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“Whoopty doo. You’ll save a pound.” She sighs. “It is absolutely gorgeous, though.”
“So is the bracelet you’ll get me, I just know it.”
“You shouldn’t do this,” she says again. “You’d spoil the whole world, you’re so generous.”
“I’m just glad I get the chance to spoil anyone at all.”
“You work hard for your money, you weren’t just born into a fortune, remember that.”
I shrug. “And I love working hard for my money, so it’s a double win for me.”
“You’re one in a million. You really are.” She pulls me in for a hug. “I’d gladly buy you a bracelet any day of the week.”
She goes back into the cubicle to get changed into her jeans and top, and I check out my own reflection in the mirror. I look like I stepped out of a gothic movie, just like always, but it’s in a different league now. The black dress I’m in is a designer number, in beautiful fitted velour to the knee. My heels are high and classy, and my bolero gives me gorgeous lace sleeves.
Lucky doesn’t even begin to cover how I feel. Grateful comes closer, and Eb is at the heart of it all. She started it. She deserves a hell of a lot more than a poppy dress.
My hand is waiting for the hanger as soon as she reappears. She gives it to me with a sigh, but she’s smiling. Grateful herself.
“Thanks.”
“You’re more than welcome.”
She takes hold of my arm as we stroll along to the payment desk, and she rests her head for just a moment on my shoulder. Such a simple touch that says so much.
I can’t wait for my parents to meet her. I can’t wait for them to meet Tiff either, because I know they’re going to love the pair of them. My new friends have genuine natures that shine from their souls. And as for Josh… well. Even the thought of my parents meeting him gives me flutters. But I want it to be in person. I want to give them the full experience of meeting him live in the flesh before they get chatty on webcam. As though I’m presenting a marital prospect or something.
Mother, Father, this is Joshua Lewis Walsh, the love of my life.
Ridiculous, but the idea makes me glow, like I’m in a fantasy romance novel, introducing the chivalrous knight to the king and queen.
A chivalrous knight who likes stretch play, cum, and even watersports, apparently. Not every knight’s cup of tea.
I hope my parents like his actual cup of tea though since they’ll be staying in his place while they visit. And as for the other way around, Josh brought it up this morning himself while he was making us sausage sandwiches. It seems the planets are aligning in the background, and things are motoring. His end a lot quicker than mine.
Next Sunday – just over seven days away – I’ve been invited to a family meal at Josh’s family home.
I’m already quaking at the thought of it.
Hmm, maybe I should get one of those poppy dresses for myself, but his family would probably faint at his choice of girlfriend if that was the case, plus it would clash with the purple in his hair. So, nah. I’ll go as I am. Designer velvet and black eyeliner every step of the way.
We continue walking through London, Eb happily swaying her new dress bag in her hand. There aren’t going to be many crystal jewellery shops in this part of the city. The places that I know and love are in Camden. The part of Camden I associate with Connor and his gig nights.
I’ve been avoiding it, but I’ve decided to push myself. Today is going to be the day to enjoy Camden and face my past with my head held high.
I point it out on the next tube station map, and Eb raises her eyebrows. She knows the story.
“You’re really ready to go there? What if you run into asshat with his new sweetheart?”
I think about it, trying to imagine bumping into Connor with another girl. Josh is ten thousand times more of a gentleman, and a hotter one than Connor will ever be, but it would still squick me out like hell to see him again. Connor and a little slutty redhead, fawning over him like he’s God.
Just like I did.
Fuck him. I brush it off as nothing. My eyes are steadfast when I answer Eb.
“I’m hardly going to be sobbing at his feet and heartbroken, crying to have him back, am I?”
“No,” she says. “But you might want to give him a slap across the chops and spit in her cocktail. I wouldn’t blame you for feeling the rage.”
