because he could feel the first quiver of an erection as he watched Jayne bend forwards to rummage in the bag at her feet. Her clingy, cropped top rose slightly at the back, her trousers were hipsters and the Calvin Klein tag of her underwear was clearly visible. Lloyd picked up his copy of Private Eye and decided to concentrate on the satirical wit, rather than Jayne’s arse and tits. Such thoughts about Ted’s younger sister seemed indecent, an offence against Ted. Not to mention Greta. Oh God, what would Greta say when she found out that Ted’s sister had wangled an invite just because Kate and Ted had asked for one?
Greta had been extremely hurt that she hadn’t been invited to the wedding. She’d seen the NFI as a slight and carped on and on that his friends didn’t like her and didn’t respect her. She’d complained that they blamed her for the break-up of his marriage and moaned that she didn’t like being seen as the scarlet woman. Lloyd hadn’t pointed out that, technically, she had been the other woman, so his friends’ coolness was perhaps understandable. He liked a quiet life. He didn’t like to rock the boat. He’d upturned one family home already; he had no intention of doing so again.
Greta had said that he ought to decline the invitation or that he should call Rich and get him to extend it to include Greta. And maybe Greta had a point. He could see it – after all, she was his girlfriend officially now. Maybe, well, yes, definitely, that’s what he ought to have done. But Lloyd hadn’t wanted to cause unnecessary problems now that he was finally being included in the old gang again. He knew that Greta would eventually drop the subject, so instead of calling Rich he’d pointed out that Mia and Jason weren’t bringing dates. Greta in turn pointed out that Mia and Jason were once a couple and that if they took a trip down memory lane he was going to feel like a huge gooseberry. Lloyd had laughed, and commented that he had more chance of getting off with Mia than Jase which, in retrospect, wasn’t a very clever thing to say to a disgruntled girlfriend. But that was his point, he wasn’t very good at talking to women. Lloyd had spent an entire evening assuring Greta that he did not want to get off with Mia, or anyone else for that matter, and that he didn’t even find Mia attractive.
Oh God, Greta would be livid if she knew he was sitting on a plane trying to restrain an erection because Jayne was sitting next to him. Jayne was certainly attractive. Yes, Greta would be furious to discover that Tash and Rich had been welcoming and would undoubtedly have agreed to her joining the party. She would jump to the conclusion that the only reason she wasn’t at the wedding was because Lloyd hadn’t wanted it enough. Was she right?
A solution popped into his mind almost as quickly as the problem had. Greta didn’t have to know that Jayne had joined the party. He’d be careful when taking photos and talking about the trip. He didn’t have to lie to Greta, exactly. He could simply avoid talking about the situation. That seemed like a good idea. And right now, he’d have a drink. A whisky. A double, in fact. That seemed like another good idea.
16. Touchdown
They arrived at Geneva airport, collected their baggage and found their way through the elaborate border control. Swapping from Switzerland to France by walking a few metres. Kate wanted to telephone home, something about a riding crop.
‘Well, old buddy, I never thought you were the bondage type. Forgotten your crop, hey?’ said Jason, laughing. He was addressing his comment to Ted, but he managed to take in Jayne at the same time. He winked at her and was delighted that she faced his innuendo full on, without blushing or turning away. Was she flirting with him? At the very least she knew he was flirting with her. Ted ignored him and walked towards the car rental desk.
Jason didn’t care. He felt strangely high, genuinely excited.
Greta had been extremely hurt that she hadn’t been invited to the wedding. She’d seen the NFI as a slight and carped on and on that his friends didn’t like her and didn’t respect her. She’d complained that they blamed her for the break-up of his marriage and moaned that she didn’t like being seen as the scarlet woman. Lloyd hadn’t pointed out that, technically, she had been the other woman, so his friends’ coolness was perhaps understandable. He liked a quiet life. He didn’t like to rock the boat. He’d upturned one family home already; he had no intention of doing so again.
Greta had said that he ought to decline the invitation or that he should call Rich and get him to extend it to include Greta. And maybe Greta had a point. He could see it – after all, she was his girlfriend officially now. Maybe, well, yes, definitely, that’s what he ought to have done. But Lloyd hadn’t wanted to cause unnecessary problems now that he was finally being included in the old gang again. He knew that Greta would eventually drop the subject, so instead of calling Rich he’d pointed out that Mia and Jason weren’t bringing dates. Greta in turn pointed out that Mia and Jason were once a couple and that if they took a trip down memory lane he was going to feel like a huge gooseberry. Lloyd had laughed, and commented that he had more chance of getting off with Mia than Jase which, in retrospect, wasn’t a very clever thing to say to a disgruntled girlfriend. But that was his point, he wasn’t very good at talking to women. Lloyd had spent an entire evening assuring Greta that he did not want to get off with Mia, or anyone else for that matter, and that he didn’t even find Mia attractive.
Oh God, Greta would be livid if she knew he was sitting on a plane trying to restrain an erection because Jayne was sitting next to him. Jayne was certainly attractive. Yes, Greta would be furious to discover that Tash and Rich had been welcoming and would undoubtedly have agreed to her joining the party. She would jump to the conclusion that the only reason she wasn’t at the wedding was because Lloyd hadn’t wanted it enough. Was she right?
A solution popped into his mind almost as quickly as the problem had. Greta didn’t have to know that Jayne had joined the party. He’d be careful when taking photos and talking about the trip. He didn’t have to lie to Greta, exactly. He could simply avoid talking about the situation. That seemed like a good idea. And right now, he’d have a drink. A whisky. A double, in fact. That seemed like another good idea.
16. Touchdown
They arrived at Geneva airport, collected their baggage and found their way through the elaborate border control. Swapping from Switzerland to France by walking a few metres. Kate wanted to telephone home, something about a riding crop.
‘Well, old buddy, I never thought you were the bondage type. Forgotten your crop, hey?’ said Jason, laughing. He was addressing his comment to Ted, but he managed to take in Jayne at the same time. He winked at her and was delighted that she faced his innuendo full on, without blushing or turning away. Was she flirting with him? At the very least she knew he was flirting with her. Ted ignored him and walked towards the car rental desk.
Jason didn’t care. He felt strangely high, genuinely excited.
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