Humbug by Joanna Chambers Read Free Book Online Page A

charging unit. Then, straightening, I headed for the door, and this time I didn’t pause on my way out.

Chapter Six
    T he Dragon used to be a proper old spit-and-sawdust pub but now it was an upscale hipsterish sort of place, all zinc and reclaimed wood and Dublin sinks. It offered a massive range of craft and hand-pulled beers, a decent cocktail list and an overpriced pub food menu. And even now, before seven o’clock, it was mobbed.
    The Dragon disdained the usual glitzy crimbo decorations. Instead, it had reindeer garlands made out of what looked sheet music swagging the walls and pine cones painted duck-egg blue hanging from the ceiling. The Killers’ “Christmas in L.A.” played as I walked in.
    I cast my gaze around the main bar area. I didn’t recognise anyone standing around, so I headed off into the back in search of Ben and Freddy, wandering through the warren of nooks and alcoves.
    I was just heading round a corner when I heard a loud, drunken voice exclaim, “Oh fuck, no! Not him! Please tell me you did not invite Quin fucking Flint tonight!”
    When a wave of laughter greeted the mention of my name, my stomach twisted. I still moved closer though, carefully edging forward to peek into the alcove the voice had come from.
    There were a dozen or so people grouped round a big table, but thanks to the high backs of the benches they were sitting on—reclaimed church pews?—no one seemed to notice me. I drew back, plastering myself against the wall next to the opening so that no one would catch a glimpse of me.
    I should have walked away, of course, but I didn’t.
    “Fuck off, Charlie, Quin’s all right!” a female voice insisted. Freddy. I swallowed.
    “Oh, don’t panic,” another voice said. “He’s not actually going to come tonight. He never does.”
    “Actually, Ben and I ran into him earlier and he said he was planning on coming.”
    That unfamiliar voice had to be Leon. God, I hated him.
    Ben laughed. “Nah, babe. Quin always says that, but he won’t actually come.” He paused, then added more loudly, as though he was speaking to someone further away. “Anyway, what’s Quin ever done to you, Charlie?”
    Charlie snorted. “He’s a sarky bastard, and he doesn’t listen to a word you say when you’re talking to him. Always looks bored. Oh—and have you noticed he always asks everyone what they do ? He’s totally obsessed with what people do for a living. When I told him I was a shop assistant he was all—” There was a pause as this Charlie, who I couldn’t fucking remember from Adam, presumably mimed something. Everyone laughed again.
    “Oh, that’s not fair!” Ben said, but he was laughing too. “At least, he doesn’t mean to come across like that.”
    “Ah, so you admit he does come across like that!”
    Freddy piped up, “Quin’s just a bit—intense.”
    “An intense dick ,” Charlie said with feeling, and there was more laughter.
    As the conversation went on, I felt worse and worse, my gut twisting up in knots. Ben and Freddy were sticking up for me but they were also acting like they understood why this guy I couldn’t even remember hated me so much. Was I that bad?
    And just then, over the laughter, Ben said, in a more serious voice, “Come on, he’s not a dick. He’s okay.”
    My heart lifted a little at Ben’s serious tone.
    “You still carrying a torch, Benny?”
    That snide voice again. I really didn’t like this Charlie dude.
    “Of course not,” Ben replied, sounding embarrassed. He laughed awkwardly then added, “Jesus, have you met Leon?”
    There was more laughter at that, then some whooping—Ben and Leon were kissing, I guessed.
    “You’re better off without him, Ben,” Charlie said, when the noise had died down again. “You too, Freddy. How many times has Quin said he’ll come out and then never shown up? What kind of a friend lets you down over and over like that?”
    I felt like I couldn’t breathe as I waited for Freddy’s