Chapter One
‘I’m thrilled to introduce you to my brand-new range of storage containers. Check out these beauties.’ Genevieve lifted a stack of elegant storage boxes with pretty patterns and held them to the camera. ‘These boxes are not just any ordinary containers – they’re your new kitchen best friends.’ With a flourish, she opened one of the boxes. ‘Now, you know me and my love of all things sustainable…’
‘Oh my god.’ Genevieve cringed and put her head into her hands. Beside her, her grandma chuckled and stopped the playback on her phone.
‘I can’t believe you follow me on social media.’ Genevieve turned back to her grandma.
‘Of course I do. I follow all my grandchildren. I know everything “The Vieve” gets up to.’
Heat stung Genevieve’s cheeks. She bared her soul on social media as The Vieve – a single girl living her best life. Thousands of people were watching, commenting, liking, hating, judging, but her grandma?
‘It’s just a bit of a surprise.’
‘Well, it shouldn’t be.’ Her grandma patted the cushion next to her on the sofa and Genevieve’s French bulldog, Mitzi, jumped up beside her. ‘Good girl.’ Grandma tickled her chin as she cooed. Mitzi wriggled onto the old lady’s knee.
‘Are you sure she’s ok there? She’s quite heavy,’ Genevieve said.
Her grandmother stroked little Mitzi’s soft head. French bulldogs were cute, but Mitzi exceptionally so. Of course Genevieve was extremely biased. And after being on a waiting list for over two years to get her in the first place, she was going to cherish every moment with her.
‘She’s fine where she is,’ her grandmother said. ‘Lovely and warm, in fact, like a very cuddly hot water bottle.’ The old lady rested her elbow on the sage green velour sofa arm. ‘Does this online stuff make money?’
‘Yes. I get sponsorships and freebies, sometimes partnership deals with businesses. The Vieve has a lot of followers.’ She rested back on the sofa, crossing her slender ankles. Her grandma was in her late seventies and though some of her furniture was dated, it was always pristine. Gleaming photographs of her grandchildren shone from a wood and glass cabinet that took up a large part of the wall. Genevieve’s face smiled back from the frames, ranging from the earliest days when she was a bald baby with bright rosy cheeks, through the school years with her long caramel-coloured hair in various plaits and styles – her teeth in several stages of gappiness – right up until now. Now, she was social-media perfect, of course; it went with the territory. The Vieve had a reputation to maintain. In most of the younger pictures, she was with her older siblings. Even then Cressida and Rafe looked more confident and able than her. She was the cute little sister who had adorable dimples when she smiled, but nothing much else to say for herself.
‘I don’t understand any of it,’ Grandma said. ‘Though I do enjoy watching you. You have a lovely way of talking online. Your cooking films are very good indeed and useful for me as a single woman.’ Grandma winked and Genevieve giggled. Hopefully when she was that age, she’d have the same spirit.
‘You know I can cook for you any time. I make so much food for the films, I always have stuff in the freezer,’ she said.
‘I would happily eat any of it and I really appreciate you dropping in. But aren’t you going to your father’s party this afternoon?’
‘Yes, I am.’ Genevieve got to her feet, walked to the window and looked out over the neat little garden and the similarly well-presented gardens of the other houses in the quiet cul-de-sac. Grandma had downsized to this bungalow six years ago, after Granddad had died. It was in a lofty location on the outskirts of Glenbriar. Beyond the house, across the road, was a view of the surrounding hills. The fields were a patchwork of summer green. Loch Briar was just visible too, glinting in the valley.
And Genevieve was procrastinating – big time.
‘You don’t sound too happy,’ Grandma said. ‘I thought you loved parties. I see lots of things on here about you and your parties.’ She tapped her phone and Genevieve cringed again.
‘I like parties, but this one isn’t my thing. It’s one of Dad’s business parties.’
‘Ah, but just think,’ her grandma said with a mischievous glint in her eyes. ‘Of all the young, single businessmen who might be there hoping to be “the one” for you.’ She air-quoted like she was Genevieve’s age, not almost eighty.
‘Oh god,’ Genevieve groaned.
Since she’d set herself up as a vlogger a couple of years ago, she’d marketed herself as a carefree single girl, showing women everywhere it was ok not to be in a long-term relationship. Her face was synonymous with independence and freedom. She was famous for her ‘cooking for one’ slots where she prepped and cooked meals for individuals or sometimes date nights. Well, every single girl needed a date every now and then. Plus, she did health, beauty and fashion reels. She posted that nothing could tempt her out of this blissful state except the truest, purest love. Whoever he was would have to be extra special, and she would have to know for sure that he was ‘the one’ before she committed to anything.
No one needed to know what a lie that social media face could be. Genevieve craved love as much as anyone but… Well, it was complicated.
‘Why don’t you fancy this party?’ Grandma went on.
Genevieve slumped back into the seat. ‘Because it won’t be the first time Dad has done exactly what you said and tried to set me up with businesspeople he knows. One of the most embarrassing times was when he dragged me to Edinburgh at Christmas to meet some old friends. One of them turned out to be Gavin Sinclair, the CEO of Glenbriar Distilleries. Gavin brought his PA with him and she’s the woman he ended up marrying. Dad was livid. I mean his daughter should be irresistible. Fancy Gavin bringing another woman. You know, to a date he knew nothing about.’
Grandma tickled Mitzi’s ears, still smirking. ‘Oh dear. Your father is an old romantic. When your mother was dating him, I wasn’t quite sure if I liked him. I thought he was trying a bit too hard but actually he’s just a natural charmer.’
‘Yeah, and he’s still trying too hard. I don’t want to be set up with these people. I’m fine on my own.’
‘Is that the real you talking or the social media you?’
Genevieve met her grandma’s eyes and realised how shrewd the old lady was. Maybe the social media face didn’t fool her. Could she see through the act?
‘A bit of both,’ Genevieve said.
‘You seemed to get on well with the lad whose father owns Duchan Fayre. What happened there?’
‘Oh… um…’
Her phone buzzed in that angry way it did when someone was calling her and she was glad of the interruption. It was the only time it made a noise at all. She got so many comments on her socials that she turned off notifications or she’d be ringing and pinging all day. She frowned at it.
‘It’s Elise. I better take it. She’s going through a bad breakup and she’s not herself.’ She lifted the phone to her ear. ‘Hi.’
‘Oh, thank god, you’re there.’ Her best friend sounded a little breathless. ‘I really need your help. I hate asking and I wasn’t going to, but I’ve got myself in such a mess.’
‘Oh no. What’s up?’
‘Finlay.’
That one word said it all. After Elise’s short and not so sweet engagement to Finlay McBride had ended, she’d been withdrawn and quiet. Normally she was confident to the point of being pushy, but everything that could go wrong with her love life had gone wrong.
‘What about him?’ Genevieve almost didn’t want to know. As if it wasn’t hard enough sitting through months of her best friend being engaged… to him.
No one knew the secret about Finlay McBride she’d kept locked in her heart for so long. Except Mitzi.
Genevieve was the mistress of her emotions and she’d never let on to a soul how much she’d fancied Finlay for herself ever since she was a teenager. And she never would. It was too messy.
‘He’s selling his flat. He’s got a new job in Dubai.’ Elise sounded on the verge of tears.
‘Dubai?’ Genevieve’s heart plummeted. He was leaving town – the country. Not that it mattered. She had no claim on him. But while they both lived in Glenbriar, there was always a chance of seeing him.
Christ, she had to stop this. It had gone on for way too long.
‘It’s all my fault,’ Elise said. ‘I don’t think he’d have done anything like this if… Well, if we hadn’t split. I’m not sure he even wants to go. He just wants to get away from the gossip. Oh god. I’ve ruined his life.’
‘Hey, it’s ok. He’s an adult. He can make his own choices.’
Though Elise’s words held some truth. She’d only started dating Finlay to get back at an ex – who happened to be Finlay’s cousin. Dating her ex’s cousin was a pretty shit idea in the first place, but it got so much worse. Elise had crossed the line Genevieve had always stopped herself at. Because Finlay was the brother of their other friend, Hayley. He was that cute big brother who’d always been around when they were kids. Hayley was one of the world’s nicest people and hadn’t objected outright to Elise dating her brother, but Genevieve could tell she’d felt uneasy. Now it was obvious why.
Breakups made everything awkward.
There was no escape for any of them now Finlay and Elise had split up. It put everyone in a tricky spot. Hayley was so loyal to everyone and didn’t want to take sides. Genevieve, too, felt the repercussions. Since the split, Elise had relied on her so much more. She hated herself for the deep resentment that had brewed and festered inside her ever since Elise had got together with Finlay.
‘But does it matter if he’s moving away? In fact, isn’t that going to be a relief? You were talking about moving away yourself,’ Genevieve reminded her. Surely Elise didn’t want to get back together with Finlay. Genevieve might be sick if that was the case.
‘I suppose it’ll be easier in some ways, but I hate myself for forcing him into something like this. He’s not the kind of guy who does things like that on his own.’
‘Maybe you’ve helped him get out of his comfort zone.’ Genevieve wasn’t sure why she was sticking up for Elise when part of her ached for Finlay. What a sad position for him. She understood what it was like to be rejected and feel the need to get away… far away. But that wasn’t easy when it wasn’t in your nature. She liked living here and couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. This was her home. If Finlay was like that then the breakup with Elise must have been catastrophic.
‘Maybe. I just wish… Oh, I don’t know. Listen, the reason I phoned is that I have a lot of stuff in Finlay’s flat. We were meant to be moving in together. He wants me to go around and take it all away. I don’t want to face him alone.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because it makes me feel awful. I don’t quite know what to say to him. I just wondered if there was any chance you could come with me?’
‘What?’ Genevieve coughed, taking in too much air too quickly. ‘I mean, when?’ She checked the time on her grandma’s carriage clock on the oak mantelpiece.
‘Well, now,’ Elise said. ‘I know I should have asked sooner but I thought I could do it.’
‘Now? I’m not sure…’ But how could she refuse? Elise was clearly upset and Genevieve had to keep up the pretence. No one could discover her guilty little secret. For a while, it had been a harmless crush. Ok, one that had lasted a long time. Then Elise had started dating him, and everything Genevieve had wrestled with for years had been turned on its head.
Why didn’t I cross the line myself? Get in there first?
Her cheeks heated at the thought. How could she? He’d never taken her seriously. Not since… Well, she didn’t need to think about that. She just had to act normal and not show how resentful she was feeling towards Elise or that she had any feelings at all for Finlay. ‘I suppose I could, as long as it won’t take too long.’
‘No, it’ll be really quick, I promise. Thank you so much. I’ll meet you at yours in ten minutes, if that’s ok?’
Ten minutes?Genevieve ended the call and let out a sigh. ‘Sorry, Grandma, got to go. I’ll come back next week and bring food and more Mitzi therapy.’
‘Come any time,’ her grandma said. ‘You’re always welcome and you’re a good girl for coming at all.’
‘I’d rather stay but Elise needs some support.’
‘Young people and their dramas,’ Grandma smiled. ‘You don’t need me to tell you, but when I was your age, I was already married with two young children.’
‘You might have told me once or twice before.’ Genevieve smiled as she lifted Mitzi from her grandma’s knee, then leaned in and gave Grandma a kiss. Her grandma didn’t need to know how much Genevieve would love to be married with two young children. Unfortunately, she suspected the partner she needed to bring that about wasn’t going to be someone at one of her dad’s business parties. Not if it turned out to be nothing but a business transaction like the last time she’d dated someone her parents set her up with.
Genevieve secured Mitzi in the back of her silver Audi and got into the driver’s seat. She set up her phone on the hands-free to record as she drove down the street towards her own house.
‘Just had a really interesting conversation with a wise old lady,’ she said, not looking at the camera and watching the road. ‘She might even see this, so I can’t say too much, but it’s made me think. Why am I not married? I’m twenty-seven and really, that’s old enough to be settled down, don’t you think? Except you all know how I’m married to my single life. And I’ve got Mitzi now. She’s in the backseat being a good girl.’ Genevieve checked in the rear-view mirror. ‘I’d like to believe my soulmate is out there and I just haven’t met him yet. But there’s no point in sitting around moping about that. I guess if he comes strolling into my life, I’ll know. I’ll feel the vibe, hear the buzz.’ She laughed. ‘Maybe as soon as I do, I’ll let him put a ring on this single finger faster than you can say “hashtag, he’s the one”.’ She waggled her finger. ‘Or not. Anyway, I’ll sign off for now. More later from the party. What party you ask? You see, no moping here. I’ll let you know how I get on.’ Without taking her eyes off the road, she stopped the recording. It may be superficial recording her life like this, but it made money and was kind of like free therapy. She could talk herself through her life choices and justify them completely – even if most of the time it was a blatant lie.