suspiciously. She’s leaning very close to Luke. Does she think he’s deaf or something?
“I like a hot tub,” replies Luke without flickering, and my hackles instantly rise. I’m not even sure why. It’s the way he said “hot tub.” It sounded like “hot sex.”
“I love your mustache, Luke, by the way,” says Nadine huskily, gazing admiringly at it. “I’ve been meaning to say so all evening. Very Three Musketeers.”
“Oh!” Luke touches it self-consciously. “Well, you know. It’s just for charity.”
“You should keep it,” proclaims Nadine.
“I’ve thought about it,” says Luke, looking pleased.
“It so suits you,” Nadine gushes. “It’s perfect on you.”
What? No, it doesn’t! Shut up, Nadine, I think furiously. Luke’s mustache is nothing to do with you.
“Oh, Luke, before you go,” adds Nadine, “can I ask you one more thing? I’ve started this website for a client, and there’s something I’m not sure about….” She starts jabbing at her phone, and Luke follows her gaze while I start seething.
“Hey, Becky.” Craig’s voice comes gently in my ear. “Sorry we’ve been ignoring you.”
“Don’t be silly!” I say with a bright, automatic smile.
“We have.” He gives me a rueful look. “Sorry. Nadine’s been so excited to meet your husband, pick his brain, all that stuff. And I guess I’m chuffed that Luke gets on with Nadine, and you and I get on….We gel, the four of us. Yeah? And we live so close now. I think we could be really good mates. Don’t you?”
“Well,” I say, unbending slightly. “I suppose.”
“We want you two to come over.” Craig is only inches away, and his dark eyes are fixed on mine. “Hang out. Spend some time together. Relax. We’ll enjoy the hot tub and…whatever, yeah? Just the four of us, nice and private.” He puts a casual hand on my arm. “I’ll play you my latest songs. Sound good?”
Play us his latest songs? OK, that would be cool. As long as Nadine didn’t keep interrupting to talk about income revenue or whatever she keeps wittering on about.
“It sounds great,” I say honestly.
“There we are, then. Sorted. Nadine!” He lifts his voice. “Becky and Luke are going to come round to us one night!”
“Wonderful!” breathes Nadine. “I can’t wait to see you again. Oh, and you too, Becky,” she adds.
We all kiss goodbye and say how lovely it’s been—then Luke and I leave the pub. As we begin walking, Luke is silent, and yet again I can’t work out what he’s thinking.
“So!” I say after a bit. “What did you think? I’m sorry, I should have told you about Craig before—”
“No, it’s fine,” says Luke. “It’s fine. Nice girl,” he adds thoughtfully, and before I can stop them, my hackles rise again.
Nice girl? Or nice flirting?
But then I chide myself. I mustn’t be suspicious. If I can be friendly with Craig, Luke can be friendly with Nadine, even though her lips look like pillows. Exactly.
From: customerservicesgardendecorations
To: Becky Brandon
Subject: YOUR ORDER 7654
Dear Mrs. Brandon:
Re: YOUR ORDER 7654
Unfortunately, the following items are out of stock. Your card has been refunded.
Product SILVER LLAMA DECORATION
Quantity 6
Yours sincerely,
Customer Services Team
CHRISTMASCOMPARE™
SUPPLIER
PRODUCT
PRICE
AVAILABILITY
Decorationstogo
SILVER LLAMA ORNAMENT
£6.99
SOLD OUT
This attractive decoration flaunts silver glitter hair and pink “world peace” logo.
Treesandtoppers
DECORATION
£5.99
UNAVAILABLE
Make your tree pop with this cute llama!
ACuratedChristmas
LLAMA “WORLD PEACE” DECORATION
£10.99
DUE 26 WEEKS
Stylish tree ornament in silver and pink with silver ribbon loop.
CHATS
You created group “CHRISTMAS!”
Christmas!
Becky
Hi, everyone! I’ve started a WhatsApp group to organize Christmas! Any ideas or requests, let me know! Becky xxx
Janice
Love, I meant to say at brunch, Christmas isn’t Christmas for us without Quality Street.
Martin
I like Matchmakers. The orange ones.
Suze
Tarkie loves the chocolates that look like shells—what are they called again?
Jess
I would like to request fair-trade chocolates only, or perhaps a healthier substitute such as carob.
Suze
Hey, Bex, there are chili-pepper fairy lights in Tesco. You should get those!
Janice
There are banana ones in Sainsbury’s.
Martin
What’s a banana got to do with Christmas????
Mum
Dad says, why not have an avocado theme? It’s very “now.” We’ve just bought avocado fairy lights for our gin-and-cactus social evening!!!!!
Janice
What’s a gin-and-cactus evening?
Mum
You drink gin and show your cactuses. Everyone does it in Shoreditch, love.
Janice
I’m sure they do all kinds of things in Shoreditch.
Jess
Fairy lights are problematic.
OK, so the Christmas WhatsApp group might have been