She blinks, floundering for words. “No, I just?—”
“I’m kidding,” I say, nudging her with my elbow. She offers me a soft smile and hands me another plate. We rarely have the chance to talk, just the two of us, so I’m not sure why she’s focusing on Bridget. I couldn’t care less about the woman.
“I’m not interested in her.”
She glances at me.
“Bridget—I’m not interested in Bridget,” I clarify.
“Why not? She’s gorgeous.”
Because I couldn’t take my eyes off you.
“I just don’t fancy her,” I say, struggling to find the right words.
“Hmm,” she murmurs. “She does have those supermodel legs that go on for miles.” Her hands slow over the dish.
I swallow, shaking my headno.
“Really?” she asks, releasing the dish to float in the sink. She plucks the tea towel off my shoulder to dry her hands, then turns to lean against the counter, tossing the towel back over my shoulder. Her smile is cheeky as she says, “What about any of my other friends? You could have any woman you want. You know that, right?”
I know she’s just being playful, that there’s no deeper meaning behind her words, but still, I hold her gaze. “I wouldn’t say that. Notanywoman.”
Her smile falters, her brows pulling together slightly as her lips part. “Well, do you have a type?”
“Yes.”
“And what is it?”
I open my mouth to respond, but Lucas’s footsteps thunder down the stairs. He grabs the banister, swinging himself into the kitchen. “Sorry about that, love. I was just changing.” He nods at the tea towel over my shoulder. “Cheers for doing that.”
Lucas strides over, wrapping an arm around April’s waist and kissing the top of her head. Without waiting for a response, he dashes into the utility room, grabs something, and disappears upstairs without so much as a backwards glance at her.
I lower the plate in my hand, placing it carefully on the drying rack. April’s gaze drops to the floor, defeated.
I grind my teeth. I need to leave before I cross the line. Before I tell her she deserves more. Before I tell her he doesn’t appreciate her. Doesn’t see her, not really.
“You look really beautiful tonight, April.”
Before she can respond, I turn and step out into the frigid night air. I can’t risk looking into those sombre, bluebell eyes.
If I did, her sadness would undo me.
Chapter 6
April
The week after the engagement party unfolds like any other. Lucas and I follow the same rhythm: work during the day, then back home to our usual routine. While he showers and changes, I make dinner. We eat together and chat about our days before settling into our own worlds for the night.
Most evenings, I lose myself in a book—usually an erotic romance. Lately, I’ve been devouring one about a single father of two and his younger colleague. I love snuggling up in bed with my cat, Basil. He’s been my loyal companion since I was seventeen. My parents and I adopted him when he was just a year old. Back then, he’d curl up in their bed while we watched films or sit with us during dinner, hoping for the inevitable scraps my dad would sneak him under the table. It’s memories like these that make me treasure how Basil still curls up with me and Lucas now. It’s as if Basil still carries a little piece of them with him.
Sharing that connection with Lucas means everything to me.
Lucas, on the other hand, alternates between his devices, a second-hand book, writing or lounging in front of the TV with a glass of full-bodied red in hand. More often than not, he falls asleep on the sofa before the night is over.
I’m good at switching off from work when I get home. My job ends the moment I step out of the office—no stray thoughts tugging at me, no stress weighing on my shoulders. My time is mine to enjoy. I adore my job as a personal assistant to one of London’s leading vitreoretinal surgeons. Sure, it’s not the highest-paying job, but the lifestyle balance makes up for it. It gives me the freedom to indulge in life’s little pleasures—buying the occasional book or slipping into a pair of sparkly heels to enjoy a night out with the girls when the moment calls for it.
It’s Saturday morning and my period has me firmly committed to a date with my sofa, TV show, and a bag of truffle crisps.
