Page 36 of Play Our Song

“Not really,” said Jules. She was always the practical one. “You like her, kiss her, give it a go. If it works, well, you can deal with all the rest later, can’t you?”

Sophie twisted her face into a grimace. “Um, maybe a bit more complicated than that.”

“Why?” demanded Jules.

She blew out a breath. “Because Tilly’s been asking questions at the garage. Professional kinds of questions. I mean, I wasn’t there, but dad and Gio said she was poking around and then…”

“And then?”

She shrugged. “And they went off on their normal anti-police thing and, um, yeah.”

Jules shook her head. “You can’t date to please the two of them,” she said. “The only way they’ll be pleased is if you either don’t get married at all, or you get together with someone just like you, so they have someone else to look after them.”

“Harsh,” Sophie said. “I don’t think it’s like that. I think they want me to be happy.”

“So what’s the problem, then? If Tilly is the one that makes you happy.”

“She’s investigating the garage,” Sophie said quietly.

“So? Have they done anything? Your dad and Gio? Anything untoward?”

Sophie gritted her teeth and then shook her head. “No.” Even though she wasn’t completely convinced, she wouldn’t say anything against them.

But Jules was frowning at her, leaning in closer. “Soph, have you not told her who you are?”

“What?” Sophie asked in a desperate bid to play for time.

“You heard. Tilly, have you told her who you are?”

“Not exactly,” sighed Sophie. “See? I told you it was complicated. I almost kissed her, and I wanted to, but then Gio came by and it reminded me that I should be more loyal to my family, and then I thought that if she knew who I was, she might not want to anyway and then—”

“Jesus,” Amelia said, interrupting the cycle. “You need to get a grip. You can’t have any kind of relationship based on all that stuff. Not based on a lie, even one of omission. The first thing you need to do is tell this Tilly who you are.”

“She’s right,” said Jules. “Come clean, see where you go from there.”

“And if she doesn’t like it? Doesn’t want anything to do with me?” asked Sophie.

“Her choice,” said Amelia. “You can’t decide things for other people. It’s not fair.”

“Here you go,” Cass said, putting a plate down in front of Sophie. “Ham and cheese, and I threw in a bit of pineapple ‘cos the tin was already open.”

“What did I literally just say?” Amelia said. “You can’t decide things for other people.”

“Fine,” said Cass, sitting down. “I’ll have it then.”

Sophie slid the plate toward her just as the cafe door opened.

“We’re closed,” Amelia said, but she turned anyway. “Oh, it’s you, Gio. Come in. Want a panini? I’d advise making it yourself, to be honest.”

“Nope,” Gio said, his face split apart by a wide grin. “I just wanted to show Soph this. Come on, come have a look. All of you, in fact, outside.”

Obediently, they trooped out to see a shiny red car parked carefully on the curb.

“What’s this?” Sophie asked.

“Present from dad,” said Gio proudly. “He said I’d been working hard and that the VW was on its last legs, so he let me have this. Nice, isn’t it? Hop in, I’ll give you a ride home.”

“Can’t,” Sophie said, looking at the sheen on the car, her heart sinking a little. A new car. How much had that cost? More importantly, where had the money come from? “I’ve got a choir thing.”

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