Page 46

"No," Victoria lied, ignoring the twist of guilt in her stomach. "Just a headache."

Before Emma could ask another question, the crunch of gravel echoed from the driveway. A taxi pulled through the gates. It was a sleek black car that belonged in London, not on a dirt road in the Cotswolds. The car stopped near the porch. The driver stepped out and popped the boot.

The rear passenger door swung open. Chloe emerged, wearing an expensive blouse, large sunglasses, and designer stilettos. She looked at the damp grass as if it might attack her.

Victoria stepped off the porch. "Chloe? What are you doing here?"

Chloe pushed her sunglasses up into her hair, her face lighting up. She navigated the gravel with precarious steps, throwing her arms open. "Surprise!"

She collided with Victoria, wrapping her in a fierce hug.

Victoria returned the embrace, feeling a rush of genuine relief. Chloe was a piece of her actual life, a reminder of reality. Chloe pulled back, keeping her hands on Victoria’s shoulders. She looked Victoria up and down, her jaw dropping.

"Oh my god," Chloe whispered in horror. "Are you wearing denim?"

Victoria looked down at her jeans. "They are practical."

"They are a cry for help," Chloe announced loudly. She turned her attention to the porch, spotting Emma. "Oh! You must be Emma."

Emma stepped forward, offering a tentative smile. "Hi. Nice to meet you."

Chloe marched over to the steps, completely ignoring the mud. She grabbed Emma’s hand and shook it vigorously.

"I am Chloe, her sister," she said. "I am so sorry for whatever Victoria has put you through. Has she rearranged your kitchen yet? She has a sickness. She alphabetizes her spices. She color-codes her socks."

Victoria felt the blood rush to her face. "Chloe, please, stop it."

"I am just warning the poor girl," Chloe said. She turned back to Emma. "Did you know she sleeps with a silk mask? If there is a single sliver of light in the room, she claims she is going blind. And she refuses to drink tap water. I brought twelve bottles of Evian in my suitcase because I assumed she was dying of dehydration."

Emma clamped a hand over her mouth, her shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. She looked at Victoria, her eyes dancing. "I had no idea. She has been hiding her sock organization from me."

"It is a tragedy," Chloe sighed. She gestured to the taxi driver, who was struggling to pull a massive boot from the car. "Be careful with that! It contains my shoes."

Victoria closed her eyes. She wanted to sink into the earth.

"I will help him," Victoria said, stepping toward the boot.

"Do not strain your back, Vic," Chloe warned. "Must I remind you of the time you pulled a muscle in Pilates and complained for a week?"

Emma let out a loud snort, quickly disguising it as a cough.

Victoria glared at Emma, but her face was burning with humiliation. She grabbed the handle of a smaller suitcase, refusing to look at either of them.

"Allow me," a voice interrupted.

Lucy jogged up the driveway, carrying a box of floral decorations under one arm. She dropped the box on the grass and approached the taxi. Lucy took one look at Chloe and stopped walking.

Chloe blinked, smoothing a hand down her blouse.

Lucy stared at Chloe with absolute fascination. She stepped forward, flashing a brilliant smile. "Well, hello there."

"Hi," Chloe said softly, looking slightly intimidated.

"You certainly brought a lot of luggage," Lucy observed. She reached past the struggling driver and effortlessly hoisted the heavy boot by its leather handle, not even wincing.

Chloe’s eyes widened. A faint pink flush appeared on her cheeks. "Oh. Thank you. You are very strong."

"I lift kegs at the pub in my free time," Lucy joked, shifting the boot to her shoulder. "I am Lucy. I am a friend of Emma’s."