The Subcrawl (A Romantic Comedy)

Chapter 14

Govan

Chloe

I'd decided to go on my chocolate run because Liam chatting to that girl from earlier was getting under my skin and I couldn't watch it anymore. Even when Becky came back to the table with the drinks and said she was sure she'd heard my name mentioned, I was still annoyed. It's not like I had any context. Getting the hell out of the pub for a breather seemed like the best option.

But now, after our brief conversation outside, I'm realising more and more that I've misjudged Liam all along. Assuming the worst of him. I'd thought he was late and had ignored the theme due to some sort of one night stand, when he'd actually been at the hospital checking in on his gran. Guilt gnaws at my insides. What else have I guessed wrongly about him all this time?

I think, deep down, I offered the hug as a gesture of apology for my snap judgements over the years more than some sort of comfort. However, if it was meant to be some sort of sacrifice on my part, it certainly didn't feel that way. My body still feels warm from it. Happy. Safe.

When we go back inside, all hell has broken loose at the table. The drama seems to be centering around Lola and Colin, who are clearly arguing with each other. Lola is crying. Colin looks furious. Which is odd because I've never really witnessed Colin being anything other than just . . . Colin. Sturdy, dependable, maybe even a little boring, dare I say? Seems like there's life in the old dog yet.

"What the fuck?" Liam says, under his breath.

Becky has slipped out of her chair and joins us. "Lola took the dares a wee bit too seriously," she whispers. "You just missed her deciding to kiss a stranger herself and then just going for it." She indicates a guy standing at the bar, who is looking a bit shell-shocked.

"In front of her boyfriend?" I blink. "Surely that's the one dare she shouldn't have done?"

"You'd think, wouldn't you?" Becky rolls her eyes.

Aw Lola. What an eejit. I glance over at her. She's clearly had way too much to drink. Luke is directing Lola and Colin towards the door, maybe to get them to stop making a scene. Lola points at us. "I just . . . After I saw them kiss I just wanted to see what it was like . . . It looked so amazing."

Dear God. She wanted a kiss like me and Liam? Oh come on.  I mean, it was a great kiss, don't get me wrong. But it was a dare kiss.

Poor Colin. Hopefully they can resolve this, and fast. I definitely think that the issue here has been too much booze and a case of Lola getting too carried away with her dares, rather than anything more serious. I don't think she has a secret thing for Liam, and I don't think she was too interested in the guy she kissed either.

Luke reappears. "Colin is taking Lola home," he reports. "She's absolutely pissed, and he's not much better." He gives Becky a quick hug and pulls her back to the table.

I definitely didn't expect to outlast Lola on the subcrawl. Seems her chaos has came to an end... for now, anyway.

I turn to Liam, laughing nervously. "Here, if we'd known Lola was only going to last for one more pub we could have probably gotten out of that kiss."

He shrugs. "Good point." He looks down at me and his eyes darken suddenly. "To be perfectly honest though, I didn't really want to get out of it," he says softly.

My stomach starts to churn nervously as his gaze flits away from me briefly then back. Time stops once again.

I try to speak but can't straight away. The words want to come out but I'm so nervous to admit the truth. "Me neither," I finally manage to say.

"It was a good kiss," he murmurs. There's that look in his eyes again, the look from the subway. I can't quite decipher it but it makes my legs feel weak.

"A great kiss," I reply, my heart thudding wildly against my chest. The eye contact is intense.

"The question is . . ." He trails off, running a hand through his hair. Which seems to be something he does when he's confused or stressed, I've realised. He takes a deep breath before he continues. "Do you think it's something you might want to do again?"

I'm shaking with nerves by now. This is definitely not something I was expecting when I came to this subcrawl today. I was anticipating a lot of awkwardness . . . just from myself in general. I was worried about my ex showing up. About having to be switched "on" all day. About possibly getting too drunk and embarrassing myself. I was even, I suppose, fretting a bit about seeing Liam and wondering what the hell we would end up arguing about this time.

The one thing I did not forsee was this growing attraction to him. It's accelerated at speed throughout the last few hours and it seems I can't struggle against it anymore. I have to give into it.

I close my eyes briefly. Relinquish control. "Yes," I confess.

Now, I don't know what I think is going to happen once I admit this. Do I think he might kiss me then and there? I'm not sure. I sort of hope so, but also kind of don't. Because to kiss immediately would be to do it in front of our friends, without hiding behind the excuse of a dare . . . And it has been hard enough to be honest with Liam himself. I'm not sure I'm ready for anyone else to know yet.

But it turns out there's need to worry about that.  Because two things happen almost immediately within a few moments of me saying "yes" - apart from me seeing the hope sparking irresistibly in Liam's gorgeous dark eyes at my agreement, the genuine grin that spreads across his handsome face.

The first thing is that blonde girl, Sandy, who shouts "kiss her, you fool!" from the other side of the bar.

Which of course causes both of us to immediately shake our heads and start to laugh off everything that had just happened, given that she'd drawn everyone's attention to us. "We'll talk soon, okay?" Liam whispers as he moves away to join the others, hesitating until I nod quickly in response.

And, as I go to follow, I glance over at the door just in time to see Michael finally making his appearance.

Oh yay.

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