I felt slightly taken aback but said, “Oh. Okay. Well, I’m sad you won’t be able to come.”
“Me too,” he said, perusing the menu. “Ooh—” he glanced up excitedly “—shall we get the arancini balls and buffalo mozzarella to start?”
I feel guilty that I didn’t message Mimi then to let her know that Liam could no longer come, rather than dropping it on her now in the office, but I had been putting it off. I don’t want her thinking that he’s not making an effort with my friends. I’m sure he will when he has the time.
Still, I can’t help but compare his lack of enthusiasm for Mimi’s birthday with his intense eagerness for networking at the charity ball. Liam’s ambition is what attracted me to him in the first place, but it does make me doubt his intentions a little. To be fair, it’s not like I’ve prioritized getting to know his friends, either.
I’m not sure that’s a good sign.
“I’m really sorry, Mimi, he did want to come and was hoping he’d be able to make it,” I tell her hurriedly. “But he’s got so much work on at the moment, and it’s taking over his weekends, too. I hope this hasn’t ruined the rounders teams. I feel awful.”
“Don’t feel bad,” she tells me, brightening. “This actually works out quite nicely.”
I look at her in surprise. “It does?”
“Obviously, I’m sorry that Liam can’t come,” she says, taking another bite of the carrot cake. “But I was going to invite Ryan, too, which would have made the teams uneven numbers, but now without Liam, they’ll be the same.”
“I…sorry?”
Before she can address my baffled reaction, she calls out Ryan’s name, stopping him in his tracks as he returns to his desk.
“I wanted to invite you to my birthday party this Saturday,” Mimi says cheerily.
He looks puzzled. “Really?”
“Yeah, course! If you’re free?”
“Yes, I am. Thanks,” he says, his forehead creasing as though he’s trying to work out why she would possibly want him to come. He glances at me suspiciously.
“Great! It’s going to be a day of fun games in the park, so get your competitive hat on and pray for sunshine.”
He allows himself a small smile. “I definitely have a competitive streak.”
“I thought you might,” Mimi comments. “I’ll message you the details, but it’s Brockwell Park around lunchtime.”
“Brockwell—is that the one near Brixton?”
She nods. “Where do you live?”
“Finsbury Park.”
“Literally the other end of London. Bit of a pain for you, then,” Mimi remarks with a sympathetic look. “Although, it’s straight down the Victoria Line, which is nice and speedy.”
“I’ll be there, thanks for the invite,” he assures her.
“So pleased you can make it! And feel free to bake something for the occasion. That cake was incredible.” She pauses, adding, “Oh and you’re very welcome to bring your other half, too… if you have one?”
He blushes, shaking his head. “Just me at the moment.”
“Oh good,” she says, brightening. “I didn’t want to be rude, but it would have ruined the even numbers of the teams if you’d brought a plus-one, to be honest.”
“Mimi,” I say calmly, as Ryan sits down next to me and starts typing away, “would you mind accompanying me to the bathroom?”
“Sure,” she says, dropping her napkin in the paper basket next to her desk. “Let’s go.”
Once we’re in the safe haven of the toilets, I round on her.
“Why did you invitehimto your party?” I demand.
