Big Sue, Big Mand, Ged and Liam take a beat to make eye contact while I hold my breath. I cross my fingers, silently pleading with the universe. We’re all as high as kites after the performance. Please let them all be friends, I beg. Then Big Mand does something we’ve never seen her do. She pulls Big Sue towards her and places a light kiss on her lips.
‘It’s up to you, hun. Do we want to hang out with our gay friends tonight?’
Big Sue is the picture of shock at first as her gaze sweeps around the group. When it lands on Big Mand’s hopeful face, she breaks into a huge grin. ‘Fuck it. Why not?’
And this is probably inappropriate, but we all start clapping and whooping like Americans. Big Sue then sweeps Big Mand up into a full-on snog. At first, I’m delighted that they feel so comfortable and free, but after two minutes, it seems to be going on for an unnecessary amount of time. Big Sue has her hands tangled up in Big Mand’s hair. Big Mand is helping herself to a handful of Big Sue’s tiny breast. No one knows where to look except Sister Kevin, who appears mesmerised by this epic lesbian kiss.
Liberty is first to break the tension. ‘I’ll give the gambling a miss. Hank’s invited me to dinner,’ she says, besotted. ‘At Caesars Palace. And he’s agreed to keep his trash-tache on. I’ll see you back in the room later. Maybe.’
Hank tips his hat at us. ‘It was a real pleasure to meet y’all.’
We watch them walk away, Hank with his arm firmly round Liberty’s waist, Liberty with her hand firmly cupping his buttock. Matteo and I immediately trade glances. I’d much rather be alone with him than gambling all night. His face tells me that he’d like the same.
I whisper in his ear, ‘Do you want to, perhaps, erm…?’
‘Yes,’ he replies quickly. ‘I do.’
Just as I’m about to make up an excuse for us to slope off, Matteo’s phone pings. One roll of his eyes and I know it’s Birdie. She’s doing it again.
Matteo reads the text and gives me a pained look. ‘I’m so sorry, Connie. It’s work.’
‘You mean it’s Birdie,’ I say tightly. ‘Can’t you just tell her that you’re busy?’
We have the attention of the whole group, who have stopped kissing, talking and chewing on a newly opened packet of brightly coloured, toxic-looking gummies, to listen in to our private conversation.
‘It’s not Birdie, but it is complicated. As I’ve explained,’ says Matteo through tight lips, ‘I do have a business to run on the other side of the planet.’
The atmosphere suddenly tense, I react in the same way.
‘Well then, if youmustgo, youmustgo,’ I say rather dramatically.
Matteo gives me a confused look. ‘Okay. Iwillgo.’
We stare at one another awkwardly before he shakes his head, annoyed with me.
‘See you later, I guess.’
‘Maybe,’ I say, my voice too high. ‘Maybe.’
We watch him walk away. It has all gone horribly wrong, horribly quickly.
‘Maybe?’ says Ged. ‘Maybe? The poor guy has to work with his deranged ex-girlfriend on the biggest project of his career. It could literally make or break him in this pathetic, fast-moving, Gen Z-obsessed industry… and you’re like, “maybe”?’
Liam folds his arms. ‘Did he make a fuss when you filled your room full of flowers from Luke? Or when Luke keeps upping the ante with his grand gestures? I mean, hello, that video?’
‘Oh, the flowers,’ says Cherry, chomping on a length of bicycle tyre made of jelly covered in sugar. ‘I forgot to tell you, they’re from Hank. To Liberty. Not you. You should really give her them back.’
* * *
‘It’s almost midnight,’ says Cherry. She is on a winning streak on the slots, and I have been sitting watching her while my mind has been racing. Matteo has not been in touch since we parted ways. Why was I so defensive about him dropping everything when Birdie clicks her fingers? It probably wasn’t even Birdie demanding his attention. I know that he has a business to run, and Matteo has explained all of this to me, and yet…
Cherry’s words sink in. Midnight. Luke. The love sign. Time to make sure we are as far away as possible.
‘Okay. I’ll have to get going.’
Cherry gives me a sharp look. ‘Wait just two more minutes. I can feel a big win coming on.’ She is feeding dollar bills into a one-armed bandit and yanking on the arm, muttering expletives.
‘I can’t risk being near the love sign,’ I say, turning to leave.
