His face falls a hundred feet.
‘She’s very sensitive underneath that cold, brash exterior,’ explains Cherry. ‘You’d think butter wouldn’t melt but it’s the little things that get to her. Mind, she has been very emotional this whole trip. Her hormones are all over the…’ Cherry trails off and frowns sharply at Sister Kevin. ‘Go after her.’
He visibly swallows as her words sink in, and he darts off in the same direction.
‘Poor boy,’ says Big Sue. ‘She’ll go apeshit over that comment. I doubt there’s any coming back from that.’
‘Not unless she’s…’ Cherry says.
‘No,’ says Big Mand. ‘She wouldn’t have. Would she? Things weren’t that serious between them, were they?’
Matteo gives me a knowing look. Now is not the time to admit we saw them in Macy’s wedding department. Along with the rest of the group.
‘I’m sure they’ll be fine,’ I say to lighten the mood. ‘Big Sue. What was your news?’
‘Nothing that can’t wait,’ she says, reddening slightly.
‘Libs, weren’t you and Eddie about to say something?’ asks Big Mand.
‘No. No, I don’t think so,’ she says, looking at Eddie. Liberty is also behaving oddly.
‘Champagne, anyone?’ says Eddie loudly. ‘I’ll have some sent over. Liberty, honey, there’s someone I’d really like you to meet.’ He pulls Liberty away and she is very keen to go.
‘What is going on with you lot?’ says Liam. ‘I’m getting seriously weird vibes from the lot of you.’
‘Forget that,’ Ged says. ‘Connie, babes. You just sang your own original song on stage in Las Vegas. My mind is officially blown.’
‘I know,’ I say. ‘It’s totally surreal.’
‘So, what now? Does this mean you’ll stay over here?’ he asks Matteo. ‘Are you taking our Connie back to LA? What’s the plan?’ Ged loves a plan as much as me. We live our lives by lists, agendas and schedules. They’re our security blanket.
Oh, God. I’m going to need a plan.
29
‘Did you guys get an invitation?’ says Liam, holding up a slip of card identical to the one that was delivered to my room. ‘Who is it from?’
‘No idea,’ I say. ‘Are you going?’
We are lounging on the cabana. Matteo is networking, the Dollz are dancing, Liberty and Eddie have been welded together since we came off stage. The birthday party is showing no signs of ever ending.
‘What if it’s Big Sue and Big Mand?’ says Ged theatrically, his mouth gaping open. ‘What if they’re getting hitched while we’re here? They might have planned a military-style wedding.’
Oh.That would make sense. Theywerelooking at rings.
‘When would they have had the time to buy wedding cargos? They’ve been full metal jacket since we got here.’
Images of how excited they were in the shop flood my mind. ‘I’m not sure they’d wear wedding combat gear, guys.’
Ged raises an eyebrow.
‘Tash and Kev have been behaving very oddly. What if it’s them?’ says Liam.
Oh.That would make a lot of sense too. ‘She could be preggers, and he may have proposed.’
‘Let’s not leap to conclusions,’ says Ged.
This is very much the pot calling the kettle black. Not so long ago we all thought Hank was a hitman.
