The Sun Sister (The Seven Sisters #6) - Lucinda Riley Page 0,109

my teeth, I looked at myself in the mirror and decided I definitely had nice eyes, great cheekbones and a pair of lips that would never need fillers. The colour of my skin would never change. And that was one of the things that marked me out as a successful model. I only hoped that a time would come soon when there were more dark-skinned models. As a little girl, I’d never given much thought to the fact that I was black and the rest of my sisters were differing shades of brown (Maia and CeCe) to white (Star, Tiggy and Ally). Each one of us had looked different from the others so it was just my ‘normal’. It was only when I’d gone to boarding school, where I’d been the only black girl and also a good head and a half taller than the other girls, that I had become self-conscious about my outer self.

‘Electra, have you finished in there? I’m desperate for a wee.’

‘Coming,’ I said, opening the door to let Lizzie in. She’d obviously been on one of those juice regimes that filled you up with liquid, but meant you spent the rest of the day peeing.

When she reappeared, she regarded me as I sat on the bed in my track pants and hoodie.

‘You know it’s a Tuesday Night Out tonight, don’t you?’ she asked me, with her arms folded. ‘We’re all off to go bowling in town.’

‘Yeah, I do, but it isn’t my scene.’

‘I didn’t think it was mine either when I first came here, but actually it’s really fun. We’re going for a pizza afterwards – well, for everyone other than me – and I think you’d enjoy it. It’s a chance to get to know the other residents, have a chat out of school, if you know what I mean.’

‘Thanks, but no thanks,’ I shrugged. ‘I have some letters to write.’

‘Okay . . . By the way,’ she said as she went back to the cosmetics case to set up her make-up station in preparation for tonight’s outing, ‘did you see that hunk who arrived recently?’

‘Er, did I?’

‘You could hardly miss him; he’s at least as tall as you are, packed with rippling muscles and has the most seductive brown eyes ever.’

‘Oh, you mean Miles.’

Lizzie looked up at me, her mascara brush held in mid-air. ‘You’ve spoken to him?’

‘Yeah, he was on the trail this morning when I was out for my run.’

‘Now that is a man even I could imagine doing extremely rude things with,’ Lizzie giggled. ‘He looks like a movie star. Is he?’

‘No, he’s a lawyer.’

‘Wow, you two obviously got to know each other quite well this morning. He was sitting by himself when I went into the canteen at lunchtime. So, being the friendly, welcoming person I am, I went to sit with him. Two minutes later, he picked up his tray and left.’ Lizzie frowned. ‘So much for my pulling tactics, eh?’

‘I thought you were devoted to your husband?’ I said.

‘You know I am, but there’s no harm in window-shopping occasionally, even if you can’t buy the product! He looks far too fit to be in here. Why is he?’

‘He says he comes back every year to make sure he doesn’t relapse.’

‘This is my sixth time here, so I totally understand. I like it here because everyone is so friendly and you’re never short of someone to talk to. Not like at home.’

‘Doesn’t your husband miss you?’

‘Oh, he’s hardly ever at home either. And now that the children have gone, well . . . Anyway, if you’re sure you won’t come, I’d better be off. How do I look in these jeans?’ she asked, standing up and giving me a twirl. ‘I couldn’t even get them to do up when I arrived a few weeks ago. And please don’t lie, just say it how it is.’

I looked at her trim figure, with a narrow waist and pert little butt that any twenty-five-year-old would be proud of, let alone a woman of forty-eight.

‘Seriously, Lizzie, you look just great.’

‘Are you sure? My husband hates me in jeans – says I have a “jelly belly”.’

‘You don’t, I swear. Now you go off and have a great evening, okay?’

‘Thanks, Electra, see you later.’

As Lizzie left the room in a cloud of her expensive perfume, I suddenly realised that she wasn’t just here to lose weight; she was here because she was lonely.

I pulled the chair out by my desk, retrieved the notepaper, envelopes