Last night, when he carried me along the corridor, his shirt soaked with my tears.
The way he held me all night.
The way we opened up to each other.
So many memories.
Sasha leaps into the air, reaching for the bottle of bubbles. ‘Oh my god, Chloe! You’re in love with him, aren’t you?’
There’s no biting it back any longer. The corners of my mouth extend to each ear.
I shrug, like it’s not absolutely monumental.
‘Ahhhhh!’ Sasha does a jig around the jacuzzi, sending water flying in every direction. ‘I’m so excited for you! Will you bring him to my wedding?’
‘If he plays his cards right.’
And if he doesn’t, he’ll be there anyway, which doesn’t bear thinking about if this thing between us goes tits up beforehand.
No. Don’t go there, Chloe. He’s not Ethan.Not everybody lies, cheats, and runs off with a younger woman.
‘Look, it’s early days, but yes, I’m in love with him,’ I say, as my sisters stare at me like I’ve grown two heads, the two most wondrous heads they’ve ever seen. If I can say it to them, maybe I’ll be brave enough to say it to Jayden. ‘We both have commitment issues, but we’re working through them.’
‘Ahh. This is amazing!’ Sasha whoops like a giddy child at a fairground. ‘When can we meet him?’
‘After the tour. If he doesn’t break my heart first.’
‘He won’t.’ She takes my hand and offers it a reassuring pat. ‘He won’t.’
I gulp down another mouthful of fizzing champagne before addressing an issue I’ve had on my mind all day, now that I’ve apparently found my tongue again. ‘Speaking of which, you know, I thought I’d come here to find you broken-hearted, Victoria.’
‘Me?’ she shrieks.
‘Yeah, not over a man, but with this circus parade outside the door, and the media raking up the past about Mam and Dad.’
‘Why would I be broken-hearted? I know the truth. They can’t print anything I don’t already know.’
A lump catches in my throat. ‘Isn’t it hard? Going through it all again, though?’
‘You tell me.’ Victoria eyes me over her glass, sounding way wiser than her years.
‘I’m not going through it again. I’m holed up here with you.’
‘Exactly.’ Sasha and Victoria clink their champagne flutes in a private toast.
‘I don’t follow.’
Sasha sits up straighter, readjusting her white bikini top. She’s in full-on bride mode already. If I’d have known beforehand, I’d have bought her some of those white M&S bad boys.
Who knows, they might even have the same effect on Ryan as they did on his brother.
‘I didn’t drag you over here for Victoria’s benefit,’ Sasha says. ‘I did it for you. Call it a “sister-friend-shen,” if you like.’
‘What?’ My tone’s loaded with incredulity. ‘You thought I needed an inter-friend-shen? Why? I’m one of the most grounded, steady people I know.’
Sasha takes a deep breath, leaning forward like she’s about to let me in on one of the greatest secrets of the world. ‘Sis, you’re one of the most closed up, workaholic, emotionally stilted people I know. Sorry, but it’s true.’
‘Wow, don’t hold back or anything.’ I down my drink and hold out my glass to Sasha for a refill.
