Harriet: I’m free.
Me: I have a date. Excellent
Fallon: *selfie with her face covered in something green*
Erin: Dare I ask?
Fallon: One of the dicks put green dye in my facewash so I now look like Elphaba Thropp.
Me: What will revenge be?
Fallon: Clove oil in his shower gel. I just need to break into his locker. I’ve already got it planned. That’s if I let him live.
Me: You’re very murderous at the moment.
Fallon: At the moment? It’s been a permanent state since I was seventeen. Pager’s gone – need to go.
Harriet: We need to save that photo. She’ll try and delete it later.
Harriet: Saved.
Erin: Amazing.
I headed into a lingerie store, somewhere I hadn’t been for ages and looked around, deciding to treat myself. I had no one to wear it for, so I’d wear it for myself. With that thought, I banished Carter from my brain and hunted out the silkiest, comfiest bra I could find and matching underwear, slipping a new nightie into my basket too.
I tried them on, happy with what I saw in the mirror, glad that I was comfortable in my skin. Any make-up I’d put on that morning had disappeared, but I still looked like me.
Feeling better than I had that morning, I paid up and strolled out, deciding to get something decadent for dinner and then have a long bath.
I was free. I was happy. I was in control of my life.
And I wasn’t in love with Carter Collins.
CHAPTER 11
Carter
Me: So what did you tell her about us?
Laurie: That I didn’t know how you took your tea and I’d barely seen you all week. What was I supposed to tell her? I can’t give her the detail on our agreement and let her know in the shop in front of whoever might be listening that we’re only getting married so I get my trust fund. My grandpa has spies everywhere – some gentleman came to see me this morning from a ‘club’ Grandfather used to go to.
Me: So she doesn’t know that you’re not really my fiancée?
Laurie: No, because you need to tell her.
Me: She won’t respond to my messages.
Laurie: Just tell her in a message, no preamble. Just spit it out.
Me: I need to tell her face to face. Telling her I’m getting married to someone else isn’t going to go down well.
Laurie: I’d start by telling her about how a marriage can be annulled the day after.
Me: Not a bad idea. How’s the shop coming along?
Laurie: Good. Even better, the tenant in the flat above has moved out today.
Me: Won’t your family be suspicious if your stuff isn’t at my house?
