"Just help yourself to a drink, it's all in the kitchen just go on through."
Julie was having a great night. For someone who didn't want a fuss made over turning 50, she was really enjoying the party. Not that you'd know she was 50 looking at her. She had a great body thanks to plenty of hard work in the gym, and a little help from a cosmetic surgeon, and her skin was almost flawless. She was a doctor and had worked her way up to head of her department in her local hospital. Add this to her husband's successful accountancy firm, and they had a very comfortable life.
More than 30 people must have turned up. Fortunately, their house was more than capable of accommodating so many guests. Plus the weather was lovely allowing them to spill out into the huge garden. Julie didn't know everyone who was there. There were a couple of her son's friends she hadn't met before and a few from her husband's work that she knew by name only. But she loved meeting new people and welcomed everyone into her home with open arms.
She watched as Graham, her husband, did the rounds. And by that she meant flirted his way around the female guests. He couldn't help himself, he had always been that way. He went too far at times and god knows what he got up to when she wasn't there to keep an eye on him but she tolerated it. She enjoyed the company of men and hadn't always been a complete angel herself but she tended to be less forward when he was around.
"Grab me a red wine if you don't mind hunny," Julie said as he headed back into the kitchen. She was busy speaking to a young man from Graham's company. He had introduced himself as Joe and he had only been working with her husband for 6 months.
"If Graham had told me it was your 40th birthday and not your 50th, I wouldn't have batted an eyelid when I first saw you. You look amazing."
Julie laughed. She maybe could pass as 40 but she still recognised a line when she heard one. But she was flattered none the less. Any compliment from a hot 20 something was most welcome.
"Behave yourself," she replied, "Or no more drink for you!"
"Hey I mean it. I hope I'm in half the shape you're in when I'm 40 let alone 50!" He said it sincerely but there was definitely a flirty look on his face.
"Well thank you," she replied, "maybe I will let you have another drink after all."
Graham returned with Julie's drink. He had a glass of white for himself. "I hope Joe is behaving himself, you should hear him flirting with Melanie in the office. She's old enough to be his mother!" He winked at Joe and slapped him on the back before heading off to mingle. Joe laughed off the comment and just shrugged to Julie.
"Aw and here was me thinking I was special. Turns out its any older woman!" She was smiling at him, enjoying the tease. "Or maybe it's just any woman. Are you a bit of a player Joe?"
He laughed but he didn't blush, obviously pretty comfortable with the accusation. He held is hands up in mock surrender.
"Look if you were me and you were at a party who would you talk to? The people you work with every day or the hot hostess? I'm not a player, just human!"
Definitely a line! But a pretty good one she thought. Everyone liked their ego stoked and she was no different. She noticed her glass was almost empty again and another couple of friends had arrived that she hadn't spoken to yet.
"Listen, I need to go and say hello to a few people, have a bit chat with some friends. If you're still here in an hour you can bring me a drink if you like." Joe said he would do that and walked over to a group from his office. Julie went to grab a drink before heading over to the new arrivals.
She was stood with Beth, her best friend. They had met in high school and never lost touch, even when they went to separate universities and settled down they had remained close. They shared everything. Beth was divorced and often asked Julie her opinion on the new man in her life which happened quite often. She was currently on the look out for a new one.
"So who was that young stud I saw you talking to?" Beth asked. She was glancing over in Joes direction, giggling. Julie knew her friend inside out and knew that look in her eye. She fancied a bit of Joe, Julie could tell.
"Who Joe? He works with Graham. And he's about 23 so don't be throwing your knickers at him across my lawn please!" Beth burst out laughing but she continued looking at Joe who had turned around at the sound of her laughter. Beth put her arm around Julie's waist.
"23? Just my type. And I couldn't throw my knickers at him even if I wanted to. I'm not wearing any!" Now it was Julie's turn to burst out laughing.
"Such a slut," Julie teased, "I don't know why you bother buying underwear, you never put any on!" There had been many a night out together where Beth had failed to put any underwear on and was happy to tell anyone who was interested.
"You should try it," Beth replied, "it's so liberating. And if I had your body I'd wear tighter dresses as well!"
Julie smiled but acknowledged the compliment. She was getting plenty of them tonight. Everyone seemed willing to flatter the birthday girl and she loved it. She knew she looked good but it was still nice to hear, even if it was from horny young men and her best friend!
"Right I'm off to see Stephen and Laura, try not to shag one of my husband's employees in the time that I'm gone!" She kissed her friend on the cheek and headed over to her other friends. She noticed Beth walking in the direction of Joe. Julie grinned, that girl will never change, she thought.
About half an hour later a few people had left but it was still busy. Julie was still having a great night. She was a little tipsy but not yet what she'd call drunk. The same could not be said for Graham who was getting louder and more flirtatious. She'd caught him with his hand on at least 2 women's arses. Not the end of the world but he could at least be discreet! She was in the kitchen pouring a drink when Joe walked in.
"I was just coming to get you a drink. The birthday girl shouldn't have to get her own," he said. He grabbed a bottle of lager from the fridge and sat on a stool. Julie leant on the breakfast bar opposite him. They were the only 2 in the room.
"So you met Beth I see," she said smirking, "did you chat much?" She was curious to know just how forward Beth had been and curious to know just how keen Joe had been in return.
"Yes we talked. She seems a fun woman. She told me that you had been friends from school. I can't believe you're the same age, not that I told her of course."
Julie laughed. "Well I should hope not. And thank you again. I won't tire of hearing how young you think I look. So what else did she tell you?" She was wondering if they had spoke about her at all.
"She told me she wasn't wearing knickers!"
Julie put her hands over her mouth in mock surprise and gasped. "Noooo," she said, "not Beth surely!" Her reaction made it clear she wasn't surprised at all.
"Ah so she has previous?" He asked, turning around to make sure she wasn't behind him listening.
"Well let's just say since her divorce she has lived life to the full. She's such a sweet person but when she sees something she wants she can't help herself." She poured another glass of wine as she spoke and realised she was drinking a little quicker now. A little closer to drunk maybe.
"Oh so she wants me? Well I had no idea whatsoever!" Now it was his turn to feign surprise. Beth had obviously made it clear that she wanted him. All of which begged the question why was he here sat with her? Not exactly the actions of a player who is on a sure thing? He drained his bottle and walked to the fridge for another. He had to squeeze past her to sit back down. She could smell his aftershave as he passed by. Subtle but masculine. It suited him.
"So why is a young single man sat talking in a kitchen when a hot older woman is throwing herself at him outside? Shouldn't you be checking out if her claim of having no knickers on is true?" She ran her finger around the rim of her glass as she looked at him, genuinely puzzled.
"This party is full of hot older women," he answered, "some of them may even be wearing knickers...?" He let the sentence tail off like a question but the smile on his face suggested it was merely to tease.
Julie pulled a mocking face as though she was giving it some thought. "Well I'm sure some are but I certainly couldn't say for sure that we all were!" Joe picked up a magazine from the bench and pretended to cool himself down by waving it in front of his face.