Page 86 of Five Things I Love About You

Suddenly I spot her crossing the room with the two women who followed her to the loo before. She has a wet patch across the front of her dress where she’s clearly tried to scrub away the wine stain and looks even more unsteady on her feet.

‘I’m just going back to talk to Helen,’ I say, stepping out of Jay’s grip.

He glances over and frowns.

‘Are you sure? She looks three sheets to the wind, I’m not sure it’ll be the most riveting conversation.’

I press my hand onto his arm. ‘I’m sure it won’t be any more dull than car talk.’

He dips his head. ‘Point taken. Sorry.’

As I walk across the room I feel fuzzy round the edges. I’m not used to daytime drinking and it’s loosened up my tongue a little.

Before I even reach Helen’s table she sees me and throws her arms wide in greeting as though we’re long lost friends. ‘Ladies, have you met Miranda?’ she says, her eyes shining, tendrils of hair slipping out of her immaculate chignon and sticking to her cheek.

The other two women with her turn towards me, and I hold out my hand. ‘Lovely to meet you both,’ I say, taking each of their slightly clammy hands in turn. They introduce themselves as Leah and Jo, married to Rich and Graham respectively (I don’t like to ask which one Graham is). Leah is decidedly more friendly than Jo, who is frosty, at best.

‘You got the wine out of your dress I see,’ I say, turning to Helen.

‘Oh yes!’ She giggles. ‘I’m so clumsy.’ She looks at Leah. ‘I was just telling Miranda that we’ve been looking forward to meeting her for ages, haven’t we?’

‘Oh yes.’ Leah claps her hands together like an excited child. ‘Ever since Rich told me that Jay had met someone at last, I’ve been dying to meet you.’

‘Well, it’s good to know he’s not hiding me away.’

Leah’s laugh tinkles. ‘No, he’s dead chuffed. He told us about you not long after his accident.’ She lowers her voice conspiratorially. ‘He said you visited him in hospital even though you didn’t know him because you wanted to make sure he was okay.’ She clutches her hands to her chest.

‘Well, yes,’ I start, but Leah hasn’t finished.

‘It’s so romantic, isn’t it, Jo,’ she says, turning to the tiny birdlike woman beside her.

‘I suppose so,’ she says, then looks back down at her drink. Shy, or rude? It’s hard to decide so I don’t worry about it for now.

‘Well, I’m obviously very glad I did now,’ I say. ‘He’s such a lovely man.’

There’s no mistaking the look Jo shoots them both, and now my curiosity is more than piqued.

‘But I’m still getting to know him properly,’ I add, hoping to keep the conversation on track. ‘Have you all been friends for a long time?’

‘Years,’ Helen says.

‘Since our twenties,’ Leah adds.

‘Oh?’ I’m surprised. From the fact that they call him James to the way they are with each other, I assumed they’d only known him for a short time, a few years at most.

‘Well, I have,’ Leah says. ‘We used to work together, and it was through me that Jay met everyone else – Rich and I got together soon after and they’ve been friends since then too.’

Helen leans forward then. ‘We’ve been with him througheverything.’

‘Great,’ I say. ‘So, is there anything I should know about him? Any dark, hidden secrets?’ I try to keep my voice breezy, like it doesn’t matter either way, but I still feel the change in the air.

‘I’m not sure we should be talking about this.’ This is the most Jo has said since she introduced herself, and we all turn to face her but she doesn’t seem inclined to say anything further.

Luckily Jo’s interruption doesn’t appear to put the other two women off their stride, and after a second’s hesitation, Helen leans forward again.

‘We’re very protective of James,’ she says. ‘Aren’t we, Leah?’

‘Yes,’ she agrees. ‘We’re so glad he’s found someone at last.’

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