“If I’m not at breakfast or answering my phone, Gabi, do you think that could perhaps have anything to do with the fact that I’m asleep and would have liked to stay asleep?”
“Again, it’s past noon. I was… worried.” As the thick cloud of perfume wafts past Charlotte and reaches Gabi’s nose, her face scrunches, but she doesn’t say anything.
“I had a rough night. Couldn’t sleep. I was happy to catch a few hours just now—which you ruined, so thanks for that.”
Gabi’s expression changes to one full of pity. “Oh no, a rough night? I hope it’s nothing serious?”
“No, no. Don’t worry. My head was just so full of… secret stuff. I mean secret toyou. You and Lou, because of the wedding. Secret wedding stuff. Because you’re getting married.”
“Are you sure I shouldn’t worry?” Gabi asks, crossing her arms. “Because you do look like hell. Where are your clothes—wait, are you feeling hot? Don’t tell me you’re running a fever this close to the wedding?” She reaches out her hand to place against Charlotte’s forehead, who slaps her hand away before it touches her and hisses like a feral cat.
“Jesus, Gabi, I’m fine. Just tired.” She almost stares a hole through her friend trying to make her leave.Drop it. Just drop it and walk away.
“Don’t go playing the hero now. I can come in and make sure you—”
“Gabrielle.”
Gabi recoils. “My government name?” At Charlotte’s displeased expression, she throws her hands up. “Fine. Don’t say I didn’t offer. So are you coming to brunch then, sleeping beauty?”
“Sure, yeah, I’ll come to brunch. I’ll be down in… 30 minutes.”
Gabi smiles, finally. “Great. See you downstairs.”
Charlotte is about to close the door when Gabi puts her foot in the opening.
“Actually,” she says, pensively scratching the corner of her mouth. “Do you happen to know where Riley is?”
Charlotte’s eyebrows raise in shock, not having expected this question. “Who?”
She instantly realizes how stupid that sounds, so she tries to save herself: “Oh, you meanRileyRiley. Like Lou’s friend Riley. Uhm, nope. No idea.” She curves her lips down in innocence and shrugs.
“Really? Because she isn’t downstairs, and not in her room either.”
“Then why would I know?” Charlotte snaps. “She’s probably just—” She vaguely waves her hand around. “Outside, doing… dumb things. Because she’s… dumb.”
Gabi nods earnestly. “Hm. Yeah, I hadn’t actually considered that.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake Gabi, it’s not like I’m hiding her in my room or something.”
Gabi starts laughing. “My god, no, that would be wild.”
Charlotte forces herself to join in the laughter. “Plot twist of the century, right?”
“Oh yeah, could you imagine?”
“I really couldn’t.”
Their laughter dies down.
“Alright, well, if you happen to see her, can you invite her to brunch too?” Gabi asks.
Charlotte dramatically rolls her eyes and lets out a disgusted sigh. “I mean, sure, if I have to.”
“Thanks, dear. See you downstairs.”
Charlotte shuts the door quickly before Gabi can ask any more annoying questions. She leans against it,breathes a few times, and gives herself a little pep talk. Okay, 30 minutes to fix this mess.
She opens the bathroom door to cuss out Riley for existing, but is completely thrown off when her eyes land on the scene in front of her.
