Rush of Blood Read Online Free PDF Page A

Ed volunteers to order for them all. If anybody has a better idea, they keep
     it to themselves. They kick things off with pints of local Landshark lager for the men and a jug of frozen margaritas. Then
     a few minutes later, the waitress – who tells them her name is Traci, and scribbles it on the paper tablecloth in case they
     forget, dotting her ‘i’ with a heart – delivers an enormous platter of mixed appetisers. A dozen buffalo wings and a mountain
     of nachos covered in salsa and melted cheese; battered oysters, clam strips and popcorn shrimp.
    ‘The portions are always so enormous,’ Marina says.
    ‘That’s why it’s best to wait,’ Ed says. ‘Just order your starters.’
    Barry helps himself to a chicken wing and says, ‘Well, you’re the expert.’
    They’re seated at a large table on the balcony, near the bar. The bar itself is decorated with dollar bills – hundreds of
     them, each with a message scrawled on it in marker pen by satisfied customers:
Best margarita in town! Love Bob and Marsha
;
Thanx for the warm welcome and the awesome fish tacos xx
. It’s no more than a degree or two cooler than it was at midday, and the few fans scattered about aren’t helpingmuch. In the far corner, a guitarist – white, with dreadlocks – sits on a stool, swapping banter with the customers closest
     to him and playing an inoffensive selection of songs rather well: Paul Simon, Bob Marley, the Beatles. It’s loud, so they
     all need to lean in close to one another and raise their voices to make themselves heard.
    ‘You ask me, the trick is to take it that bit easier before the holiday starts,’ Ed says. He slaps his belly through a salmon-pink,
     short-sleeved shirt. ‘Go on a diet for a week or two, then make sure you get some exercise while you’re out here. Play a bit
     of golf or tennis or something.’
    ‘I try and swim every day,’ Sue says.
    ‘Me too,’ Dave says.
    Ed leans towards him. ‘You a swimmer then? See you in the pool.’
    ‘I prefer the sea,’ Dave says. ‘But yeah …’
    ‘You don’t need to lose any weight,’ Angie says to Sue. ‘There’s nothing of you.’
    Sue is wearing a plain white halter-neck which accentuates her slender figure and shows off nicely tanned shoulders. Her long
     brown hair is held up with a clip. She tucks a loose strand behind her ear and smiles. ‘I just like swimming,’ she says.
    They all clap politely as the guitarist finishes a song and announces that he’s taking a short break. Marina insists she likes
     the music, but says it’s good that they don’t have to shout any more. Barry has finished his beer, so Ed signals to Traci
     as she passes and orders him another.
    ‘Right.’ Ed drums his palms on the edge of the table and looks from one face to another. ‘Where did everyone meet? That’s
     always a good way to kick things off.’
    Angie looks at Barry, who is sitting at the other end of the table. ‘No point in couples sitting together,’ Ed had said when
     they’d been sorting out the seats.
    ‘It’s a good story,’ Barry says.
    ‘We met when I was having some work done on my house.’ Angie reaches for the jug and tops up her glass. ‘Ten years ago, was
     it?’ Shelooks at Barry again and he shrugs, unsure. ‘Barry was my builder.’
    The others at the table make suitable noises of surprise and interest.
    ‘She was looking for a quotation, so you gave her one.’ Ed laughs at his innuendo and winks at Barry. ‘Right?’
    ‘We just started seeing a lot more of each other as the job went on,’ Angie says. She stares into her drink, stirring it with
     a straw. ‘We’d both been through bad break-ups, both had kids, what have you. We both needed shoulders to cry on, I think.’
     She looks up. ‘So, anyway.’
    ‘At the end of the day,
I
got a second wife …’ Barry leaves it hanging and looks towards Angie, having set up a punchline that has obviously been trotted
     out many times.
    Angie picks up her cue.