Amber said with a nudge.

‘You mean, I have to do it?’ Isabella swallowed, every sexy feeling draining away and being replaced by horror.

‘Etienne’s doing his with the boys,’ Wren said.

‘So, we four girls can go up together!’ Rosie looked delighted about this while Isabella’s face fell.

‘Wait, what about Jesse and Gabi?’

‘I’m happy to watch!’ Gabi laughed. ‘This is going to be brilliant,’ she said, throwing a knowing look at Isabella.

‘We’ll get the crowd going down here!’ Jesse said. ‘Leave that to us.’

‘Sorted,’ said Amber.

‘But I can’t sing!’ Isabella said, grasping Amber’s arm.

‘It’ll be fine!’ Amber said as the music started again and the three girls on stage started ‘Mamma Mia’, complete with poses and synchronised dance routine. Isabella took a long gulp of her drink and filled it again before the girls finished, running off the stage back to their booth.

Fox, Etienne and Walker all stood.

‘Wish us luck!’ Fox said as they headed to the sound man.

‘Next up is the ageless heartthrob of Honeybridge. . . Etienne!’ Isabella noticed a surge of women moving towards the front. The manager pumped Etienne’s hand and asked, ‘Good birthday so far, Etienne?’

Etienne peered into the spotlight in the direction of Isabella’s booth. ‘It’s been a great day, thanks,’ he said with a wolfish smile. ‘But I think somehow the best is yet to come.’

Isabella crossed her bare legs under the table, pressing her thighs together.

‘And what are you singing tonight?’ the beard asked.

Etienne shaded his eyes again, still looking directly at the booth.

‘The Rolling Stones,’ he said. ‘“Satisfaction”.’

‘I can help with that!’ someone shouted from the dark edges of the dance floor, to much hilarity.

Wren put her two fingers in her mouth and wolf whistled. Women stamped their feet on the floor. Isabella made a noise deep in her throat as she looked at him in the spotlight, shirt undone at the top, sleeves pushed up, belted jeans fitting like a glove.

‘Holy Mary, Mother of God,’ Jesse mouthed across the table to her, crossing himself at the same time.