Page 83 of You Belong With Me

It was flung open by Elliot, who was in a white t-shirt and, naturally, looking as fresh as a springtime crocus. The room beyond was Manhattan loft as it existed in the mind’s eye: a cavernous box shape, broken up by curved red sofas, free-standing lamps, and splashes of modern art. High windows ran down the left-hand side.

‘You found it! This is my girlfriend! Edie, this is Jim and Dulcie. They’re in the apartment across the hall,’ Elliot said. Two unfeasibly tall, toothy, and Ralph Lauren-clad Americans stared down at her. Edie smiled an over compensatory smile that could induce jaw ache, muttering effusive greetings.

As soon as small talk resumed, she mumbledjustgoingtodropmythingsand Elliot pointed her to a doorway. ‘Bathroom there, bedroom the one after.’

Edie dashed off with her trolley case, trying a handle and finding herself in a subway-tiled bathroom the size of the ground floor of her entire house, where she locked the door with its heavy key.

Actually, maybe Jim and Dulcie (was that really a name you could have?) were a blessing in disguise. They’d afforded Edie valuable time at this double basin to improve on the rock bottom she was at: toothbrushing, make-up repair, greasy hair thrown up into ponytail, more perfume. She lookedlongingly at a walk-in shower that could fit the entire Braintree family in at once and at the freestanding slipper bath. Actually, she could do a clothes change. Edie hurriedly shed her begrimed travel apparel for a creased alternative. She wasn’t exactly fresh, but she was improved.

‘Find everything all right?’ Elliot said, as she emerged.

‘Yep. Have they gone?’ she whispered.

‘Yes, argh,’ Elliot whispered back. ‘Not ones to take a hint.’

Elliot moved to kiss her, and Edie stepped backwards.

‘Are you OK? Getting here not too arduous?’ he said.

She’d intended to style it out, and yet her chest suddenly concaved.

‘I’m so sorry – I’m knackered. My flight was awful, and I feel like absolute death. You deserve better. You’re also not helping, looking like this much of a contrast.’

Elliot laughed. ‘Did you go Business or First?’

‘Premium Economy,’ Edie said.

‘Oh, you principled chump,’ Elliot said, grinning, pushing a wisp from her ponytail back over her ear. ‘When you do this often, do it right. Want me to cancel the dinner reservation and get takeout instead?’

‘Could we?’ Edie said. ‘Would that be OK?’ She felt the best she had all day. ‘I’m sorry to be such a let-down,’ she said. ‘When I think of all the times you’ve come out with me straight from this journey like you’ve hopped off a bus. I’m resembling a rattly pensioner …’

‘Edie Thompson,’ Elliot said. ‘It’s not a performance review. You’re here. That’s all that matters. Have a wine and stopworrying. It took me years to get used to the transatlantic twatting about. Give me that …’

He indicated her luggage, taking the handle and rolling it into a bedroom glimpsed beyond. There was a low divan the size of a boxing ring, and Edie wasn’t ready to contemplate it.

‘It’s not you who needs to grovel, it’s me,’ Elliot said, once they were arranged on the couch, the DoorDash app on Elliot’s phone blipping with imminent Thai food.

‘Oh?’ Edie sipped. He was right about the remedy. Two inches of Malbec and Edie felt remarkably more in sync with her surroundings.Woohoo, New York, baby.

‘Believe it or not, Fraser’s here. Planned the trip ages ago, with Iggy. He wasn’t even seeing Molly at the time. However, Molly’s third-wheeling anyway to select bridesmaids’ necklaces from Tiffany’s, or something. Is it a massive intrusion if we meet them for dinner tomorrow night?’

‘Hahaha – what? Are they following us around the world?’

‘I’m starting to feel claustrophobic, to be honest, which is no mean feat given the geography involved.’

‘Think of it as homely!’

‘Aye,right. There’s the lurking worry that this tracking of my movements is connected to story-selling. I forced myself to be rational: Fraser booked this when drunk, six months back. There’s no grand plan … except …’

Edie got there: ‘… Except Molly is a late addition?’

‘Yes.’

They exchanged a look. Neither of them said anything more. It was increasingly unpleasant to harbour these doubts and increasingly impossible not to.

‘You’ve not talked to him about the leaks?’

‘No, unsurprisingly the stag didn’t afford any opportunities. Tomorrow night isn’t the time – I’m going to have to call him once he’s back in the UK, I think. I would’ve preferred face to face, but it’s not practical. Sure you don’t mind? I have no qualms about saying no if needs be,’ Elliot said.

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