My expression turns quizzical at Shayne's grave face. Perhaps the interruption is a sign that the Jethro conversation is better suited to another time. But I've made up my mind that the talk needs to happen soon. Very soon.

"Hey Elsie, can I call you back later? My housemate needs something."

"Sure, hon, talk soon," she chirps through the phone's speaker and we say our goodbyes before ending the call.

"Hey Shayne, are you OK? What's wrong?"

"I'm just peachy. But care to explain why a half-naked man's drooling on the couch?" Shayne places her hands on her hips, and I'm struck with a wave of hypocrisy. As if I haven't witnessed several of her friends passed out on the couch. Wait...A. Damn. Second!

"What?" My mouth suddenly floods with saliva, and I have the urge to be sick. How the hell did I come home with a man? No way, Aiden dropped me off. Unless...

Lurching to my feet, I hurry past Shayne into the lounge. Peeking over the couch, I spy a shirtless Aiden sprawled across the sofa. His serious face looks years younger as he slumbers peacefully in what appears to be a drool patch. Thankfully I spy a trouser leg poking out from the blanket draped over his bottom half.

While it's strange enough to see him without a suit on, the setting's a whole lot more surprising. The gaps in my memories are baffling and terrifying when suddenly the mess on the coffee table grabs my notice. Strewn packaging? The pungent aroma of garlic saturates the air causing a penny to drop in my dizzy head. Ah, kebabs.

I vaguely recall pleading with Aiden to pull over so I could get a midnight injection of fat and self-loathing smothered in cheese and garlic sauce. He must have been nice enough to comply, but still, there's no rhyme or reason why he stayed. Besides, doesn't he have a damn nightclub to run?

Signalling Shayne, we head back to my bedroom so sleeping beauty can continue his drooling. "That's Jethro's best mate Aiden. I was super drunk last night, and he must have dropped me home. I don't remember much, but I think we got kebabs. I'm sorry but I don't know why he crashed here." Shayne's furrowed eyebrows smooth out as she nods.

"As long as he isn't some creeper or hobo who's going to set up house on our sofa."

I snort in laughter at Shayne's over-active imagination. "OK, I can 100% guarantee that's not going to happen. He's a decent guy and not a homicidal random. Would you like me to kick him now or afterg shower?"

"It's fine, Kyra. I was just surprised, is all. You go... freshen up." The way she scrunches her nose hints at the fact I smell as ghastly as I feel. Garlic and alcohol is seeping from my every pore.

I feel like I haven't showered long, but the telltale sign of the hot water running out causes me to groan forlornly. At least the warm water scalded off any remnants of sweat, alcohol and kebabs from last night, but still, I feel rough.

After wrapping myself in a bathrobe, I emerge from the steamy bathroom, only for the smell of fresh coffee to waft over me. I desperately need some go-go juice this morning, but first, I need to make myself somewhat presentable. There's no need to frighten Aiden away before I can thank him for driving me home and find out why the hell he stayed.

Slipping into my bedroom, I run a comb through my wet hair and throw on some comfy sweats. My reflection still looks peaky, but it's about all I can manage at present. Stepping into the lounge room, I notice the couch where Aiden was sprawled is empty when two voices from the kitchen draw me in closer.

"Ah, there you are, Kyra." My eyes widen as I take in the scene. A shorts and crop top sporting Shayne greets me as I freeze in the doorway between the lounge and our pokey kitchen. I wonder why she changed?

At the same time, I notice a still shirtless Aiden is seated at our tiny round dining table. He's armed with a cup of coffee and a smirk.

"So Kyra, how are you feeling?"

"Um, well..." Why are you here? And where in the seven hells is your shirt? I begin to ask questions when Shayne chirps up with a mega-watt smile.

"Aiden was just telling me how you badgered him to get kebabs, but he wouldn't let you eat in his car." My eyes quickly roam his intricate chest and shoulder tattoo before averting to the floor. I can kind of understand Shayne's change of mood; she's positively beaming as if I brought her an early Christmas present. The handsome man sitting across from us is most probably the reason why.

"Is that so?" I grab a fresh mug out of the cupboard and make myself a coffee. I don't bother offering to anyone else as they both have steaming cups of their own.

"Yeah, no one eats in my car. The upholstery is custom. But it's good to see you alive and well. I thought you'd be a hungover wreck after carrying you out of the club." I blush beet red while stirring my coffee.

"Thanks for that... I guess I must have slept it off. So, um, what exactly happened? I can't really remember much after we got my work-friends in."

"Well, I was keeping my distance from Elsie, so I don't know the particulars. But it seemed like you and your friends got stuck into the tequila shots... After you called Jeth, he called me at the club and asked me to take you home." A few drinks my ass, but that much I already knew.

"So can I ask where's your shirt? I feel like there's a story there?" Shayne pipes up, and I'm glad for her question as I'm curious about the answer as well.

"Oh yeah, well Kerry spilled some of her kebab on it, and there was this huge egg and garlic sauce stain. Kyra was kind enough to wash it for me. I was waiting for the dryer cycle when I must have fallen asleep." Again the black holes in my memories are concerning as I don't remember a damned thing.

"Oh, so Kerry was here?"

"Wow, you were really out of it, huh? She lives nearby, so I was going to drop you both off when we detoured for kebabs. We all had one and started a Quentin Tarrantino marathon." Aiden smiles to himself and looks lost in thought as I ponder how blind drunk I must have been to consent to watch an action movie. Shayne saves me from commenting yet again when she begins prattling on about her favourite Tarantino movie.

I listen on, sipping my coffee while my housemate and my boyfriend's best friend discuss movies I've never heard of. Silently I add calling Kerry to my list of things to do today. I'm sure she can shed better light on our night, and besides, I want to check she got home safely.

"Does anyone want another coffee?" I chime in once they seem done with the topic. Aiden's eyebrows furrow as he checks a message on his phone.

"No, but I'll take my shirt and get out of your hair." Nodding, I duck into the bathroom, which doubles as a laundry, and retrieve his shirt from the dryer. Unfortunately, the fancy material didn't appear to have appreciated the steam dry at all. The shirt now resembles a shrunken soup dumpling. Oops.

"I'm very sorry, Aiden, but I think the washing machine kind of killed your shirt..." I apologise while handing him the ruined garment. He slips it on without batting an eyelid and does up the bottom few buttons.

"Ah, don't worry about it, Kyra. Have a good day, and I'm sure I'll see you again soon."

"Sure, take care, Aiden."

"Nice meeting you, Shayne and thanks for the coffee." He waves and abruptly walks out, closing the front door behind himself.

"So, is Aiden single?" Shayne's questioning bombards me the second the lock clicks.

"He sure is. Why do you ask? A little bit interested, are we?" I smile teasingly at Shayne as she plops down in an armchair.

"How could I not be? He's so dreamy. And I spied the tag on his shirt that was Armani! That would have cost a pretty penny, and he seemed so unfazed it was destroyed..."

"Yeah, well...hopefully, he forgets all about that and doesn't ask me to pay him back. And I'm sorry again about him staying here."

"Well, after the initial shock, I didn't mind. Too bad he had to leave so soon... Maybe next time you head to his club I could tag along?"

"Sure, Shayne."

After finishing my second cup of coffee and downing some much needed painkillers, I slip on my sneakers. "Well, I'm going to head off to Justin's game. See you later?"

"Probably not I'm going out for a Sunday sesh soon. Oh, but before I forget, you got a letter. I popped it on the console by the door." Shayne gestured lazily towards the small table, which houses an assortment of paperwork.

"On a Saturday?"

"Well, to be honest, I forgot to check yesterday, so it probably came earlier."

"Cool, thanks. I'll get it later; it's probably just another bill." I sigh at the thought of more expenditures.

"Nope, it's handwritten. So odd! Who even writes letters anymore when you can send a text?" She's successfully piqued my interest, and before heading out, I peer at the letter; just as she said, my name is written in elegant cursive. I shove the letter into my handbag, figuring I'll read it later on the bus.

~

Justin's game is spectacularly bad. All his excitement and enthusiasm crumbles the more the game continues. It's meant to be a friendly under-eights game, but some of the boys on the opposing side are ridiculously good and seem quite a bit older. So it's a bitter defeat, not at all like the game I witnessed last week. But I can't pretend to be the fun and encouraging Aunty that I should be. The truth is the heat has drawn out my hangover, and the noise of the crowd is slicing through me.

After the game, we head over to a nearby ice cream parlour. Justin doesn't seem to enjoy his celebratory ice cream, and I can't exactly blame him either. He pushes the sprinkles and marshmallows around the bowl while muttering to himself. I'm far from jovial, and Beth is completely unapproachable. I figure her relationship with my brother has only deteriorated further. We make quite the sullen trio.

"So when's your game next weekend?" I ask to cut through the awkward hush which is festering in the parlour.

"Next Sunday afternoon," Justin murmurs glumly, and the conversation pitters out once more. I take the opportunity to text Jethro the game results since he had asked about it earlier. For the first time, though, I'm dreading our evening phone call.

I'm partly worried whether he will be upset once I let him know his best mate slept over. Though we weren't exactly alone together as Kerry/Shayne was our proxy, will he jump to conclusions? Also, baggage from my one previous relationship plagues my mind. Does he trust me?

"So have you heard from that darling brother of yours?" Beth asks, causing Justin's head to snap up to us.

"Yeah last weekend he called me, but I haven't heard a peep from him since."

"At least I'm not the only one then. And what did he have to say for himself?" Her words are so deeply laced in bitterness that I can't deflect the question. I really don't want to get involved in their fight.

"Some nonsense about a new job. I don't fully understand what's going on with him, but maybe you could shed some light on it?"

"Hmpf, not a chance. You'll have to ask him that yourself." She glares out the window, and I follow her gaze to a loved-up couple holding hands as they stroll down the footpath. I don't think anyone has ever looked so angry in an ice creamery before. Swallowing down my awkwardness, I touch her clenched fist on the table.

"I hope you know that whatever's going on, I don't want to get in the middle of it or pick sides. Staying on good terms with you and being in Justin's life is my priority."

"If only that ran in your family." Despite the snarky comment, Beth lets out a bone-weary sigh that allows me to momentarily glimpse beyond her tough exterior. Inside is a woman whose world and heart are crumbling around her. Though I feel like we would both get some joy out of slapping Dan, there's really not a single thing I can do to help. "I better get this one home."

Hastily I pulled Justin into a surprise hug before he shakes me off. Ruffling his hair I smile down at my nephew.

"I love you Justy, don't worry, next week's game will be better; I just know it."

~

Author's note: Hiya... Ugh, another filler chapter! Plus, this one leaves more questions than answers... Will Jethro be mad that Aiden slept over? What's Elsie plotting? And what's with the mysterious letter? All that and more coming up soon. Take care, xoxo.