Angus laughed and it was an uneventful bus trip in. There was no Soup Crew, which I was thankful for, because I wasn’t sure I could face another lecture about my failings. The closer we got to the stop in Surry Hills, the more eager I was to get shitfaced.

As we were stepping off the bus, Angus’ phone rang. He answered it, all cheeky smiles, and grabbed my arm. “This way first,” he said. Instead of crossing the road to the pub, he was taking me toward the library. “Okay, we’ll see you soon.”

“Angus, where are we going?”

“Just a quick stop first. And believe me, if it all turns to shit, you can drink all the Midori Leprechauns you can drink, and I’ll pay for it.”

Weird, but whatever. Sounded like a fucking plan to me.

Chapter Sixteen

Hennessy

It was possible I was going to puke. I eyed the wastepaper bin in the corner of the room, just in case. Everyone was there already—Bonny, Leah, Sabina, Nataya, Glenn, and Anwar. And Merry.

She stood at the door, peering out every so often, her phone in her hand. “He’s on his way up,” she whispered.

Fuck. The nausea was real.

I fiddled nervously with the clipboard to some curious glances. “You okay, Hennessy?” Nataya asked.

“Oh yeah, just a lot on my mind,” I replied, then took my place at the front of the room. “I like the new meeting room,” I said, trying for calm and casual. “No chance of being interrupted by drunk people dry humping.”

Everyone laughed, and I took a deep breath just before the door opened and Jordan fell into the room. Well, more like he was pushed. “What the hell…?” he said, then straightened up and saw me. He froze, fear and horror all over his face. He stared at everyone in the room, landing on Merry. “You!”

She grabbed his arm, pulling him into the room, and Angus appeared behind him, pushing him forward. Merry plonked him in a seat. She sat on one side, Angus on the other. “Is this a…,” Jordan said, wide-eyed. “Holy motherfucking fuck, is this an intervention?”

“Yes, it is,” Merry said, holding his arm like a vice. “Hennessy has something to say and you will sit here and listen, so help me God, Jordan.”

Everyone else—Bonny, Nataya, Leah, Sabina, Glenn, and Anwar—sat there gobsmacked. Possibly horrified. “Dude, are you okay?” Anwar asked.

Jordan leaned forward to look at Anwar. “No, they’re holding me against my will. It’s like kidnapping, so if anyone knows Liam Neeson, that’d be great, because he will find me. I left the safety of my burrito chrysalis on my perfectly good couch, on the promise of as many Leprechauns as I could drink.” Then he shot Angus a glare. “You lied to me.”

“Yes, I did,” he replied, giving me a not-too-discreet wink.