Her smile seemed genuine this time, a hint of that open warmth he remembered from Christmas. “I am. We’ve done all the touristy things and it’s been so cool, right?” She looked at Oliver, who once again had been browsing the room.
“Huh?” Oliver said. “Right. Yes, that’s right. It’s been epic, right, babe?” Babe? Josie raised her eyebrows at him, though whether at the “babe” or at him just repeating the same question back to her, Max wasn’t sure. “Look, I’m really sorry all,” said Oliver, in what Max considered an overly pompous voice, like he was playing up the English for the American audience, “but I’ve got to speak to a couple of people—here for work, after all.” He gave a rueful headshake, like he wasn’t just loving that fact.
“And I’m going to have to go to the ladies,” Josie said immediately, as if she’d been waiting for the opportunity to get out of the conversation. To be fair, Max could hardly blame her—it wasn’t exactly riveting conversation here. Oliver nodded, gave her shoulder one last squeeze, then strolled purposefully round the other side of the bar. Josie turned, hesitated, then looked back at Max. “It was nice to see you again—sorry, I should have said that earlier.” She smiled a little, her gaze flickering quickly to Erin and back again. “You’re well?” She added it like an afterthought, and he could only nod. “Well. I hope you all have a lovely time—and enjoy New York, if you’re visiting.” She directed the last part to Chloe and Erin, like she was setting up stakes here and not just a visitor herself.
Chloe raised her glass to toast Josie. “Cheers.”
Josie walked away with quick, long strides and Max watched her retreating back for a moment, downing the last dregs of his drink.
“Actually, I think I need to go to the loo too,” Erin said. She finished her drink, put it on the bar behind her. “Be back in a min, OK?” She squeezed Max’s arm as she swept after Josie. Max took half a step after her, almost thinking to stop her—what if she cornered Josie or something? But Chloe swung round to face him, closing him, Liam, and her off from the rest of the room.
“Who on earth was that, and why do you look so worried about it?” Max looked toward Liam for help, but he just shook his head, still looking faintly bemused. Fat lot of bloody help he was. “She’s the girl, isn’t she?” Chloe pressed.
“What girl?” He set his empty glass down behind him. From the look on his sister’s face, he knew he wasn’t quite pulling off the nonchalance.
“The girl.” She nodded when he said nothing, his silence apparently answer enough, then folded her arms, tapping her fingers against one elbow. “She’s cute.” To Max’s eye, “cute” seemed like an incredible understatement for the way Josie looked tonight.
“Hang on,” Liam said. “What am I missing here?”
When Max just shook his head, Chloe turned to Liam. “He fell for this girl in London when he was stuck there last year, and then he just left her, and hasn’t spoken to her since. That is said girl,” she added unnecessarily.
Liam’s gaze flickered between Max and Chloe. “Right,” he said. “And, umm, why did you leave her, exactly?”
Max gave Chloe a do not say anything look, and she huffed out a breath. Liam looked between them. “Right,” he said again. “Well, I’ll get us more drinks, shall I?” Max nodded gratefully. God bloody love Liam.
His gaze shot to the corner of the room. Josie was coming out from where the loos were now. Was it just him, or was there more of a tightness to the way she was holding herself? He did a quick scan of the room, located Oliver chatting to another old guy in a suit, intently focused on what the guy was saying and apparently oblivious to Josie. Now was the time, then.
He’d barely taken a step when Chloe swung round in front of him again. “Do you really think that’s such a good idea?” He said nothing. “What are you going to say?”
He spared Chloe a brief glance. “I don’t know. I need to explain.”
Chloe huffed out a breath. “She’s with someone else now, there’s no point in confusing the issue.”
Max scowled. “That guy’s a dick.”
Chloe scoffed. “That’s hardly the point. And what about Erin?” Max could only glare at her. Liam stepped toward them and handed them both a drink, looking very like he was trying to think of something constructive to say, which, in all fairness, was more difficult when you had very little idea as to what was going on. Chloe sighed. “It’s not fair, Max. To anyone. I just don’t think you should open it all up again.” She tapped her fingers on the stem of her wine glass. “Though you didn’t have to make it so bloody dramatic when you left—what happened to the good old petering things out over WhatsApp?”