Page 112 of Painted Truths

Nola squeals when she catches sight of me, and once Jo pulls her head out of her mobile phone with a guilty shrug, her face also lights up with glee.

"I know exactly what you need, girl."

Jo spins and reaches for her jewellery case to pluck a simple pair of sparkly silver earrings from within. She gently drops them into my outstretched palm before grabbing a pair of plain black, barely-there sandals from her shoe rack.

Once I've popped in the earrings and fastened the straps of the heels around my ankles, I stand up straight, awaiting their judgement.

My hair is sleek, split down the middle and flowing straight down my back without its usual bounce, but it perfectly fits this dress.

"That's the one. Cha-cha-ching! You look amazing, girl." Jo's enthusiasm is infectious as she jumps on the spot in unfettered glee while Nola laughs at her lover's signature zest for life. As we leave the apartment only moments later, our trio is smiling from ear to ear.

Walking out onto the street, we find Samuel standing in front of a black stretch Hummer, a self-satisfied grin lighting up his usually stiff features.

"Boss's orders."

After thanking him profusely, our trio climbs in to find all our favourite drinks and almost enough room to stand. The sheer decadence of the interior is on another level, and I make a mental note to thank Henry profusely upon his return.

The boy done good!

It doesn't take Jo long to get the music pumping and the drinks flowing as Samuel drives us through the city. Charli XCX's Out Out is blaring over the Hummer's speakers on repeat.

“This is it, girl! Our song for the night—it’s been far too long since we’ve been out-out.” A louder than usual Jo sets to getting the drinks in right off the bat while Nola settles beside me, eyes filled with dreams. She’s always been the romantic one out of the couple.

"Please tell me again about the wedding, Liv. I'm swooning after the little tidbits you fed us earlier!"

Grateful that Henry had told me about the announcement coming through the media, I know I’m safe to touch on some wedding details with the girls so long as I leave out Layla’s hospitalisation.

"I think the full ten-page spread Hello! magazine did today kind of hit all the valid points. They are very much in love, and really, they’re both very normal and down to earth.”

If you could call an open marriage, for all intents and purposes, normal!

“But honestly, girls, as bad as it sounds, especially for a massive Misdirection fan like me, I was far too focused on my own dramatics to see much outside of my own bubble!"

Crossing my fingers that deflection is the best tactic, lest I let something spill whilst I’m drinking, my redirect pays off when both girls swoon dramatically—and wholly over the top.

"Liv, you are entitled to your own life. I know that we may have had issues and you were caught in the middle..." Nola trails off, glancing sideways at Jo, who jumps right in.

"Basically, you've kept us together, Liv. If it weren’t for you mediating some of our… disagreements—" Nola stifles a laugh while Jo rolls her eyes, continuing. “Okay, but you know what I mean. You’ve been the glue so many times for us.”

I snap my head around to meet her eyes, but she leans forward before I can utter a word.

"Don't do yourself a disservice, baby girl. Karma owes you at this stage!"

She grasps me into her loose embrace, tugging a tearful Nola in with her left arm as she shouts, "Next on the playlist, Sammy boy!"

Roses Imanbek Remix blares through the car's speakers, and I pull my head back to level her with a droll face.

"Really?"

“You hardly thought we didn’t see you mooning over those blue roses every day, did you?”

I shrug sheepishly. “Well, I—"

“Olivia Parker, you are the most transparent person I’ve ever known. It was as obvious as the nose on your face that that man had you by your girly balls from the jump!”

She throws her head back, laughing boisterously before loudly instructing Samuel to bring us to Vivaldi, a brand-new bar with several floors, live music, and the most amazing cocktails, or so she claims.

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