Page 27 of Angel

That makes two of us then.

With a deep sigh, I am alone in the room, the dark walls closing in on me. Johnathan Powell. I wonder what she would say if she knew he had died a long time ago.

CHAPTER 9

SOPHIE

I’m relieved when Bethan answers the door, dressed in sweatpants, her hair tied messily on top of her head, her reading glasses perched on it.

“Sophie!”

She drags me inside with a huge smile, her hug exactly what I need right now.

“You poor thing. I heard the news. What a terrible waste of a mighty fine specimen.”

“He has a name,” I remind her, and she nods.

“Giovanni Corloni. Sex God, all-round great guy and the man who stars in my wet dreams.”

She pulls me into her apartment, and I love the familiar scent of fresh muffins that always lingers in the air.

“Are you alone?”

I glance around, expecting to see Aidan’s football boots or Sophia’s satchel.

“Yes, they’re at their grandmother’s, God love her.”

“How is Fiona?”

“Usual. Meddling in my love life as if it’s number one on her to-do list every day.”

She frowns. “Do you remember a guy called Preston Cunningham from the bar?”

“Mister Slick Balls.”

“You got it.” She shakes her head. “Mom believes he would make a super replacement for Todd.”

“Does she know of his history?”

Preston is the sleaziest guy I have ever met, and Bethan is fully aware of his penchant for hookers in alleys.

“She only sees the successful real estate agent. Not the guy who fucks hookers in the master bedrooms of every house they represent.”

“Ew. Someone should tell her.”

“I will. I’m just enjoying the fact that she is focused on him and not me for once. I mean–”

She imitates her mother. “When was the last time you had your roots done? What about those nails? They look as if you scratched your way out of a coffin.”

“She always was obsessed with appearance.”

I smile fondly at the image of Fiona Harvey. She never has a hair out of place, and her nose is firmly set in everyone else’s business.

“She adores you.” Bethan reminds me. “It’s Sophie this and Sophie that. Why can’t you be more like her? A super-successful actress with the world at her feet. On the arms of billionaires and rock stars, models and actors. She is the goal, Beth, and you know it.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not that great.”

Bethan thrusts a huge glass of wine into my outstretched fingers; she always did understand what I liked.