Page 70 of One Last Thing
‘Please!’ she says, insulted. ‘Why would I be jealous?’
‘Of someone else flirting with Freddie? No reason,’ Lucia says innocently, sharing a look with me.
I grin into my drink. Carey notices our exchange and bristles.
‘I’m going to get another round since Freddie has obviously got distracted. Anyone want to help me?’ Carey proposes, flicking her long blonde hair over her shoulder.
Dominic gallantly raises his hand. ‘I’ll rise to the challenge. Same again everyone?’
We nod and as he gets up, he kisses me on the head before leaving the table with Carey while Lucia rolls her eyes at her friend, giggling.
‘You think her and Freddie will ever happen?’ I ask, stirring the end of my drink with my straw. ‘It’s been a while since they slept together, right?’
Lucia snorts, leaning her elbows on the table. ‘They haven’t slept together since . . . wait, let me think. Over a year ago, wasn’t it?’
‘Yeah, it was Robin’s birthday night out.’
‘That was it. A big night. Anyway, she continues to claim that it was a big drunken mistake, but, I don’t know—’ she sighs, giving a shrug‘—she’s shown no interest in dating anyone recently.’
‘You think she’s holding out hope?’
‘Maybe. Who knows? Either way, it’s fun to tease her about it,’ Lucia says with a mischievous smile that makes me laugh.
One of Dominic’s oldest friends from university, Lucia, was guarded and quiet when I was first introduced to the circle and I was intimidated by her, but on our third meeting she’d decided I’d passed whatever test she’d set and became warm and friendly, throwing her arms around me, a gesture that caused Dominic to raise his eyebrows at me in awow-she-likes-youway. He’d warned me she was a tough nut to crack. I’m glad I’ve got in there with her though because as I’ve got to know them all, I’ve realised she is the only one of Dominic’s close circle I’d be happy to hang out with even if he wasn’t there. The others include Lucia’s old roommate and best friend Carey andthen the lads, and when I say that, I mean that’s how they refer to themselves: ‘The Lads’.
Carey and I have never clicked. She seems perfectly nice but disinterested. I can never tell if her smile is real or fake, and I hate how when she speaks, she addresses all the boys and never looks me in the eye.You’re not one of usis the vibe she gives me. I’m not one of the OGs. I can’t share in the Durham University good-time memories or laugh along with the in-jokes. Rather than bring me in, she keeps me out. I’ve stopped trying to be friends with her and instead have got closer to Lucia, which no doubt pisses Carey off even more. I’ve invited both of them on my hen do, to which she’s said yes. I’m interested to see what my friends think of her that day and whether she’ll be one of those people who will shower me with attention and make me feel wonderful, plastering photographs of us all over her Instagram with a caption like ‘Celebrating a very special hen!’ before she goes back to making me feel insignificant when I’m no longer the mandatory centre of attention.
I’m genuinely intrigued as to how it will play out.
We’ve come to this ‘trendy’ north London bar for fellow Durham-alum Dossy’s leaving drinks –Dossy is not his actual name, don’t ask me how he got it, I think he’s actually called George – because him and Tilly, his wife, are moving out to Surrey. She’s not drinking tonight and is saying it’s because she has a big work presentation on Monday, but I heard her retching in the toilet earlier, so I think it’s safe to say we’ll be getting some exciting news from them soon. There are a lot of people here I don’t know –Dossy and Tilly’s school, work, uni friends, I guess –so I’m sticking with Lucia, Dominic and Carey for the evening.
‘How’s wedding planning going? All under control?’ Lucia asks.
‘I think so. A lot of the big stuff is sorted, I need to get onto all the little details.’
‘I bet you’re the kind of bride with a spreadsheet.’
‘Most brides and grooms have a spreadsheet. There’s so much to organise.’
‘Yeah, but I bet yours issuperdetailed,’ Lucia says affectionately.
I relent, nodding. ‘It is fairly organised.’
‘I’ve said to Carey it’s going to be the perfect wedding,’ she says, straightening her back and lifting her chin as I shake my head modestly. ‘No, it will be. Knowing you as we do, everything will have been thought out, everything will be in excellent taste, nothing will be left to chance. The venue sleek and chic but with traditional touches, the flowers stunning but not too much, the food and wine the best of the best, and the bride’s dress extraordinary.’
I burst out laughing. ‘Jesus, Lucia, no pressure!’
‘It’s just who you are, Megan. Dominic is a lucky man, I bet he hasn’t lifted a finger.’ She gives me a look. ‘Has he done anything?’
I consider her question. ‘He helped me choose the chairs.’
‘You had options for thechairs?’ she asks in disbelief.
‘They had to suit the vibe of the room.’
‘You see? Nothing not thought of. You’ll have back-ups and back-ups so no matter what goes wrong, nothing will go wrong.’ She grins at me. ‘I can’t wait. And you should know that Marisa is organising one hell of a hen do.’
‘That I believe.’
