'Why don't we go somewhere else?' Shannon asked her friends looking at the long queue to get into Cure Lounge. 'We'll be waiting here for ages.'

Kelly rolled her eyes. 'It'll be five minutes tops, and if you put a smile on your face maybe we could sweet talk our way in.'

Shannon scoffed. 'I'm not flirting with some dumb doorman to get into a club I don't even want to go in.' A groan went up amongst the group.

'Stop being such a buzzkill,' Kelly hissed at her. 'I promise you this will be worth it.'

Shannon raised her eyebrows looking sceptical. 'We could get another drink somewhere else.' She felt could feel herself sobering up as the cold night air pinched at her bare legs.

'We're supposed to be having fun,' Kelly said linking their arms together and making sure she didn't leave the queue. 'I know you're still hung up on Joey, but honestly, it'll do you good to let your hair down and meet someone else.'

'I am not hung up on him,' Shannon whispered. 'And I don't want to meet anyone else. I've had it with men.'

Kelly cackled. 'You keep telling yourself that babe, but we both know you're delusional.'

'I might just turn around and leave,' Shannon said scowling as she pulled her arm out of Kelly's vicelike grip.

'No you won't, we're almost at the front of the queue. See?'

Shannon grimaced looking up at the overhead lighting. For some reason, Kelly was determined that she was going to have a night of drunken fun.

~~~

Joe sat amongst his friends in Cure lounge, trying his damnedest to give the impression he was having a good time. He kept his conversation focused on the guys, ignoring the pointed looks Katherine was giving him from across the table. Well, she was the one who'd wanted a group night out.

'I'll go line up some more shots,' Donnie said getting to his feet. 'Anyone want anything else?'

A number of voices shouted out their requests, and Katherine wasted no time sliding into Donnie's seat when he finally got away. 'Are you having a good time?' she asked Joe.

'Yeah sure.' Joe grabbed his drink, draining what was left of it. 'The pit bulls seem to have a bit of an attitude, what have you been saying to them?' He glanced over at Danielle and Eva, they rolled their eyes at each other, their animosity clear.

Katherine frowned. 'I only told them that than we've put the wedding back. I guess they've been speculating.'

'It doesn't matter, it's not like we were bosom buddies to start with.'

Katherine's frown deepened. 'They're my friends, Joe, try to get along with them. I'm making the effort with your friends.'

He nodded, biting his tongue. It didn't matter now whether they liked each other's friends or not, it was only a matter of time before they called it quits.

He had to tell her, and to hell with the consequences.

'Kat, why don't we start making tracks, it's getting late?'

She laughed, shaking her head. 'It's not that late Joe, and I thought the point of this was to let loose a little.'

'I guess,' he said as Donnie rejoined the group putting a tray of shots down on the table. He picked one up forcing himself to join in. However, the alcohol didn't do anything to improve his mood, and he knew nothing would while he was keeping this pretence up. He studied Katherine from the corner of his eye, her face was neutral betraying no sign of either displeasure or enjoyment, and it confirmed how far apart they had drifted. Once they'd have both read each other easily, and would probably have been running for the exit hand in hand.

'What the hell,' Danielle exclaimed, snapping Joe out of his reverie. 'I don't believe it.' He looked at her face, flushed with indignation, and then he followed her eyes. He squinted trying to make out what she was seeing amongst the throng of bodies moving around in the dimly lit room. And then he caught sight of Kelly, shimmying her way towards the bar, and he didn't have to look any further to know that Shannon must be with her.

'Doesn't she have an ounce of self-respect,' Eva hissed. 'How dare she show her face here.'

Joe reached for another shot, downing it without thinking, turning his eyes elsewhere. He knew Katherine was scrutinising his every move, waiting for his reaction.

'It's a public place,' Donnie said with just the briefest of glances towards Kelly. 'It's just a coincidence.'

'It's no coincidence,' Danielle retorted. 'I told Kelly we were coming here.'

Joe eyes flew over to Shannon, had she actually come here to see him? No, that wasn't likely, not when she was refusing to take his calls. This had to be down to Kelly, she always was impetuous. 'I think we should leave Kat.'

She shook her head. 'It's fine Joe, this place is big enough for all of us.'

He exchanged a wary glance with Donnie, not liking the sound of her voice. Kat wasn't a troublemaker but the circumstances were rather exceptional.

~~~

Katherine could have sworn that Joe had lost a degree or two of colour, however, in the lighting, it was hard to tell. She picked her glass up wishing it wasn't almost full, the temptation to go storming over to the bar had her body twitching. Not that she knew what she'd do when she got there, she wasn't even sure Shannon was aware of her presence. She could barely see the tip of her head in the crowd, it was unlikely Shannon could see them as she tagged along behind Kelly.

'What the actual fu-'

'Shh Dani,' Kat said sharply. 'It doesn't matter.' If anyone should be upset it was her, and she was, there was no point Danielle having a coronary.

'I thought Kelly was nice,' Eva murmured. 'It probably is a coincidence. Or maybe she heard you mention this club and that kinda put the idea at the back of her mind.'

Danielle shook her head furiously. 'No, this is revenge cos Kat didn't like her shitty makeup job.'

'Oh come on, who'd be that petty?'

Katherine looked up to the ceiling trying to tune the pair of them out. She couldn't believe Kelly was actually trying to get one over on her, not when she had to know the real reason why she'd cancelled their contract. No, Kelly or Shannon was obviously trying to engineer an encounter with Joe.

She sat back taking a sip of her drink telling herself she should be reassured. If Shannon was having to turn up at clubs to bump into Joe then that had to mean she had no other way of contacting him, he must have cut all ties with her.

'Can you guys drop this?' she asked keeping her voice down which made it almost impossible for them to hear her over the music. 'I'm not going to let them spoil my night.' Eva nodded, her eyes on the dance floor as she watched Kelly drag Shannon and another girl to their feet.

'What are they even wearing?' Kat asked rolling her eyes.

'I think they forgot their pants.' Eva laughed picking up on her cue. 'And short black dresses are so unoriginal, do you think they coordinated their look?'

Katherine forced out a laugh even as she felt Joe tense up beside her.

So he didn't like his ex being mocked, well that was nothing new.

'So Joe,' Danielle said raising her voice above the music. 'What did you ever see in her? Shannon? All those years ago.'

Katherine felt her face heat up, and she shot Danielle a furious look. Joe, however, looked like he was past caring.

'I liked her, that's all,' he said shrugging his shoulders, his disdain for Danielle obvious.

'Right, well she's not very pretty. Underneath her makeup, I mean.'

'Yeah, she is.'

Danielle widened her eyes, and Katherine tried to kick her under the table, but when she saw Eva wince she realised she'd made contact with the wrong shin.

'So do you think she's prettier than Kat?' This time Katherine did manage to kick her. 'Ow! I'm just interested in his opinion Kat.'

Joe got to his feet ignoring the question. 'I'm getting another drink.'

'He couldn't answer,' Danielle hissed at her. 'What does that tell you?'

'It tells me he doesn't want to take part in your stupid games, and I don't blame him. I don't either.'

Danielle flinched but Katherine's attention was on Joe. She watched him push his way through the crowd, heading to the far corner of the bar where he was in full view of Shannon. She held her breath but Shannon didn't appear to have noticed him as she swayed from side to side not entirely in time with the music.

'She's wasted,' Eva whispered in her ear. 'She can barely stand up straight.'

Katherine narrowed her eyes, watching more closely and she suspected Eva was right. It was hard to tell from the distance but she definitely looked vacant.

'I think now might be a good time to have a word then,' Danielle said getting to her feet. 'Anyone coming.'

Donnie stood up, blocking Danielle's path. 'Sit back down, Katie told you she doesn't want to play any stupid games.'

Danielle opened her mouth to object but Donnie was already walking away, heading to the dance floor.

Katherine watched him, not attempting to disguise her interest, as he approached Shannon tapping her on the shoulder. She spun around, probably thinking it was some creep trying to dance with her, and then threw her arms around Donnie hugging him tightly. Katherine's throat constricted as she watched them. Donnie greeted Kelly, and she was reminded yet again that Joe's friends were Shannon's friends.

And where was Joe? He was taking forever.

She scanned the room and spotted him sitting at the bar, a drink in front of him. Clearly, he wasn't in a rush to rejoin them. She swallowed down her irritation turning her attention back to Donnie. He had his arms around Shannon as they attempted to dance, if it could be called that. Shannon flung her head back laughing as he said something into her ear.

The song came to an end and Donnie led Shannon from the dance floor, his arm tight around her waist. Katherine gaped after him, as he steered Shannon towards the exit.

What was he playing at, picking up a drunken woman? Talk about a slimeball. It seemed like her original assessment of him wasn't so inaccurate after all.

She was so preoccupied with her disgust at his behaviour that she barely noticed Joe was also watching Shannon and Donnie's retreating forms. She met his eyes, and he glared back stony-faced as if somehow it was all her fault.

~~~

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