Page 86 of I’m Dreaming of a New York Christmas

‘Yeah, because Instagram famously reflects the truth,’ I snapped back.

Laurie replied in a quieter voice. ‘I’m not psychic, Flora. If you were having a bad time, you should have told me.’

This was the closest we’d ever come to an argument and I felt dizzy with discomfort.

You need to fix this, Flora, before it gets out of hand like the row with Anneka.

‘Yeah, you’re totally right, I’m sorry. And I haven’t been having a bad time. Just a… complicated time. And all of this is just a lot to find out.’

‘I know. It’s okay.’

I returned to a horizontal position to help the blood return to my brain, keen to get as many facts as possible before Ethan got back.

‘Have you been in touch with him since you saw he was in New York?’

‘Yeah, I DMed him straight away.’

‘And did he reply?’

‘Yes, he said something like he’d booked it a while ago and it would’ve been a shame for the trip to go to waste.’

Fuck. He’d booked our bloody honeymoon a year early as a surprise, hadn’t he? The first and only romantic thing he’d ever done for me and I didn’t even get to experience it. And now my honeymoon was being enjoyed by someone else. Briony.

‘Does he know I’m here?’

‘Yes, I told him when I messaged him. I hope that’s okay. He couldn’t believe it. He said he would have told you all of this himself if you ever unblocked him.’

I’d blocked Will on every platform and device imaginable a week after he’d walked out on me once it’d become clear he was going to make no effort to get in touch. Maybe it had been an immature thing to do, but what did he expect after calling off our wedding forty-eight hours before the big day?

‘Flora, I’m really, really sorry I didn’t tell you about his new girlfriend sooner.’

Deep down, I wasn’t even sure if I would’ve wanted to know before now. In Laurie’s shoes, I probably would have waited for the right moment – just like she had planned to do. None of this was her fault.

‘I know. It’s okay, honestly.’

I heard the main front door slam at the bottom of the property – it could have been Ethan returning from the store, or someone else in the building. Either way, I needed to hang up.

‘I have to go, Laurie.’

‘Are you okay, Flor?’

‘Honestly? I don’t know how I feel about anything anymore. But, like I said, I have to go. Love you.’

I hung up before she had the chance to speak again, and locked myself in the bathroom to compose myself – and gather further intel – in the only private space available. I sat on the closed toilet seat and opened Instagram. I unblocked Will and there it all was – endless photos of smiles and romance and, in the last twenty-four hours, New-fucking-York.

I tapped on his new girlfriend’s username, which took me to a private profile. From what I could see of her, she looked younger than me. I was furious to notice that, in the photos they were together on Will’s grid, they also looked extremely happy.

Like me and Ethan in that speakeasy photo.

But me and Ethan weren’t a couple, were we? We were a temporary infatuation that was destined to only exist in past tense once my trip was over.

I felt a visceral urge to sit on the tiled floor and sob. But Ethan had already been forced to deal with enough of my emotions, and he’d be back any moment now. I splashed some cold water on my face and slapped my cheeks a few times, testing out a forced smile in the mirror, just as I heard his keys jangle in the lock. I emerged into the main room, having decided on a temporary strategy to get me through the next twelve hours.

Tonight, I would enjoy my time with Ethan – the conversation about Mum and Anneka would have to wait.

Tomorrow, in some shape or form, I would deal with Will.

Chapter 19