Page 33 of Sunny Skies and Summer Kisses

‘Thanks for sharing that with us, Anita, but if you don’t mind, we’d like to get back to enjoying our night out.’ Brogan shot the woman a piercing look.

‘Yeah, unlike some people, we’re not keen on gossip.’ Kristy’s stony glare matched Brogan’s.

‘I just thought you’d like to know.’ A smirk still hovered on Anita’s mouth. ‘Ooh, there’s Dr Gillespie; I need to have a word with him about something of a personal nature. Enjoy your evening, ladies.’

Anoushka watched as Anita flounced off in the direction of an unsuspecting Zander and Livvie Gillespie.

‘Ughh! Good riddance.’ Brogan practically spat her words out.

‘My thoughts exactly,’ said Kristy. ‘She’s got some brass neck on her, that’s for sure. And why does she always have to make everything sound so sleazy? “A few techniques”, my arse!’

Anoushka steadied herself before she spoke, hoping her friends wouldn’t detect how she was feeling. ‘She’s unbelievable.’

Kristy nodded. ‘She is. There’s no wonder she’s got no female friends, the way she goes on. She’s no woman’s woman, that’s for sure.’ She started fishing in her bag, pulling out her mobile phone, and proceeded to scroll through it.

‘I don’t think she’s bothered about that.’ Brogan’s top lip curled into a snarl as she watched Anita simpering over Zander, pointing to her chest. Zander looked distinctly uncomfortable. She turned back to Anoushka, quickly softening her expression. ‘I know the subject of Gabe’s supposed to be off-limits tonight, flower, but seeing as I’m not the one who’s brought him up, all I’ll say is, take no notice of Anita. I’m sure she’s talking rot, don’t you, Kristy?’

‘Oh!’ Kristy’s hand went to her mouth. ‘Um… yeah, course.’ She glanced up from her mobile, the uncertainty in her eyes betraying her true feelings.

Anoushka’s pulse started galloping.

‘What’s up? Why are you looking like that?’ asked Brogan.

‘I’m sure there’s a perfectly innocent explanation and that it really isn’t what it looks like.’

‘Not what it looks like?’ asked Anoushka. But she’d already guessed. ‘Is it Gabe?’

‘Um, yes, but it’s nothing, Noushka; it’s not worth looking at.’ Kristy went to put her phone back in her bag. Brogan’s eyebrows knitted together.

‘It’s okay, I know what it’s going to be.’ Anoushka shrugged resignedly. ‘If I wanted to, I could easily find it myself, and I’m actually okay about it, so you might as well let me see. After all, he’s entitled to date whoever he wants.’ She didn’t even sound convincing to her own ears.

‘I think we should leave it for tonight.’ Brogan flashed Kristy a warning look.

‘No, I want to see,’ said Anoushka. ‘Honest, please believe me, I’m fine; it was just a shock hearing it from Anita Matheson, that’s all, you know… what with the way she said it.’

‘If you’re sure.’ Kristy was worrying her bottom lip as she tapped the screen of her phone, holding it out to Anoushka.

She took it, scrolling through the images looking back at her. They were all of Gabe and Lilith Dean in various poses and venues – including the showbiz parties he’d only recently told her he hated – their wide smiles radiating happiness. One of him dressed in a smart suit, holding Lilith’s hand as he led her to the door of a swanky restaurant, another of them laughing over the meal. Anoushka’s heart went into freefall. There were hundreds more, all with captions declaring Gabe and Lilith Dean to be “head-over-heels in love” and to “expect wedding bells soon”. “Perfect match”, said one, “Gabe’s Girl”, said another. The final one featured the pair in a passionate clinch.

Anoushka felt her eyes burn with tears. She blinked quickly, her throat constricting even tighter. Why were the photos of Gabe and Lilith Dean eliciting such pain? She had no room in her life for him or any other man. She had no reason to feel like this.

‘Noushka?’

‘Uhh?’ She tore her gaze away from the photo to see Brogan and Kristy looking at her, both wearing concerned expressions. She realised they must have been talking to her, but her mind was in such turmoil she hadn’t heard them.

‘Are you okay, chick?’ Kristy asked, resting her hand on Anoushka’s shoulder.

Anoushka nodded, drawing in a fortifying breath. ‘Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just a bit of a surprise, that’s all. He’s never mentioned her before.’

‘I’m getting a feeling of déjà vu here.’ Brogan raised her eyebrows. ‘Seems it isn’t just Archie who likes dropping big news.’ Kristy caught her eye and frowned. Brogan picked up her non-verbal message straight away. ‘And like we said, it’s probably not what it seems. You know what these gossipy rags are like, they’re full of exaggerated nonsense.’

‘Broge’s right. And my mum always says you should only believe half what you read in the papers and on social media.’ Kristy gave her a smile.

But even half of what Anoushka had just seen was still enough to take the edge off her happiness. Much as she hated to admit it, Gabe and Lilith Dean made an attractive couple. Anita Matheson was right – though she could have put it more sensitively – Gabe was a celebrity and needed to be with someone who moved in the same social circles as him; a “country bumpkin” – it wasn’t wasted on her that Damon had described her as exactly that – just wouldn’t cut muster. She needed to forget about him and focus on her dance school, which, she told herself, had been her plan all along. And tonight was all about having a fun evening with her friends, which is what she intended to do.

* * *

Though she’d doneher best to put the photos of Gabe and Lilith Dean out of her mind, it hadn’t stopped her thoughts from drifting back to them, but Kristy and Brogan were good company and the conversation had flowed with plenty of laughter thrown into the mix. She was feeling brighter and was pleased to see that Brogan appeared to have put her sorrows behind her too.

---