"So are you going to ask her out then?" You ask Willie as you exited the lift.
"I'm not sure, it would be a bit awkward if she said no considering I've got to go to Paris with her next week for the conference." He replied getting out his keys to unlock his door.
"Good point, is she coming tonight?"
"No, I only invited you from work, well I invited Josh but he's busy this weekend at a family thing."
"Oh mate, I feel so privileged you've invited me!" You said giving his arm a playful shove. "Glad you did though was an excuse to decline a second date with that twat I went out with last week."
You made your way through his flat to the kitchen and sat at the breakfast bar. Willie went to the fridge to get a couple of bottles of water, handing you one. You guzzled half the bottle almost instantly. You and Willie had just done a 5k run and you were thirsty.
You'd been away all week for work, while Willie had been in the office so you'd not seen each other all week. You worked in the same department and his desk was next to yours. You had got to know each other well since you started at the company 10 months ago. Willie was cute, with an Irish accent but there was no spark between you both. People always asked if you were dating or secretly sleeping together and it was the joke of the office but you had both agreed that you didn't fancy each other and a great friendship had emerged.
"That bad?!" He asked laughing.
"Seriously how do I just attract weirdos??!!! Is there something wrong with me???!!!!"
"What happened then? This was the lad from the pub the other week right?" He asked, sipping his water.
"Yeah we met like two weeks ago when I was out with Gemma for her birthday and he is a friend of a friend or something. Anyway, we chatted throughout the night and he asked for my number. So we text for a bit just casual conversation and we went out last Saturday night."
"So what happened on the date?"
"Oh he was a total leech! Kept making smutty comments to me all evening. It was fucking gross. Plus he had like no fashion sense at all. When we met he had jeans and a t shirt on which is so not appropriate on a date to a fancy restaurant."
"What things was he saying?" Willie asked with a smirk on his face.
"Just general sexual questions, I seriously didn't want to leave my drink on the table in case he spiked it while I went to the loo. He tried to invite himself back to mine and I declined and got a taxi home alone not before he tried to kiss me against the car. I ducked away and gave him a shitty hug."
"Oh my God, that's the date from hell!" He said laughing.
"I know right? Seriously what the fuck do I need to do to find someone half decent. I'm not talking marriage, I'm talking dating you know nice meals out, going to the movies and just generally getting some fucking great sex every so often!"
You looked up to see Willie's famous and very hot cousin Niall, stood in the doorway. Fucking hell he was absolutely gorgeous wearing just simple jersey shorts and a t shirt. His crazy thick brunette hair all over the place and when he ran his fingers through it you stared at him for longer than needed.
"Hey am I interrupting?!" He smirked, catching you staring.
"Not interrupting. Niall this is Charlotte my friend from work, Charlotte my cousin and flatmate Niall." Willie said as you waved your hand hello.
He gave you another smirk and made his way over to the fridge.
"Sorry if we woke you. Willie said you were on a late flight last night." You said taking a sip from your water slightly embarrassed by your sex comment he'd heard.
"It's ok love, was awake anyway. Heard you both come in. You been for a run?"
"Yeah, just 5k got to get this boy fit somehow!" You said laughing, grateful that he didn't mention what he'd heard. Willie wasn't over weight but at 32 he knew if he didn't start exercising then the beer gut would creep in and he'd be in a midlife crisis before he knew it. You loved to run so had offered to be his buddy.
"She's hard on me to, nearly passed out on the way back but she kept fucking running and shouting at me to keep up!"
"If you want a tight firm arse Mr Devine you've got to work for it!" You said laughing. "Maybe ask Lara if she fancies a Saturday morning run one week?"
"I'm trying to attract her to me, not scare her!" He said laughing.
"Good point! Are you nervous about your trip though?" You asked.
"Trip?" Niall asked. You'd actually forgotten he was there, he'd had his head in the pantry looking for something.
"Yeah, Paris for a few days next week for a conference." Willie replied.
"Anyway, why the fuck do I get stuck with Dave at a conference in Glasgow and you get to go to Paris with Lara? Have you been fucking old Mrs Winters from Andy's office so she books Lara on the trip instead of me?!"
"Well ............... Mrs Winters is a very cute 65 year old woman!"
"Oh god!" You replied, covering your mouth with your hand.
"Seriously though with the rumours at work about us I suspect that's why they won't let us travel together."
"You think?" You asked smirking.
"Rumours?" Niall asked.
"Oh yeah apparently it's weird that Willie and I are just friends and that we don't fuck each other." You said shrugging your shoulders. "I keep trying to get him naked but he's just not interested."
"This is the type of shit you say that gets people whispering in the office!" Willie said smirking.
"Oh come on, we work in finance its boring! I like making the office fun!"
"True, it is funny when people walk in to the break room where we are literally just drinking coffee and go Oh sorry am I interrupting!" He said laughing.
"Probably doesn't help that I grab your arse daily and tell you how much I love an Irish accent!"
"You two are fucking crazy!" Niall said laughing, his eyes firmly on you.
"Well Willie is, I'm perfectly normal!" You smiled back. "Right I'm going to get my sweaty arse home for a shower and food. What time shall I meet you at the pub?"
"About 7:30, you know where it is don't you?"
"Yeah I do" you said hopping down off the barstool and walking over to Willie. "See you later lover boy!" Before kissing his cheek and giving Niall a wave and heading towards the door.
"So .......... that was the famous Charlotte." You said.
"God don't you start!" Willie laughed.
"So you two are not........ You know.........fucking as she called it?"
"No she's just my friend. She's gorgeous but there is literally no spark between us. We are both on the same page to."
"So she's single? I heard her saying something about a date as I walked in."
Willie eyed you suspiciously. "Yeah, she's single, having a few disastrous dates recently which have been hilarious if I'm honest."
"And she's out tonight?"
Willie nodded you could see he was wondering where this was going.
"Hmm" you replied. "Is she always so bold like that?"
"Like what?"
"Just that she seems like she knows her own mind, bit sassy and independent. Doesn't take any shit."
"Yep, that's Charlotte."
"Beautiful to."
"Oh yeah, got yourself a bit of a crush have you mate?" Willie laughed.
"Fuck off! Just paying her a compliment. I met her for like ten minutes." You say as you leave him standing in the kitchen.
You made it to the pub by 7:45. You'd got side tracked by your crazy mother asking if you were eating enough.
Seriously you were 28 years old.
Had moved out when you were 18 to go to university and yet she still called each week and asked the same questions. Were you eating enough, had you called your grandma that week, had you been on any dates? She would then moan about how you hadn't visited and how far away you were, when in reality you were an hour's drive away but because she hated to drive in London she hardly ever visited you.
The added bonus in today's conversation was that she gave you a full run through of your little sisters wedding plans. She also slipped in the 'we thought you'd be the first to get married' comment.
Excellent.
You definitely were no where near that considering you didn't even have a boyfriend. Plus you weren't even sure you wanted kids. You loved your job and you weren't ready to give that up for a husband and kids, not just yet anyway.
The weather was freezing for February and there was a chance of snow this weekend. The warmth of the pub as you opened the door was welcoming. You looked around for Willie and your friends, spotting them in the corner by the fruit machines.
"Hey Charlotte, you ok?" Willie asked.
"No it's fucking freezing outside!" You smiled as you took off your scarf and coat. "Sorry I'm late, got stuck talking to my mother!"
"You've beautiful rosey cheeks Char!" Deo said laughing. "Come sit on my knee and I'll warm you up."
Everyone laughed. "Oh Deo stop trying it on with me! But yeah I'll have a cuddle, I need one, my mother has pissed me right off!"
You hung your stuff on the back of the free chair between Deo and Niall before parking your bum on Deos lap. He wrapped his arms around your waist as you wrapped yours around his neck and shoulders. He did actually warm you up bless him, although his hand on your arse raised a few eyebrows, especially Niall's.
"Watch your hands Deo!" You said laughing. "Right, who needs a drink?"
You made a mental note of the drinks needed and headed up to the bar. "Hey, I'll come and help" Niall said standing up from his seat. You felt his presence and smelt his cologne right behind you as you stood at the crowded bar. You gave your order as he managed to manoeuvre into a space that opened up next to you.
"So, how's your day been?" He asked nervously.
"Um, actually quite boring thanks! Just did some shopping and chores. How about you?"
"Just chilled out, slept a bit, just trying to shrug off this jet lag."
"Willie said you've been away for a couple of months this time?"
"Yeah at my place in LA and then doing promo around the states."
"Sounds busy." You say quickly as the barman told you the total to pay.
"Hey, I'll get these" he offered.
"No its fine, it's my round" you say giving the barman your card.
"You're a feisty one aren't you?!" He said smirking.
"Excuse me???" You say smiling. "I'm not feisty!"
You took your card back from the barman who had a grin on his face, clearly finding the conversation amusing.
"Yeah you are! Just trying to buy a girl a drink and she gets all sassy on me!"
"Shut up!" You say smirking. "I don't need some sexy young popstar to buy me a drink and anyway, it was my round". You gave him a wink before picking up the tray of drinks and walking off towards the table leaving Niall at the bar gobsmacked.
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Em x