Page 70 of Cover Story

OK cool, want to join us for food? Thinking about optics– it doesn’t make sense I’d take my brother out for dinner on aSaturday night if he’s come this far, and leave my girlfriend at home? But if you want to do drinks-only I’m happy to come up with a rationale, not as if we’re likely to have to use it. Up to you!’

This time, she read his regret perfectly clearly. A no-worries-if-not that reeked of hoping for a cancellation from the other party. If he didn’t want her there he should’ve swallowed it and borne his error nobly, as she did when he tagged along to Schofield’s. Take the hit and let her erroneously believe her company was welcome. Bel was surprised by how put out she was. It wasn’t like her to fret on minor slights, especially from people who weren’t important to her.

She supposed she thought they’d reached a friendly détente, over bacon sandwiches, the morning after the night before. Dare she say it, she’d enjoyed his company and thought it was mutual. So it made her feel like she was being Undercover Conned too.

Bel briefly agonised about whether to fake-find something she was doing after all, but it would be so lumpenly obvious.

‘Food sounds good,’ Bel eventually replied coolly. ‘How about I ask my friend Shilpa to join? Four is always a better number.’

Given it was too late to back out, better to seek reinforcements.

‘Sure. Will forward details.’

Chilly. Great. What a win, Connor, now neither of us want to be there.

Shilpa arrived with the eagerness of Roadrunner in a deep red vinyl coat with white shearling collar and cuffs, taking advantage of Manchester’s cold snap this weekend, even in high summer. It was completely OTT and suited her incredibly well.

‘Do I look like Whore Santa? Love your dress!’ she said to Bel.

Bel had gone for ankle-length navy cord, with smocked bodice, tiny yellow flower print, long sleeves and frilly cuffs, and clompy lace-up boots. It was Amish wife meets petulant sixth former. She felt sure Connor Adams would think it was provocatively unattractive.

‘Thanks. It’s going to be loathed by male eyes isn’t it? Excellent.’

‘I don’t know, it makes your boobs look nice. I wouldn’t overestimate them.’

If Connor Adams had ever thought about her mammaries, except possibly to find a fault, Bel was Liza Minnelli.

As they walked to the restaurant, 10 Tib Lane, just beyond the Town Hall, Shilpa wrestled her phone from her flamboyant coat pocket to show Bel an Instagram: ‘New “shit ABBA” has dropped.’

Bel laughed as she saw a photo of two bearded men, a blonde and a brunette.

Rufus, Nicky, Tim and Rhiannon were on a weekend away in Galway, rosy-cheeked in walking gear and brandishing pints of Guinness in a proper boozer.

‘It is very double-dating cosy. I hope they had an argument over Tim burning out the clutch in the hire car and everyone’s simmering,’ Bel said. ‘He always did drive like Jason Bourne.’

Shilpa stuffed her phone back in her pocket.

‘Sick of it. Rufus wouldn’t walk as far as Nisa Local for some Monster Munch when he was with me. Also, I posted my favourite courgette pasta and Rufus commented “serving … a custodial sentence” and sorry, he does NOT retain rights to mock my cooking.’

Bel suppressed more laughter as she could see Shilpa was genuinely upset.

Bel chose her words carefully. ‘How bothered are you really? I don’t mean that in an accusing way. In a “I thought your feelings for Rufus were deader than Geronimo the dead Alpaca way”.’

Shilpa sighed.

‘I thought we were playing by the same rules. I’d never have done this to him. He’s made me feel stupid for thinking we still had an understanding.’

‘I know exactly what you mean. But we left them and they have male egos and here we are. They’ve done it precisely to make us feel like this. We got everything we wanted. We have to let this hurt a bit for as long as it hurts a bit.’

‘Yeah. I think getting everything I wanted is my problem,’ Shilpa said, removing a strand of her loose hair from her lip-gloss, ‘Divorce is an utter shitshow. I know Rufus was scared of being single and I wasn’t, because I wanted out so much. Now he’s happy and I’m alone and it feels like the Gods are saying suck it, bitch. I am not meant to get divorced. As my mum said, it’s yet more white behaviour from me.’

‘Yes, except Rufus rushing into something fast might not work out and you, taking your time to repair, probably will. I mean, you don’t even know that heishappy. This could be an empty gesture to get back at you, as you said.’

‘True,’ Shilpa said. ‘But you think Rhiannon’s real?’

‘Oh, Tim and Rhiannon are definitely real. I realise, with hindsight, she might’ve been waiting for him, and that’s spooky. Good luck to them.’

‘Tonight is what I need,’ Shilpa said. ‘Connor’s brother’s married?’

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