“You’ve got amnesia,” I remind her. “How could you know?”
“But how didn’t I know back then? In high school?”
“Because I didn’t tell you,” Bree explains.
This sets off a fresh wave of tears. “Why not? Did you not trust me?”
“Evie, it’s fine. I hadn’t figured everything out back then.”
This placates her slightly. “But what about the white-shirt thing? You know, Mr. Darcy. Were you just pretending?”
Bree and I explode into laughter at this point.
“I’m queer, Evie, but I can still appreciate a man in a white shirt.”
“What was all that fuss about Tom Jenkins at school?”
“It wasn’t Tom I was interested in. It was Madeleine!”
“That French girl?”
“Mmm.”This time it’s both BreeandDrew reminiscing dreamily about her.
“So now I’m in love with a woman named Ivy. Madly. She’scurrently on tour in New York, or you could have met her. She’s from Adelaide!”
“Drew is moving to New York,” Evie says, between sobs. I don’t pretend the tears are about me. She’s still mourning not being beside her best friend when she first came out.
“It’s a magazine job,” I explain to Bree, and Evie dissolves into silent tears this time. Maybe these are a little about me? She can’t possibly want me to reevaluate New York in the wake of one kiss, though.Can she? Would I?
“You should visit him, when you’re well,” Bree says in no-nonsense fashion. “You love New York.”
The tears stop. “I made it there?”
“Shit, sorry, Eves,” Bree says, backtracking. “I’m sure you’ll remember. Though you’ll probably have more fun next trip if you go with Drew instead of his brother. I know it’s bad to speak ill of the dead, but …”
Oh, no. Stop.
“His brother?” Evie’s voice is a whisper.
Bree’s hand shoots to her mouth. She’s appalled by her gaff.
“What do you mean?” Evie backs away from us both. She’s dumbfounded. “Drew. What does she mean?” The slow and deliberate way she’s speaking is more terrifying than the sobbing.
“Oh, God,” Bree whispers, screwing up her face in remorse. “I’m so sorry.”
Evie has barely come to terms with the fact that she and I were friends. Wejust kissed. And now this bombshell, which I was planning on breaking to her gently.
“Evie, listen …”
Her eyes are like saucers.Filledwith hurt.
“When you and I were going to the formal together,” I begin.
“You said we were never together!”
“We never really were …”
“Drew!”
