Char claps her hands together quietly. “Brilliant.”
“Is it though? I mean, here I am, doing all these things with him, and being photographed with him, and I mean… This was all just meant to make Archie jealous. It was just meant to be a fucking PR stunt. And now… Aren’t I asking for trouble?”
Char frowns, her lips twitching as she considers my words. “I don’t think asking to be loved and respected is asking for trouble.”
“But what would people say?”
“They’d say all kinds of things,” Char says with a shrug. “What do you think they’ve said about my family? Faded nobility, worthless, a drain on society. Which, you know, fair.But people are going to say what they’re going to say. Doesn’t mean they’re right.”
The waitress arrives with our second round of coffees, and Char gives her a wide grin, which the waitress does not return.
Char reaches across the table and takes my hand. “Babes, you’ve been through it. And I mean, you have beenthrough it. You’ve gotten yourself through days that I cannot even begin to imagine. You’re the toughest, bravest person I know. And I mean that, genuinely. And this, all of this?”Char waves her hand around in the air. “What does it mean? What can they say to hurt you? Those bloody photographers out there? The keyboard warriors on socials? What can they do to you? Nothing. Because you’ve gotten through so much more than shitty headlines calling your private life into question.”
I swallow hard and squeeze her hand. “Thanks,” I choke out.
Char smiles at me gently. “You deserve the world. And something tells me that Dominic really wants to give it to you.”
I sniffle and nod. “Yeah, maybe.”
“I think definitely.”
“Might just get through this divorce first, ey? Life’s sort of messy enough.”
“That’s fair.” Char takes up her coffee cup and gestures to mine. “Come on, finish up. We’ve got to go and find you a dress for tonight.”
“I think I got plenty of dresses at home,” I say with a laugh.
“No, you need something new! To dazzle your new beau.” She grins at me over her cup.
We finish up and settle the bill with the waitress who still won’t smile at us, and head outside onto the road which is buzzing with Sunday afternoon shoppers. I wish I hadn’t driven now, because the traffic is going to be chaos.
“Bloody hell,” I groan as we’re accosted by photographers on our way down the road. “Bit early for this isn’t it, folks?”
“Don’t you all have a funeral you could be raiding?” Char hides her face behind her handbag. “Honestly, we’re not that interesting.”
“Come on, Mia, just give us a comment!” Paulie Hardcastle’s voice is instantly recognisable, and he falls into step beside me, shoving his camera in my face. “What’s the story about your dad? Are you willing to give us an exclusive?”
I want to tell him the only thing I’m willing to give him is a smack upside the head, but I decide that’s probably not the best thing to be in the press right now. I keep walking towards my car, ignoring him.
“You think you’re so much better than us all, Mia?” His voice has a sneering, slimy tone I’ve never really heard from him before. “Up there in your big house, with your expensive cars and your jewellery?”
“Ignore him,” Char mutters beside me.
We’re almost at my car, most of the photographers realising this is a dud deal and starting to hang back. But Paulie remains staunchly at my side.
“Come on, Mia,” he urges again, his camera going off in my peripheral vision.
“Back off!” I snarl, fishing my car keys out of my car.
“You’re getting older, aren't you scared of being irrelevant?” His voice is thick with anger and annoyance, and I can’t bear to look at him. “You’re going to be old news next year, don’t you know that?”
“Fuck off, Hardcastle.” I swat a hand out at him blindly, missing completely, and hit the button on my car keys. The lights on my Mustang flash, unlocking the doors.
“Mia, come on, just talk to me for five minutes!” Hardcastle exclaims.
I turn my back, tearing open the car door, when suddenly something is under my feet, pulling them out from under me.With a gasp, I fall forward, and pain shoots through my temple as my head connects with the corner of the car door.
Cries go up around us, and Char is screaming something I can’t hear over the rushing in my ears. I’m aware of hard ground under my bum, and Char’s arm around my shoulders.
