Page 19 of The Reality of Us
Did they think she wanted to be a beautician?
That wouldn’t work—there was already a hair and beauty place on High Street. She’d never win over the locals if she tried to steal business from them. Most still threw her a healthy serve of side eye when she went out.
“Um, thanks?”
“It’s a candle making kit!”
Oh. But what was she going to do with a candle making kit? Aside from making candles. But why would she do that?
“We figured you must have a bit of spare time now. And you’ve always been so creative and good at working with your hands.”
“Which is why the vibrator would’ve been a good idea,” Rico teased as he set three Old Fashioned cocktails on the table.
Dougie nudged her in the side. “It’s okay if you hate it. Honest. We won’t be offended.”
“I don’t know how to make candles.”
“There are instructions.” Dougie rifled through the box. “Here.” He thrust a glossy booklet at her. Alice blinked as the words swam in front of her eyes. She’d have to add going to the optometrist for a check-up to her never-ending list of jobs.
“How about we let Alice have a look at this later,” Rico said, picking up cocktails and passing them around. “Let’s christen this place with a proper toast and then dig into the sushi we brought.”
Alice had always loved Rico but never more so than in these moments when he picked up on her panic, something her family had never properly mastered. Whenever the conversation turned too academic, he was always there to ask her what she thought of the latest episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
“To Alice for starting over again!” Dougie raised his glass.
Okay, it was a backhanded compliment, but Dougie never meant to upset her.
“For such a smart person, you sure say dumb stuff,” Rico mumbled. “To Alice, who we love and adore. For being brave enough to take chances and always saying yes to adventure. May we all be more like you.”
“Isn’t that what I said?” Dougie muttered.
Oh yes, this place was starting to feel like home.
“What are the locals like? Are they nice?” Dougie picked up the last piece of California roll.
Alice tried to smile, but her face wouldn’t cooperate. “I’ve mostly been keeping to myself.”
“And what about hot guys in flannel?” Rico sighed as he played with the metal straw in his cocktail. “Who get up early to feed orphaned lambs? That happens here, right? This is a Hallmark movie, yes?”
Owen came to mind immediately. Despite the fact she’d never seen him in anything other than a suit or his running gear, she had no trouble picturing him with a tiny lamb curled up against his plaid-covered chest, bicep popping as he bottle-fed it. She took a too-big gulp of her cocktail, the bitters and spices burning her throat. Her eyes watered, and Rico passed her a serviette.
“Okay, spill,” he said. “Who’d you imagine? It’s Tom Hardy for me.”
Alice coughed, then wiped her mouth. “I didn’t … no lumberjacks for me.”
The memory of how earnest Owen had been when he asked if she’d mind him using the shower in the apartment after his morning runs ran through her mind. The thought of him in her shower made her blush. She always left for her run half an hour before he was due to get here.
“Look at her face! There so is!” Rico crowed, and Alice ducked her head, prising open an edamame bean. “Who is it? Oh my God! Is it your flatmate? Because I stalked him on TikTok, and if he’s half as hot in real life, that gene pool would be a very welcome addition to our family. Is he a doctor? He was wearing scrubs in one and wow.”
“Because our family needs another doctor in it? The dean of medicine at Melbourne’s biggest university and chief of surgery at St Clementine’s Hospital isn’t enough?” Alice tried to keep the snark out of her voice when she mentioned her parents.
Rico put his glass down, waggled his eyebrows suggestively and ignored her groan. “Not if he looks like that in scrubs.”
“He’s studying to be a dentist. And there’s no one,” she mumbled. “Even if there was, and I’m not saying there is, it’s not like it could go anywhere. My life’s a dumpster fire, remember?”
Dougie reached for a slice of pickled ginger. “But once everything settles down, you should have some fun. And don’t get mad, but it’s been ages since you were happy.”
Alice pushed an edamame bean around her plate. “I’ve been happy.” The lie slipped off her tongue easily which was no surprise. She’d tried to convince herself that things would get better for so long, that Phoenix had actually cared for her. Instead, he’d disappeared on tour as much as possible, leaving her isolated and alone. She’d thrown herself into charity work and done her best to keep up appearances because everyone had been so happy for them. Alice had hidden behind her fear of disappointing their fans for way too long because she didn’t want to admit how wrong she’d been. About Phoenix. His ‘harmless’ little parties. The lifestyle he’d totally hidden from her.
