Page 35
Lauren
Bundling the bags of equipment into the back of the Mini, Lauren grumbled under her breath. That had been a total disaster. After getting through the planning meeting on a wing and a prayer, she’d flown straight into the side of a cliff.
“What’s wrong?” Paige asked, thumping the boot shut.
“Tonight was awful from start to finish. I tried to make conversation; she shut me down. I tried to brush it off and focus on the one thing I know I can do right—exercise—and she told me I was doing that wrong too.” Lauren leaned against the car and wrapped her hoodie tighter around herself. “She thinks I’m an idiot.”
“I doubt that. Maybe she was just having a bad day.”
The car park was cold, but not as frosty as the gym had been.
“It was personal. She was happy to joke with you.” Lauren shoved her hands into her pockets. “You turned up in a beret and had her smiling in thirty seconds.”
Paige laughed. “I’m sorry. I know you wanted to keep it professional. I was trying to break the tension a bit and help you relax. As expected, things got way too serious in there.”
“Because they are serious. I’m meant to be proving to Carly that I’ve changed. Jenna reckons if I spend enough time with her, bring her into football, let her see who I am now, everything will be fine, but I can’t even get her to have a normal conversation with me.” Lauren dragged both hands through her hair and let out a muffled scream. “And you breezing in like it was all a laugh didn’t help.”
Paige’s amusement faded. “Okay. Fair.”
Lauren glanced back towards the glow from the gym windows. Carly was framed in one of them, coiling the extension cable round her forearm with brisk, irritable efficiency, her ponytail swinging every time she turned. Lauren looked away before her brain could make anything of it. She wanted this to work more than anything, but maybe there was no fix. Maybe she was asking too much for Carly to forgive and forget. Or maybe she just needed to try harder.
“Should I go back in and apologise again?” she asked. “Or we could go to yours and record more videos, so she has something to choose from. I can do better.”
Paige pinched the bridge of her nose, clearly trying not to laugh again, and rested a hand on Lauren’s shoulder. “Yes to going to mine. No to more videos tonight.”
Lauren hesitated, then caught the exhaustion written across Paige’s face.
“Okay,” she said. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry. I’m here for you, but I need to sit.”
“Then let me drive.”
Lauren took the keys Paige had just pulled from her coat pocket, ran around to the passenger side, and opened the door. She held it while Paige lowered herself in, then settled behind the wheel and adjusted the seat back so her knees weren’t around her ears.
When she looked over, Paige was smiling.
“What?” Lauren asked.
“Did you hear what I just said?”
“Sitting?”
“No, before that. I said let’s go to mine, and I meant Becky’s. Not the bungalow.”
Lauren turned the ignition, smiling despite herself. “Does that mean you’ll stop breaking into my house?”
“If you’re lucky.” Paige clicked her seatbelt into place. “I told Becky how I was feeling after my meltdown the other day. Decided to lay out my insecurities and let the chips fall where they may. Like you said, what was the worst that could happen?”
“And what did happen?”
“Nothing much. She listened. Gave me a big cuddle. Told me she loved me.”
Lauren stuck two fingers into her mouth and pretended to gag.
Paige whacked her.
“I’m happy for you,” Lauren said, shoving the gearstick into reverse and peering over her shoulder as the car lurched backwards.
