‘I am not going to be marked down on my conversational skills by a guy who didn’t even notice that the waiter was offering him dessert!’ Jessy hissed.
And it felt good, somehow, to get angry. All this rage within me, all the frustration with Cassie, it had to flow somewhere.
And Jessy was here, contractually obligated to be with me.
Well, if she wanted to bask in the rays of a celebrity, she would have to take the heat.
‘You’re only doing this for clout, and honestly, I’m already sick of it,’ I spat out, knowing I should stop, unable to. ‘You might be hot –’
‘You think I’m hot?’
Shit.
‘– but I am not here to pretend to be obsessed with a woman who couldn’t find another guy to date her,’ I finished doggedly, ignoring all the warning bells that were yellingshut the fuck up.
Jessy blinked.
It was hardly the best insult, and not based in truth – or any truth I was aware of, at least. But the ugly beast that had been gnawing at me since this sham had started was out for blood.
I sat waiting for Jessy to throw something back at me – a well-deserved insult, or even her drink.
Instead, her piercing blue eyes began blinking. Shit. Were those tears? Guilt stabbed me in the chest. She hadn’t done anything to deserve that.
‘Fuck you.’
I watched on, paralysed, as she gathered her things and rose from the barstool. ‘Jessy –’
‘You know, Patrick,’ said Jessy, with a smile that carried no warmth, ‘on Butterflies you always came across as someone out of his depth, but still a genuinely nice guy. I guess now I know the truth. You’re just like the rest of them. An arsehole.’
Without another word, she wove her way through the crowd – disappearing out of sight with just a few steps.
‘Great.’ I picked up my drink and downed it in one.
EIGHT
What do you mean, we’re over? Over is just four letters and I have more for you: love, need, stay …
–from ‘Four Letter Word’, by These Exiles
‘THERE YOU ARE!’
I’d never been happier to see Anna – or the two coffees in front of her – when I walked into Maria’s. Sliding into our usual booth, I grabbed the nearest –
‘Nope, this one’s yours,’ Anna said with a grin, pushing the other cup towards me. ‘Unless you want a drink laced with blueberry syrup. And can I ask why we are meeting this early – I thought you’d taken time off work?’
‘I have.’ Karun hadn’t been particularly pleased about that, but he was the least of my problems these days. ‘I’ve got to meet Patrick at some TV studio and –’
‘Ah, the life of the rich and famous,’ Anna teased. ‘Why you want to give it all up, I’ll never understand.’
I rolled my eyes as Laura dropped down next to Anna. ‘You try dealing with that man-child and see if you don’t start to get it.’
‘I should never have asked you to do this,’ Laura fretted, tugging her hands through her hair as she forced her unruly curls into a bun. ‘This is way too much –’
‘I can handle it,’ I found myself saying, almost despite myself. ‘You don’t have to worry about me.’
But my reassurances did nothing. Worry still clouded my sister’s face.
That was Laura all over. Always worrying, always stressing, always determined to fix things before they even became problems.
