i'm to blame

“Drinks wise?” she asked, pausing for just a moment to think about what was her biggest vice. “Hard to say. I think it’s probably the tequila. Once I start drinking that it tends to be game over. You?”

“Tequila is a cruel mistress and I admire you for taking her on anyway. I think tequila made up my whole first year attempt at uni actually. No wonder I didn’t learn anything,” he joked. Generally speaking, he was a whiskey man but--- “Sambuca. Almost killed me my 21st birthday and I only sort of learned my lesson.”

What the hell was she supposed to say? This was all so bizarre to her anyway and now she had this guy in front of her thinking she was someone else. “No.” Soul searching? He probably wouldn’t even believe her, he’d think that his sister Aria had just cracked or something. “Look, I’m not… Aria. I think you should call your sister. Uh. Lauren? You should call Lauren.”

“Watch it.” She warned him, but it was more a joke than anything. “Our mugshot book is doing just fine without your mug in it.” She told him, shaking her head. It was strange to her, to have him around here. Manchester and childhood seemed so long ago and yet it still felt like yesterday sometimes too. “How very generous.” She chuckled, giving him a look. “Yeah, go on then. I mean, I do deserve it after all.” She joked.

She chuckled, “Probably, I mean who knows at this point. I’m sure Steve would love that.” Joan said to him before nodding, “ Yes, he is important. Well at least to a lot of people. I’m just thankful I have a job that I love doing. My old job wasn’t exactly a good one.”  She told him with a chuckle, “ Well thank you, and yes that’s me. It’s nice to meet you as well.” 

“I’m sure he knows in his heart of hearts just how important you are too. Hopefully not a nightmare of a boss though? I know I’ve had my fair share of them but I used to have a pretty bad habit of just walking out when things got shitty. Definitely not the employee of the month, me.” Anthony grinned, thinking not for the first time that Baberton maybe wasn’t that bad. “I think my brief three week stint cleaning night clubs was my worst ever. I’m glad you’ve made it. Any time. You can call me Anthony. Or whatever you want really, I’m easy like that.”

“Ooh. As long as that M isn’t murder… it would be such a terrible waste.” She grinned a bit and shook her head slightly. No, she was definitely not flirting. That was always bad. She lost herself too quickly. She tilted her head to the side and nearly laughed as he used the term ‘vibing’. Were they teenagers now? “Oh, no… that is a horrid question to ask. I would hate to ruin a perfectly good conversation by telling you that I do quite enjoy pineapple and Canadian bacon on a pizza.” 

Amanda laughed and shook her head. “Any animal has no problem biting if you get in their space.” She grinned, dropping her hand down onto the golden lab’s head. Harley had sat beside her chair all quiet and peaceful just waiting for her next order. It never ceased to bring a smile to Amanda’s face as she thought about how well the pup had taken to her training. “Hm. Lauren is pretty amazing. She is seeing my cousin, Brooke. So, is that what brings you to town? Hanging around with the fam?” 

“I feel your pain, I really do, but I’m not in the habit of carrying around paracetamol.” Braden indicated the seat across from him at the small outdoor table, then pointed to the Hot Spot sign, “How about coffee instead?”

Vivienne stared back at him blankly for a long moment or two, feeling more awkward by the second. An absent hand lifted to play with the ends of her long hair when he mentioned it. At first, she didn’t click, but then she remembered this had happened more than once already and that she’d found out she shared blood with all these siblings, many of which she hadn’t met yet. “Uh… sorry, you…” Had Lauren and Aria told everybody yet? “I’m not actually... who you think I am.” What the hell was she supposed to say?

“No, no elaborate ruse,” Manon replied with a laugh as she reached in her purse to find the pills in question. “These work well for me when I’m hungover so I’m sure they should work well for you, too.”

“That’s a comfort then. I mean, it would be a record that since I’ve only been here a minute and already I’d be on someone’s hit list,” he joked. “Tried and true. Cheers for help, really. What’s it that gets you then? Drinks-wise.”

“Oh, yeah. Baberton is just rolling in drama; love, familia, murder, mystery, mayhem. It’s practically a television show. You never know what tomorrow’s episode will be.” She shrugged a bit, grinning slightly. She had seen quite a bit of drama herself and it still made her a little nervous just thinking about it. She laughed out loud and shook her head a bit. “Well, which ever Henderson brother you are speaking to at that moment - they are my favorite. We have known each other five minutes and I think you know me completely.” 

“You’re welcome,” she laughed, fishing into her purse and finding the bottle in question. “Two should do the trick.”

“Yes, doctor,” he said, adding in a mock salute before he swallowed down the pills. “Mm. I feel like this is the part where I should say ‘and I’ll never be drinking again’. We just shouldn’t have to suffer for a good time.” 

“Oh, you are so sweet. You flatter me.” She shook her head a bit, leaning back in the chair a bit. She tilted her head to the side and nodded. “I think everyone can get on board with a good murder mystery.” She smiled brightly at him and shrugged. “I mean, I sort of am on the clock. I am not sure I ever really clock out for the day.” 

Her eyes widened a bit and she laughed. “You broke into a petting zoo? And a llama…?” She shook her head slightly. “I think your adventures definitely top mine. Then again, how much of it do you actually remember?” She tilted her chair back slightly, balancing on the wheels. It was her way of fidgeting now. “Pleasure to meet you, Anthony. I am Amanda Ford… any chance Hayes means related to Lauren…?” 

“They actually could be. I don’t rarely take a lot of selfies, just mainly play games that’s all.” She told him before shaking her head, “ No. My boss is Steve Bates. He’s  just been so busy lately that I unfortunately have to do all his paperwork.” 

“Well, you definitely could. Probably break the internet posting something that good,” he grinned before nodding like he had any idea who Steve Bates was. “He sounds important. Right, so you are the ‘even greater woman’ behind the man they’re always talking about. Great to meet you.” 

Lauren looked back at him. Her family was always one of the most important things to her, even when it was siblings who’d drifted away over the years. She wished it hadn’t been like that but everyone coped differently and she supposed there were so many of them it was bound to happen, maybe would have still happened even if their parents hadn’t… anyway, she didn’t want to think about that. “Oh, yeah, sure.” Lauren said, as if it was just a given. “Sounds fun.” She smiled a little and then she thought for a second before nodding. “Yeah. Alright. I could probably use the caffeine boost to be honest.”