‘It’s the weekend, Lottie. And you’re abandoning me.’
‘I told you’ – I looked up at him – ‘it’s Amy, I can’t not go.’
‘Hey.’ Luke raised both hands. ‘I know, I know, there’s no need to lose it on me.’
‘I’m not losing it on you,’ I said, my voice rising: there was nothing more likely to make me lose it than Luke accusing me of losing it already.
‘No, you’re chillaxed as ever,’ he muttered at the screen.
‘I heard that.’
‘You were meant to,’ Luke said, smiling sweetly up at me.
Huffing, I finished pulling on my clothes, wincing as I hit my shin on the corner of the drawer I had just pulled out.
‘Fuck.’
‘You OK?’
‘Not that you care.’
Luke didn’t respond, just went back to his iPad. I picked up my handbag. ‘I’m late,’ I said crossly, as if it was Luke’s fault.
‘Amy will understand. Come here.’
‘She’ll be angry,’ I said, petulantly.
Luke put down his iPad, letting his breath out slowly.
‘Well, you’re late anyway so come here.’
I grudgingly stepped round to his side of the bed and he reached out an arm and pulled me down into a hug.
I let him hold me, my cheek on the cotton of his T-shirt, feeling strangely tearful all of a sudden. Blinking furiously, I wondered for the millionth time in the last couple of months just what had come over me.
‘I’ve got to go,’ I said, this time in a softer voice, gently pushing myself off him.
‘I love you, Lottie Campbell,’ Luke said, sincerity edging his eyes.
‘I love you too,’ I said, swallowing, my throat feeling full. I was gratified to see the edge of Luke’s mouth lift, how adorable with his tousled hair and early-morning stubble. ‘Sorry for being such a bitch recently.’
He shrugged, wariness edging into his eyes. ‘You’ve got a lot going on, Lottie, you don’t need to apologise.’
The lump in my throat made it hard to speak and anyhow I didn’t want to respond, didn’t want to ruin this tentative peace, so I stood up, picking up my bag again and walking out of the bedroom, Luke singing, ‘Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone’ behind me, a giggle escaping as I slammed our flat door.
Amy was already there when I puffed my way into the shop. Surrounded by racks of ivory tulle, sequins and satin, she had one hand on a dress with a full skirt and was smoothing at the fabric as I arrived in front of her.
‘Hey,’ I said weakly, raising a hand.
She arched an eyebrow my way and in that tiny movement I got a taste of what all her students must feel when they were summoned to the deputy headteacher’s office. I wasn’t going to go for the foiled handbag snatch/witness to a murder story.
‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,’ I said, sinking dramatically on to a rust-coloured velvet chaise longue. ‘Forgive me, forgive me—’
Amy, who hated scenes, was darting a look over her shoulder to see if the dress-shop owner was there. ‘Oh my God, get up, ssh, you are an embarrassment.’
I looked up at her. ‘I really am sorry,’ I said, my voice serious.
Amy rolled her eyes, holding out a hand, ‘I know. Now come and tell me if I should go for a tulle skirt in blush pink or a satin bodice with a lace bolero.’
‘What on hell’s earth is a bolero?’
Amy nudged me with a giggle as a woman with the sleekest, shiniest blonde hair and the most perfect eyebrows stepped across to talk to us.
‘Ladies, welcome to Diamonds and Dreams,’ she said, her smooth forehead frozen in place. ‘And who is the lucky bride?’ she tinkled.
‘We both are,’ Amy said brightly, and it was my turn to look at her. ‘Lottie here’s getting her ring re-sized, aren’t you,’ she said quickly, noticing Sleek Blonde was staring at my bare left hand. ‘Aren’t you, Lottie?’
‘Oh!’ I jerked to attention. ‘Oh yes, it was too big. Kept slipping off into . . . into stuff,’ I said, the sentence tailing away into a whisper.
Sleek Blonde flicked her sleek blonde mane.
‘Well, do have a look at our range and let us know when you want to try on your first dress. A magical day for you both,’ she said, her voice still sparkling as if she was auditioning for Lead Princess in Disney movie.
‘A magical day indeed,’ I said aloud, both my arms thrust out, palms raised. I had gone too big. Sleek Blonde raised another eyebrow and walked away.