“What the fucking fuck?” Ada shrieks.
I watch as Davis paces my office, relaying everything to Ada while she fires off a mix of questions and Italian curse words. Hearing themtalk about me as though I’m some shared charity project makes me feel like even more of a pathetic spectator in my own life. I drink the last of my London’s finest in a big swallow.
“That underhanded weasley cunt-face!” Ada shouts. “Is Cece better now?”
Davis throws me a look. “Are you better now?”
I raise my empty glass in response.
“Nah,” he says. “Ada, I’ve gotta let you go?—”
“I’m coming, Cee!” Ada yells.
“You don’t have to?—”
Click.The call cuts.
“She hung up,” Davis says, like I maybe didn’t notice. “I think she’s coming back.”
A new thrum of guilt coils through me. I don’t want to ruin Ada and Jake’s night. Whatever Davis thinks, they do seem good together. But I also want her here. I need my friend. I let out a fresh sob. “Refill, please?”
Twenty minutes and two double gins later, Davis is watching me chow down on the cheese and pineapple toastie Aggie forced into my hands, when Ada bursts through the door.
“Where is she?” Ada raises her fists like a prize fighter. “I’m gonna make that bitcheat her own braid!”
I smile thickly. “She’s gone, Addy. Gone with my money. Not tonight’s money… But you know... Other money.”
I’m drunk, I realise. And I might’ve derailed Jake’s tequila-flavoured sex agenda, but whatever went down in the meantime, Ada’s still glowing. She looks like she’s swallowed a ring light. The sight of her brings the reality of everything I’ve done crashing down on me again.
“God, Lisa can get fucked forever.” Ada collapses into the chair beside me. “How you holding up, babe?”
“Um…” Fresh tears well in my eyes. “I’m ruining this place. It was better off without me.”
“Don’t say that. You’ve been busting your ass for months.And it was a total shithole before.”
“So, what? Lisa was stealing from me for God knows how long, and I had no idea. If it wasn’t for Davis... And who knows how many other things are going on that I don’t know about!”
“Cece, it’s okay.” Ada’s arms close around me, holding me tight. More tears come now, as if her hug is squeezing them from me.
“Lisa was such a bitch,” I wail. My dad always called gin mascara-thinner, and it’s living up to that reputation tonight. “She was so mean about you.”
Ada recoils. “The fuck did I do?”
“She said you don’t pay for your drinks, even though I told her you do,andyou paid for all that new stuff for the bar,andDavis wouldn’t even let me attack her!”
“That cow. I’m going to spray-paint her car windows, but only three of them, so she can’t claim insurance.”
“Yes!” I say, invigorated. “Let’s do that!”
“Nobody’s vandalising Lisa’s car,” Davis calls from the corner of the room.
“Whatever, narc. You can’t tell us what to do,” Ada says.
“Yeah! I amveryon board with this spray-painting plan. It might be the best plan I’ve ever heard.”
Davis rolls his eyes. “Need anything else, Cece?”
I shake my head, pick up my gin glass and take another sip. It doesn’t burn anymore. Just slides down smooth and warm.
