Chapter 1
Paul stuffed his hands deep in his leather coat pockets as he walked along the brightly lit bridge. He could hear the river rushing in torrents below him and he tilted his head down protecting his face from the bitter wind. The temperature had dropped considerably since this morning and the icy road glistened in the moonlight. As a bus pulled to a stop just in front of him, Paul questioned his sanity for even being out here. Not only was he freezing his ass off, he had a ton of paperwork to get through. The ever ominous deadline was looming over his head. But Jamie had called him and he couldn't refuse a friend. And besides, he hadn't seen the guy in over six months.
As Paul sidestepped a pedestrian, he thought about the last time he had actually seen Jamie. It had been just before the summer, before he'd been contracted abroad. Jamie worked in the oil industry and had just returned from the Indian Ocean. He'd taken various different contracts since graduating six years ago. In fact that was where they had met, the North Eastern University. Both of them had studied the same course in civil engineering. They'd become roommates in their second year and had remained close friends ever since.
Paul continued on his journey lifting his head as he crossed the busy street. A steady stream of traffic rumbled past him as he carried on walking, weaving in and out among the pedestrians. It was a Friday night and the waterfront was busy as usual. The bars and restaurants lit up either side of the tree-lined street. He had arranged to Jamie at their usual place, a bar called The Globe. He could see the blue neon sign against the black night sky. As he walked towards the building, he passed a group of teenagers on the street. An amused smile crossed his face as he spotted the disguised liquor bottles in their hands.
"Excuse me."
Paul's head turned at the sound of her soft voice. Pushing back his hair with his hand, his brown eyes fell on the brunette standing with her back to the red brick wall.
"You couldn't tell me the time, could you?"
"Sure." smiled Paul lifting his wrist to check his gold watch.
As he glanced down at the white glass face, he couldn't help but think how crazy she was for standing there. The lady wasn't exactly dressed to brave the elements. Her short black dress barely skimmed the tops of her slender thighs. Her knee length boots were her only protection against the cold. She wasn't even wearing a coat for Christ sakes. The woman clearly had a death wish or was just plain nuts. Probably a mixture of both. He was surprised she hadn't already turned blue from exposure.
"It's almost nine thirty."
"Oh." she said simply. A soft sigh escaped from her lips. "We were supposed to meet here at nine."
Paul smiled at her sympathetically. His blonde hair blew behind him in the wind. He had to wonder at the moron who had left this girl waiting. This chick was definitely hot and if she was his date, he'd be making sure he was on time. Despite other faults, he had never been a guy who left his ladies hanging.
"I'm sure he'll be along soon." he said feeling awkward but trying to sound encouraging at the same time.
"It's a she actually." The young girl rubbed her bare arm and smiled at him. He noticed her bottom lip was lightly trembling. "I'm waiting on my best friend."
Paul smiled as he stepped aside to let a couple holding hands pass him on the sidewalk. His feet shuffled on the frosted concrete as he tucked his windswept strands behind his ear. "Well maybe you should wait inside. You're freezing cold out here. You're going to catch your death."
"You're sweet but I'm fine." Her lips upturned into a smile. Her eyes suddenly went wide as she looked past his shoulder. "Oh there she is now." she stated, relieved.
Paul turned his head. A blonde haired girl was running along the lit up street. The sound of her heels was drowned out by the sound of a cab as it rumbled by.
"In that case, I'll leave you to it. Goodnight." he said smiling at the brunette and his big hand pushed open the heavy wooden door.
"Thank you." she called out behind him.
He gave her a small wave before disappearing into the building. His face began to tingle in the warm, smoky air. The place was buzzing with conversation and some rock tune played in the background. Paul peered round the softly lit room looking for his friend. He recognised a few faces here and there and smiled in acknowledgment as he passed them. He apologised as he bumped into somebody's shoulder as he wandered towards the bar. Seconds later he felt the thump on his back just as he'd pushed his way to the polished cherry wood counter. A grin crossed his face as the voice boomed out behind him.
"Well would you look at who just dragged their ass in the door!"
Chuckling, Paul felt an arm wrap around his shoulder. A big hand squeezed him through the leather material of his coat. Jamie was an affectionate bastard sober or drunk. He was also extremely loud and tonight was no exception. Paul could see the heads that had turned to look his way.
"You're fucking late Levesque. I said nine o'clock."
Paul summoned the bar tender and turned to his friend. A grin was stretched wide across his deeply tanned face. "Quit your bitching. I got here as quick as I could."
"Is Nicole giving you a hard time again?"
Paul's smile faltered slightly as he turned to the bar tender and ordered two bottles of Miller. He felt Jamie's eyes watching him as he removed his wallet from his pocket. "Nic and I split up."
"Man, I'm sorry." Jamie's hand squeezed his shoulder. Paul paid for the drinks and forced a smile as he handed over the beer. "When did this happen?"
Paul shrugged his shoulders as he took a mouthful of the cold liquid. "A couple of months back." His brown eyes focused on his beer. His thick fingers picked at the wet, peeling label. "She was pissed off with the amount of hours I had been putting in at work."
In fact, pissed off was an understatement as Paul found out the night he came home to find her clothes and belongings gone. It appeared Nicole had enjoyed the money and the nice house but eating dinner alone for the fifth night that week had been the final straw. Of course, he couldn't blame her. He knew he had been neglecting her but being the project engineer on a new construction programme meant he had responsibilities. Responsibilities that for him, were far more important than his girlfriend of three years. Of course that right there should have told him something. Unfortunately their relationship had appeared to have run its course. At least Nicole had the courage to acknowledge it.
"You always were a workaholic." said Jamie.
Paul smiled and drunk his beer.
"I just thought Nicole might be the one to change that."
"What are you? My fucking mother?" said Paul as he shook his head in Jamie's direction.
"I take it Mama Levesque been giving you a hard time?" asked Jamie, chuckling. He took a mouthful of beer wiping his chin as the liquid spilled over his bottom lip. "You know she just wants her little boy to hurry up and settle down." he teased ruffling his friend's long blonde hair.
"Fuck off Riggs." Paul scowled as he batted away his big hand. The sound of Jamie's laughter boomed across the busy bar. Paul couldn't help but smile as he brushed his fingers through his messy strands. He was annoying as fuck but you could never stay mad at him for long.
"So I guess this means you're back on the market."
Paul snorted in disgust at that suggestion. "Forget it. I'm through with relationships."
He placed his empty beer bottle on the counter. He summoned the bar tender for another. He was definitely in the mood for getting drunk tonight. He couldn't remember the last time he had cut loose and just enjoyed himself. Probably way before Nicole had sunk her claws into him. That fucking woman had his balls so tight he was lucky they hadn't dropped off through lack of circulation.
"So, you're giving up on women huh?"
Paul smirked as he turned to Jamie. "I said I was done with relationships. That doesn't mean my dick has fallen off."
Jamie snorted with laughter. He spluttered as beer trickled down his nostril.
"You know you're fucking disgusting." said Paul as his nose scrunched in disapproval.
Jamie wiped at his face. His shoulders still shook with his laughter. "Yeah, well you sound like a fucking whore. You do know we're not in college any more Toto. Decent women our age won't just give it up and sleep with a guy."
"Who says?" Paul smiled cockily. "I'm telling you man. I could have my pick of any woman in this room." He thanked the bar tender as he took the beers. He handed one to Jamie who nodded his thanks and grinned.
"You know, I forgot what an arrogant prick you were."
Paul laughed as he took a mouthful of his beer. His brown eyes surveyed the crowded room. He noticed a middle aged couple sitting in silence at a table. Paul chuckled and looked away. If that was the joy of a committed relationship, you could keep it.
"You were quite the player at college." said Jamie. "Remember that first wager we made?"
Paul swallowed his beer and laughed. "You bet me fifty bucks that I couldn't get Melissa Parker to agree to a date. You lost my friend."
"I still don't believe it. She had a fucking girlfriend. She wasn't meant to swing that way!"
"What can I say? When you got it, you got it." snickered Paul as he saw a blonde standing by the jukebox. Her curvy body was squeezed into the tiniest dress imaginable. He was surprised she could breathe wearing that thing. One wrong move and her head would be in grave danger of popping right off.
"Think you still have it?"
Paul turned his head towards Jamie. His brown eyes narrowed curiously in his direction. "Is that a challenge, my friend?"
Jamie wore an arrogant smirk on his face as he poked him in the chest with the neck of his beer bottle. "Why of course. It would be the same terms and conditions as usual. I pick the lady. You have to obtain intimate knowledge of her."
"How long have I got?"
"One month."
"A month?" snorted Paul in disbelief. "You may as well give me your money man because it is as good as mine."
"I wouldn't be so sure not with the lady I have in mind."
"Which one is it?" Paul asked as his eyes scoured the busy bar.
"Check out the table on the right, the one beside the fruit machine."
Paul shifted his body and looked in that direction. A small smirk traced his lips as he saw the two women sitting there. It was the crazy lady that had asked him the time outside and her friend who looked like she had finally caught her breath.
"You see the brunette?"
Paul nodded his head.
"One hundred bucks says you crash and burn with that one."
"One hundred?" asked Paul, his tongue thoughtfully licking his lips. His arm rested against the bar as his brown eyes focused on her.
"I know her man. You've got no chance in hell. They called her the Ice Queen in school and it was for a damn good reason. She never put out. Fuck, I bet she still doesn't. She's an attorney now. She eats guys like us for breakfast."
Paul smiled. There was no doubt she definitely sounded like a challenge. But he liked that. In fact, the challenge actually made things much more exciting. God knows he could use a little fun in his life. As she crossed a leg over her knee exposing her long, toned thigh, Paul smirked and turned to his friend. "Make it five hundred and you've got yourself a bet."
"Five hundred bucks?" snorted Jamie, his green eyes wide as he stared at his friend.
He chuckled and shook his head, his large hand running through his short dark strands. "What can I say? It's your funeral man." He took Paul's outstretched hand and vigorously shook it up and down. "It's going to kill you to give me your money, Paulie boy."
"Fuck off. It's as good as mine."
"I don't think so, man. You've met your match with that one."
As Paul looked over in the brunette's direction, he smirked and wondered if that would be true. Not that it mattered. He would do whatever it took to win her over. He had never been in the habit of losing a bet and he sure as hell wasn't about to start now.
