NINE
Bella
Poor Will’s face falls and I wish I’d kept my big mouth shut. “I’m sorry. It’s no big deal, I promise.” I look down at the juicy slice of stuffed roast beef he’s served me and swallow. It’s a whole lot of meat for someone who hasn’t touched the stuff in almost ten years.
“Oh I see what your game is.” Harry, who is sitting on my left, gives me a nudge. “You’re trying to get two helpings of dessert. Well you’ll have to do better than that, missy. I don’t care how famous you think you are.” He gives me a wink, then he stabs his fork into my piece of beef and slides it onto his own plate. “Give her an extra serve of veg, Will. Fill her up. I’m not sharing my slice of cake.”
Everyone laughs and the tension is broken. I reach over and help myself to the roasted carrots in the center of the table. Will goes to the fridge and pulls out feta and watercress and tomato, and some chopped nuts from the pantry. Soon, I have a whole salad. “You better be careful,” I tell him with a grateful smile. “You might never get rid of me.”
Talk around the table is chaotic. At times, there’s a single conversation. At others, people break off into smaller groups, sometimes talking over each other and gesturing. Will’s little sister, Candy, sits on my right. She laughs when I ask her if she minds me crashing her birthday party. “Mind? I’m just looking forward to my invitation to yours.”
She takes a sip of wine and grins at me. Her pink cheeks are flushed with color. Her choppy haircut means her hair sits in a wild shaggy mop, but combined with her uneven teeth set in a bright smile, it gives her a disarming charisma. I can just about believe I really am her new best friend. I bet she makes everyone feel this good.
“So how did you get into acting?” she asks me. “Did you always know you were going to be a star?”
I shake my head emphatically. “Not at all. I spent far too many years thinking one day I’d have to give up and go work at Wal-Mart, or something.”
Candy snorts. “Can you imagine? You’re so beautiful. You could have been a model. If the acting didn’t work out.”
“Sure. Now.” I tap my nose with a wry smile. “After I had this done. And my chin and wore braces for years to straighten my teeth.”
Jane leans forward. “Really? What about your boobs? I’ve always wanted to have my boobs done.”
“No. These are all mine. My agent was trying to convince me to have my ass done, though.”
Will coughs loudly.
Everyone looks at him.
“Sorry. Sorry, it’s just, what could they possibly want to do to your um...” He waves his hand and I laugh. He’s actually blushing.
“My ass?”
He lets out another small cough. “That.”
“Well, haven’t you seen all those other celebrities with all that junk in their trunk? It’s the latest thing. Roksana says I’d get more parts.”
His mouth falls open. Then he shakes his head. He mutters the next thing, but I can just make out when he says, “That would be a travesty.”
I’m grinning when Jane lifts her glass. “A toast! To natural asses!”
“Hear, hear.” Harry clinks his against hers. “And yours in particular, my love.”
Everyone laughs and raises their glass. I join them. “To natural asses.”
I’m not sure my smile could be wiped from my face by a million angry directors or a hundred bad paparazzi shots right now.
Suddenly, the lights flicker and a cloud of smoke wafts into the room. A tall figure dressed in skinny black jeans, heavy black boots, and a frilly white shirt appears with a swirl and flourish of his hands. It takes me a moment to recognize the goth guy from the bookstore.
“Ian!” Will sighs. “Can you not just use the door like we’ve spoken about?”
Beside me, Candy giggles. “Don’t be a spoilsport, Will. A puff of smoke is much more dramatic. Come join us, Ian. It’s my birthday, so you have to.”
Ian brushes aside a long strand of hair from his long dark mullet. “Oh, I know that, lovely girl. In fact, that’s why I came upstairs. I brought you a present.” He unfolds his hand and a little gift-wrapped box seems to magically appear in his palm.
Candy jumps up to take the box with a squeal of delight. “Oooh, what is it?”
“Open and find out.”
She unties the ribbon and opens the box. “Oh, it’s lovely.” The box contains a ring with a round, opalescent gem in the center. Candy takes it out and slips it onto her finger and it instantly changes to a rosy pink.
“A mood ring which shows your emotions. I made it myself.”
“Bought from the two pound store, no doubt,” Will mutters. Then he raises his voice. “If you’re joining us, Ian, no blood at the table.”
Ian gives him a serious bow. “Of course not. I will just make myself a coffee. Can I help anyone else to one?” He looks around the room and only then seems to spot me. His brows raise. “Ms Owens! How delightful to see you again. I was not expecting such a privilege.”
“Bella, you remember Ian, my employee and lodger. I apologize in advance for any offense he causes. I’d tell you he can’t help it, since he was born in another age, but since he was turned in the eighties, he really has no excuse.”
We all laugh. Even Ian, who seems to take Will’s teasing with good humor. I don’t really understand the comment about him being turned, but I figure it’s a British expression I’m not familiar with.
“Right.” Harry gets up from the table. “I refuse to wait any longer for this cake. You’ll see what I mean in a moment, Bella. Will is the best baker I’ve ever met. I swear his parents should have named him Greg.”
When everyone laughs at my blank look, Will leans over to explain. “Greg’s is the name of a bakery chain here in the UK. He makes this joke every time we meet someone new so do him a favor and laugh.”
I really do laugh then. God, where have these people been all my life? Spending time with Will and his friends is easily the best time I’ve had since forever. Well, since I snuck off with Will to the abandoned ballroom anyway...
Will and Harry set candles in the cake and we all sing to Candy. Ian makes us coffee. When it’s all dished up, Will places the last piece of cake aside and we eat. I dig my spoon into the gooey frosting and lift the first bite to my lips. It’s rich and chocolaty and sweet. I moan around that first bite, and that’s fine because everyone else in the room is doing the same thing.
“Oh, wow.” I have to hold my hand up to cover my mouth when I talk through my mouthful. “Will, he wasn’t kidding. This is amazing.”
The room falls silent as we all polish off every bite. Then everyone looks at the last piece in the center of the table.
“Well, it’s tradition. The last piece goes to the person with the biggest sob story,” Will says, looking around. “Who’s first?”
Harry gives me a wink. “Me first. Here goes. I’ve just hit the big four-oh and I’m about to be made redundant at work because I’m far more useless at my job than I let on, and my best friend has been ignoring me all week because he’s got a crush on some new girl.”
I giggle and Will groans.
“Nah, not buying it,” Candy says. “You’re married to the girl of your dreams. What could possibly be wrong in your life?”
Harry laughs. “Yeah. You got me there.”
Everyone looks at Brian. “Yeah. OK. We all know it’s going to be me, isn’t it?”
Harry laughs. “It is tradition.”
Brian sighs. “Well, how about tonight I completely embarrassed myself in front of one of the world’s biggest stars by not recognizing her and blathering on about my work?”
I make eye contact with him and mouth, “It’s fine.”
Jane lays her hand on his arm. “Well, what about my turn?”
Will folds his arms across his chest. “This better be good.”
“Well, I know I’m married to the boy of my dreams, but actually it might not be as perfect as it seems. We lost a baby last week.” Her voice is unsteady as she breaks off and Harry wraps his arm around her. “The doctor says there could be complications.”
The room goes quiet.
“Is it... you know?” Candy asks.
“No,” says Jane. “It’s nothing to do with my cerebral palsy. It’s just bad luck. Well, unless it’s another unrelated condition.”
For a long, stretched out moment, we all look at Jane and Harry. I know I’ve only just met them, but even my throat feels tight with the ache of unshed tears. I can only imagine what everyone else is feeling.
Jane wipes her eyes and breaks the silence. “Hey, I’ve still got the best mate a girl could ask for. What about poor Will?”
Will groans again. “Oh no.”
Candy laughs. “Yeah. It’s not going to be me, is it? It’s my birthday, and Bella Owens is my best friend. I’ve got no chance, but you, big brother? Your life is basically over.”
He buries his face in his hands. “I’m begging you.”
His plea is all but drowned out by laughter and cat-calling.
Harry grins. “I mean, your sister is right. Failing business, terrible fashion sense—”
“Hey!” Will lifts his head and it’s clear he’s holding back laughter.
Ian shrugs. “It’s true.”
“—and Bella Owens is guaranteed never to talk to you again when she finds out that in high school your nickname used to be...” He pauses for dramatic emphasis.
“Please no,” Will says limply.
“Flopsy.” Harry announces.
Everyone bursts into fits of laughter, even Will, who is trying to explain through the howls that fill the room. “It’s the hair. The hair, OK? God, you guys are the worst friends ever.” With a sigh, he reaches for the cake, but I stop him.
“Oh, what, I don’t get a chance?”
Jane is drying tears of mirth, but she looks over at me. “Really? You?”
I nod. “I deserve a shot, right?”
Will spreads his hands in an inviting gesture. “Sure. Go on. Give it your best.”
I clear my throat. “Well, apart from three painful surgeries to get me looking this good, I’ve also been on a diet for basically my whole adult life. I’ve had a series of not very nice boyfriends who said horrible things to me in the media when we broke up, to be splashed around in every tabloid paper and magazine. If I have a zit, everyone in the northern hemisphere knows about it, and eight years ago, I lost a role that probably would have earned me an Oscar because I wouldn’t suck the director’s dick.”
In the horrible silence, I wonder if I’ve read the room wrong. Did I go too far?
Then Harry waves his hand. “Noooo. No deal, missy. That piece belongs to Will fair and square. You haven’t got us fooled.”
Beneath the table, Candy reaches over and squeezes my knee. “Good for you! Not even an Oscar is worth putting up with that.”
Will reaches over to claim his prize, holding the plate in the air. “And just for the nickname comment, you’re doing the washing up, Harry.”
After dinner, I hang around, unwilling to go. I am the outsider here, but no one has made me feel it. In fact, they’ve made me feel more welcome than my own family whenever I actually see them, which is rare these days.
I know I should go back to my hotel, but instead I linger, waiting until after all the dishes have been washed, until the wine has all been drunk.
Candy is the first to get up from the sofa. She stretches and yawns. “I’m going to call it a night, I think. I need my beauty sleep now I’m in my mid twenties.”
Everyone groans.
“Walk me out, Ian?” The lanky man darts up and holds open the front door for her.
She waves. “Thanks again, everyone. Thanks for coming to my birthday, Bella. Best birthday ever. Please, ask Will for my number if you ever want to hang out or go thrift shopping, or something. I know all the best places.”
I smile. “I will. Thank you for letting me crash your party.”
They head out and the door closes behind them. Jane leans forward from her spot on Harry’s lap conspiratorially. “How long do you think they’ve been together?”
“What?” Will sputters. He half gets up from his seat, but Jane hushes him.
“Shhh. I think they’re cute.”
“Cute?”
“Come on.” Harry stands, lifting Jane to her feet. “Someone has had too much wine.”
“I have not.” She sways on her feet, though, and Harry steadies her. “OK, maybe I have. Take me home?”
He bends and lifts her into his arms, bridal style. Jane smiles at me from Harry’s arms.
“Yeah, that’s my cue, too.” Brian stands. “Early start tomorrow.”
We all walk to the door.
Harry smiles at me. “Bella, it has been a pleasure. Please say this won’t be the last time we see you.”
A blush rises in my cheeks and I dart a look at Will under my lashes. I don’t want him to get hurt here, and the reality is when this trip to London ends, I can’t see this working out. But while I’m here...
“Don’t hound her, Jane.” Will opens the door for his friends. “You had better have been joking about Candy and Ian,” he says to Jane.
She goes to tap her nose and misses comically. “Sure. Right you are.”
Will groans.
We wave them off. Harry seems to be planning on carrying Jane all the way home to wherever they live and I hope it’s not far. He must be very strong. Brian takes a left turn and gives us a final wave before heading down the street.
Will turns to me and we look at each other in the doorway. I’m reminded of standing in his doorway a few days ago and impulsively reaching up to give him a kiss. Then I remember his reaction when Harry asked if they’d see me again. The hopeful look on his face.
I shouldn’t make this any harder on either of us. “Thank you for a lovely evening.” I can’t quite make eye contact, though I’m dying to know what he’s thinking.
“Was it OK? I don’t really know what made me ask you, but I’m glad you came.”
“Me, too.”
“Can I walk you home—or back to your hotel anyway?”
I’m glad he didn’t ask me to stay.
Really.
It’s for the best.
I get my things. And I remind myself I’m absolutely not asking him to come up when we get there.
Definitely not.
It would be kinder to draw a line under this before feelings become real.
Only I can’t figure out if it’s me or him I’m more worried about.