“Fuck,” I hiss. “That bloody hurt.”
Luckily, we’re in my apartment in Covent Garden, London. Amy moved with me into the area of theaters and artists. For once, I’m financially secure enough to splurge my money on a nice place. And I want a London base, no matter how much time I spend in New York.
Amy couldn’t afford to split the rent, but I told her to come with me, pay what she can, and look after the dogs when I’mgone. To be honest, she’s welcome company. I don’t like the idea of being on my own.
“I still can’t believe you’re a fucking published author,” she screams.
“Shhh! We don’t want to piss the neighbors off,” I whisper. Her tongue between her lips lashes back. I love being back with my friend. The past few months have been incredible, traveling the world, but there is something comforting about the familiarity of being here.
My phone buzzes with a message. I swipe for it, missing by miles.
God, I’m drunk.
Amy picks up the phone and squints at the screen. “You’ve got a message,” she says, eyebrows touching the sky. “From Lance.”
I flush red, my heart skipping a beat. This is something I’ve been keeping from my friend. I haven’t told her about my meeting with Lance or the fact I’ve been keeping in touch with him daily.
She would disapprove, considering I’m with Brad.
Nothing romantic has happened, but my heart yearns for him. He’s the one I want to call me. He’s the one I want to send me a message. Not the man I’m meant to be planning a future with, or at least the man who seems to be planning mine. It feels as if I barely have control of my own life again, and so quickly,hat each part is now orchestrated by him.
Where I’m interviewed. Where I eat. The social events I attend. Returning to London has been a breather from it all. Time for just me, not Brad and Katie.
“Lance?” she says again, confused. “I thought your boyfriend’s name was Brad?”
I don’t say anything.
The penny drops. “Lance?” she shrieks. “The hot soldier? When? What? Why? Tell me everything now,” she demands.Greedy fingers grab the next bottle of champagne, and she holds it tight against her chest, crossing her arms over it protectively. “No more fizz until you spill the beans.”
I giggle, pissed with alcohol and anger.
“Okay. I ran into him in Edinburgh.”
As I recount the story, my cheeks burn. She listens to me, pupils almost crossed as if trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together in her drunken stupor. By the time I’m finished, she just stares, as if in a trance, fixated on a screen.
“So let me get this right.” She pauses to collect her thoughts. “He drove from Aviemore to Edinburgh with his new son, who was left on his doorstep, to see you. You met him in your hotel room, but didn’t fuck him. You’ve been speaking to each other every day since, as friends.” She lifts her hands and makes quotation mark signs at the wordfriends.
“That’s about it.” I sip the empty glass, wanting to do anything but look at her.
“What about Brad?” Her tone clipped as expected.
“Nothing has happened,” I squawk.
“Yet.”
“Amz, he’s in Scotland with his kids. And I’m traveling the world. Nothing’s going to happen. I don’t want to discuss it.”
She tuts, but says nothing further. That surprises me. Amy normally will continue with a line of questioning, whether you want to or not. Internally, I praise myself for being strong enough to make her stop. It’s that, or she doesn’t want to talk about it either.
Our conversation returns to neutral topics such as my book and her fuckwit ex-husband. We polish off another bottle of wine; our voices rising with each glass.
Half an hour later, the room is spinning, and I announce, “I’m off to bed.”
My phone has been winking at me since Lance’s message popped up, but I haven’t read it, not wanting to seem too keen in front of Amy. I give her a kiss on the cheek and head to my room, opening the message as soon as I step through the door.
Evening, Katie. How was your day? Been anywhere exciting? Lance xoxo
A grin spreads across my face like a Cheshire cat’s. I fall back on my bed, reading the simple message again. No romance. No seduction. Just genuine interest in me and my day. Not asking for anything other than conversation, that was why I was always drawn to him. Lance made me feel like I was what was important, not what I could do for him.