“Does that include men?” I pushed for information, knowing there was more going on than she’d been telling us.
“You won’t get anything out of her, I’ve tried.” Fallon walked over, a cup of tea in her hand because it was only eleven o’clock on a Sunday morning and she was still recuperating.
We’d thought we’d lost her. For a moment, after we heard that she was past the worst, she’d crashed. But our stubborn, beautiful friend fought hard and the doctors and nurses brought her round, saving her life. The weeks after had been rough, on Fallon and the rest of us, but she was here now, thinner, stilltired but her vibrancy was returning and she was starting to smile again. Mainly about Harriet.
“She can only keep a secret for so long.” Erin sat down at the table, stretching out her long legs. She’d spent more time than anyone in Stratford, and I was pretty sure that she did know what Harriet was up to and who it involved.
Harriet took another seat at the table and picked up a strawberry, dipping it in chocolate before almost swallowing it whole, like a snake with a mouse. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“Which tells us there is.” I joined her with a strawberry but nibbled on mine.
Harriet shook her head. “There might be a story one day, but it will definitely have The End sooner than you’d hope. But for now, nada.”
“You’re no fun.” Fallon sat down. “What do you think, Carter?”
Carter sidled over to me. “I thought we were having bacon sandwiches?”
“We are, if you cook the bacon.”
He shook his head at me. “I thought you were the host.”
“You’re the host’s boyfriend and therefore man servant.”
He leaned closer, whispering into me ear. “I thought I did that earlier.”
“Bacon. My parents and the rest of the rabble will be here soon.” I gave him a little push, which just made him laugh and go to the fridge for the bacon and the Bucks Fizz that I had no doubt Eliza would make a dent into.
We’d been a couple for six months, six months of getting to know each other in a different way, six months of learning things about each other differently. It was working, time split between each other’s houses, but with no rush to live together yet. We spent four or five nights a week together depending on shifts and what we were doing. Harriet had come back for severalweekends, enthusiastic but with a level of mysterious that I hadn’t worked out yet, but I knew she was seeing someone and I knew she was taken by him. I’d spent time in Stratford-Upon-Avon too, either at her house, or in a hotel with Carter, and I’d finally managed to get him to kind of enjoy Shakespeare.
The intercom button rang, and Eliza arrived with Orla and Quinn, two of her younger sisters who both looked half dead with a hangover. Eliza rushed to Carter first, giving him a huge hug, then proceeded to attack Fallon in the same manner. Orla and Quinn headed straight to the sofa and sank into it, eyes half closed.
“Big night?”
Quinn fully opened one eye. “Blame your brothers.”
I rolled my eyes and didn’t ask any more questions. Marie had once said that Luke and Maxwell – named after our uncle – were just like Seph and our uncle Callum at the same age, which didn’t bode well for the women of London or anywhere else they could visit.
Erin headed onto door duty, more of the Callaghans turning up, as well as a few friends from the hospital, and my not so little apartment started to feel packed, although everyone took their shoes off, apart from Luke who now had vacuuming duty after everyone had gone.
Yellow sun pooled through the floor to ceiling window, the Thames just about visible. I loved the view; it was one of the main reasons I’d chosen this one, although I knew in my heart of hearts, I wouldn’t be living here more than a couple of years. Carter came over to me, putting his arm around my waist.
“You’re ignoring your guests.”
“I’m sure they’re fine.” Max – the uncle – and my dad were continually talking to the hungover crew, which was making them suffer and it was rather entertaining.
“What are you thinking?” It had become parr of the course for Carter to ask me that, which meant he was struggling to read me because I was possibly masking.
“It’s nice having everyone here. But it’ll be nice when they go.” I was already looking forward to having the place tidy and spending the afternoon reading.
“I think that’s always the case.” He wrapped his arms around me, his chin resting on my shoulder. “Happy?”
“Very. Harriet’s back for a bit, Fallon’s healthy, Laurie’s doing well and Erin’s killing it at work. And you’re okay too.” I added as an afterthought. “Who’d have thought we’d be here this time last year?”
“A lot’s changed.” He paused for a moment, so much so that I could practically hear him thinking. “I didn’t imagine we’d be here.”
“Neither did I. It’s all working out though, isn’t it?”
“It is. Come on, we’d better socialise before Fallon starts heckling us.”
