Page 79 of Try Hard
She snorted. “And we’re well known for having similar tastes.”
I hesitated. She had me there. Mum had even wanted to give Fia a trophy for finally having the two of us agree on something. “Fair point.”
She smiled smugly. “So, it’s just you and Mum for dinner.But… on Saturday, it can be the four of us and Fia. Won’t that be lovely?”
“Mm, yes. I’m sure that’s just what Fia wants—an evening of you spilling food over yourself because you’re too busy checking her out.”
“Oh, please,” she scoffed. “I used to meet with her multiple times a week. I’m perfectly capable of playing it cool around her.”
Well, that made one of us.
“Oh, yeah, you were super chill the other day.”
“People love hearing how great they look. It’s fine.”
I wasn’t sure that was true in Ophelia’s case—but, then, you needed to know her better than Soph did to have any inclination about that. I was not the kind of person to pit myself against my sister, but I really was glad I was the one who knew Ophelia well enough to have some understanding about how she felt when people commented on her appearance.
“You know,” I said lightly, “she might not come.”
Soph flicked two fingers through the air as if batting that notion away. “Just tell her Terrance is making ital stew. She’ll be here. Especially when you go on and on about how good it is. We all know you could write a dissertation on how much you love it.”
“So, you’ve already decided Fia doesn’t have a choice but to come to dinner, and now, you’re deciding Terrance is cooking and you’re picking the menu? I’m sure he’ll be thrilled.”
“He’ll understand when he sees her.”
“I really hope he won’t.” A shiver shot up my back, leaving creeped out goosebumps in its wake.
Soph laughed darkly and stood up, smoothing her hands over her denim bustier. “Well, I have to be off now. Text me when Fia says yes.”
“I’ll think about it,” I muttered, still curious about who she was going out with. The outfit did suit a concert, but Soph wasn’t usually shy about who she was hanging out with. Of course, it had been a long time since I’d really known all of her friends, so maybe it was less evasion and more reluctance to have to describe who her friends were and how she knew them?
She swept by me with a satisfied, superior air, and called a parting greeting to our mum.
I flopped back onto the floor once she was gone. Putting her and Ophelia at the same table didn’t feel like the best idea, but I wasn’t going to make the choice for Ophelia. She was perfectly capable of deciding for herself whether that was how she wanted to spend her Saturday night.
First, though, I was curious about how she’d be spending her Friday night.
I pulled out my phone and typed a quick message.Remember how I said I’d escort you to the stag and hen party on Friday?
She was quick to reply and I liked how, even with how few words she used, I could hear her exact tone in my head.Yes. Why?
I grinned.Well, I just found out that my mum and Terrance are staying in London that night. So, I was thinking, if you wanted, it might be fun if you stayed here? That way we could just go and return together and we wouldn’t be disturbing anyone, no matter what time we get back…?
It took longer for her to reply and I couldn’t do anything but imagine the way her eyes would narrow as she considered my proposal.
Eventually, the typing bubble appeared again.Sure. Makes sense. And, if you’re going to Gatwick again on Saturday, we could drive together.
My chest felt like it exploded. The churning in my stomach was much more pleasant, even with its nervous edge over getting to spend a whole night with Ophelia.
I leapt up from the floor, replying to tell her I absolutely wanted to drive to Gatwick with her, and I headed into thekitchen to help Mum with dinner, a massive smile plastered across my face.
I’d ask about Saturday night later.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Fia
The venue was already packed, the party in full swing, when we arrived. The fact that Kim and Kieran had hired an entire nightclub for their joint stag and hen party was just another sign of how massive the wedding was going to be. The week between the party and the wedding suggested things were going to get pretty wild, too.
