Rachel was beginning to run out of encouraging words of comfort. She had the feeling that it wasn’t only Danny on her friend’s mind; there was something else making her uptight, and uncharacteristically distracted. Knowing each other as well as they did, it was always obvious when one of them was holding back.
Rachel had suggested an evening out to this recently opened brasserie on Shoreditch High Street to cheer Jenna up, but it didn’t seem to be working. If anything her mood was worsening and she had barely touched her meal. For that matter, Rachel’s own mood was going downhill fast.
In an effort to change the subject, and with one last valiant attempt to turn the evening around, she said, ‘Thank goodness it’s less than a week until we escape to Linston. And you know what we should all do? We should make Alastair change his mind about selling, not by disagreeing with him about his plans, but by having a brilliant time. That way he’ll remember all the good times and—’ Her words ground to a sudden halt. ‘Jenna, you’re not listening to a word I’m saying, are you?’
Jenna frowned. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘So you should be. We’re supposed to be having an enjoyable night out and you’re about as much fun as a dripping tap.’
‘Pardon me for worrying about my parents. How tedious that must be for you when you have something far more important to whinge about, that of Paul preferring to go away with his brothers and mates, and not you!’
Rachel’s jaw dropped. ‘I don’t believe you’ve just said that, or twisted what I said. Which was that Paul can’t join us at Linston because he’s going to the Hungarian Grand Prix, and if I remember rightly, I only mentioned it once.’
‘Three times actually,’ muttered Jenna. ‘And it’s always good to know where a boyfriend’s priorities lie,’ she added.
Rachel was stunned at how bitchy Jenna sounded. ‘At least I have a boyfriend!’ she fired back.
‘At least I’m not desperate to have one no matter how …’
‘Go on,’ Rachel said, her voice low, ‘no matter how, what?’
‘Forget it. Forget I said anything.’
‘Oh, no you don’t! You can’t say something like that and leave it hanging. Obviously you have plenty more to say on the subject. Out with it.’
Jenna pursed her lips and pushed her unfinished plate away from her.
Furious, Rachel waited. And waited. She took a gulp of her wine and waited some more.
At last Jenna returned her gaze to hers. ‘I just don’t think he’s good enough for you.’
‘You’ve formed that opinion on meeting him just twice?’
‘First impressions are important. And we’ve met on four occasions. You might at least be accurate.’
‘Are you sure you’re not jealous?’
Jenna rolled her eyes. ‘Very sure. And I think if you were honest, really honest with yourself, you’d admit that I’m right. Paul isn’t the one for you; he’s just become a habit. He’s one of those boyfriends who will never commit, and you’d rather settle for that than nothing.’
‘Hah! Just goes to show what a poor judge of character you are, because Paul has told me that he loves me. And I love him. How’s that for commitment?’
Jenna chewed on her lip. ‘Well, that’s all right then, isn’t it? I’m surprised you don’t look happier about it in that case.’
‘How can I be happy with you being such a misery?’
‘God, you can be so shallow at times.’
‘And you can be so boring! To think I passed on the chance to be with Paul tonight so I could cheer you up.’
‘You’ve done a first class job of that, haven’t you? Trust me, I’d have had more fun at home cleaning the oven!’
They glared at each other across the table, their arms folded in a perfect mirror image. That was when yet again, one of the annoying waiters approached their table.
‘We’re fine,’ hissed Rachel before he’d even opened his mouth, ‘now go away and stop bothering us!’
The waiter looked at her, his eyebrows raised. ‘I’m sorry?’
‘I said we’re fine, which means we don’t need you butting in yet again. Honestly, this evening is going from bad to worse. But on second thoughts, you can bring us the bill.’
