Twelve
Nancy wasn’t exactly sure what she’d gotten herself into.
As Ari led her through the hotel’s elegant corridors to the restaurant, Nancy couldn’t shake the feeling that she was walking into something a little beyond her. The chandelier that hung over the dining area seemed to glow a little too brightly, and the crisp white linens on each table made her feel like she was in one of those fancy magazines she’d never bought.
The ma?tre d’ led them to a table by the window, and Ari settled herself into the plush chair like it was no big deal, her bright, confident smile never faltering.
Nancy sat down more slowly, acutely aware of the difference between the two of them. Ari looked like she belonged in rooms like this. Nancy was only ever in them to collect Ari.
The waiter handed them the menus, and Ari flicked hers open with a flourish. ‘Right,’ she said with a grin, glancing at Nancy. ‘You’re going to want the foie gras and the lobster. Trust me on this one.’
Nancy froze. ‘I… what?’
‘Go on,’ Ari coaxed, eyes sparkling. ‘It’s the whole experience. Don’t worry about the price.’ She looked at her, an almost teasing smile playing on her lips. ‘It’s all on Mummy.’
Nancy shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She glanced at the menu, where all the prices were neatly printed next to the dishes. Each number seemed to grow larger the longer she looked at them.
‘This is a little much, don’t you think?’ Nancy said, glancing up from the menu. She hadn’t even ordered anything yet, and already, her stomach was tied in knots.
Ari looked at her like she was being ridiculous. ‘It’s not that much,’ she said, waving a hand dismissively.
Nancy’s throat tightened. She wasn’t used to this kind of opulence. But something in Ari’s smile, the way she looked at her like she was just so…
She wanted Nancy to be happy. For whatever reason. It wasn’t nothing.
‘Alright,’ Nancy finally said, forcing a small grin. ‘I’ll order exactly what I want.’
Ari’s smile widened. ‘That’s the spirit.’ She waved over the waiter, who had been lingering nearby, clearly waiting for them to make their selections.
As the waiter took their order. Nancy opted for a good old-fashioned steak.
Ari tutted and ordered lobster. ‘Oh, and whatever champagne you have.’
‘We have Krug Grande Cuvée?’ the waiter offered.
‘That will work, thank you.’
The waiter left, and Ari leaned back in her chair.
Nancy shifted in her seat again, suddenly feeling too warm, her hand gripping the edge of the table. They’d never sat across from each other like this. Ari was always behind her or next to her. Never across. It was strangely and disconcertingly intimate.
The champagne arrived. The bottle was popped and the bubbles poured. Nancy took a sip. It was pretty good, but probably not worth the price tag.
‘So,’ Nancy began, trying to ease the tension that had settled between them, ‘tell me more about this wedding.’
‘Tell me more about you,’ Ari shot back, eyes glinting with mischief.
‘That won’t be necessary,’ Nancy said with an eye roll, leaning back in her seat.
‘I know it’s not necessary,’ Ari drawled, her voice laced with dry humour.
Nancy sighed, her shoulders slumping just a little. ‘What is it you want to know?’
Ari raised an eyebrow. ‘Everything,’ she said, but there was a softness in her tone, an openness Nancy wasn’t sure how to handle. ‘How’d you become a driver?’ Ari pressed, leaning in a little. ‘I’ve never asked.’
Nancy let out another sigh, this one quieter, almost wistful. ‘Alright, fine,’ she said, her voice quieter now. ‘My dad was a black cab driver. Taught me to drive when I was eleven.’
‘Eleven?’ Ari repeated, shocked.
‘I had a growth spurt that year, so my legs could just about reach the pedals, and my dad couldn’t wait to pass on what he knew.’ She paused. ‘I think he’d been measuring me while I slept.’
‘Wow. The only thing my mother ever passed on was control issues,’ Ari said lightly. ‘Did you like it?’
Nancy smiled. ‘I loved it. Because he just let me take the wheel.’
Ari’s eyes never left Nancy’s face. ‘And you’ve done it ever since.’
Nancy shrugged.
Ari raised an eyebrow, pushing further. ‘And you never wanted to do anything else? Just… drive?’
Nancy shifted her weight. ‘It pays the bills.’
‘But you have other skills—’
Nancy shifted in her seat, an edge creeping into her voice now. ‘It wasn’t like I had a ton of choices, Ari. I could do it, so I did it. And it’s been reliable. That’s what my dad wanted for me. To always be able to make a living.’ She inhaled. ‘And I do still like it,’ she added softly.
Ari didn’t press further, sensing that she’d pushed Nancy just about as far as she’d go. For now, at least.
‘My turn,’ Nancy said.
Ari looked up from her glass, raising an eyebrow. ‘What do you want to know?’
Nancy shrugged. ‘Why do you need me? What exactly is my role?’
Ari didn’t hesitate, sitting a little straighter. ‘You’re my date.’
‘I need a bit more than that.’
‘I just need the support,’ Ari said. ‘If I look right, I can feel right. If I go stag, I won’t feel right.’
Nancy nodded slowly. She understood that. Nancy had never known wealth, but she had always understood the power of appearances. Looking pristine wasn’t about vanity; it was about control. A pressed shirt, a clean-cut silhouette, and polished shoes. It sent a message: I am put together. I know what I’m doing.
Even now, sitting in this over-the-top restaurant, she felt the familiar instinct to straighten her posture, to smooth down the fabric of her jacket, to make sure not a single detail was out of place. Ari could throw money at looking the part, but for Nancy, it was more than that. It wasn’t about having expensive things; it was about precision. About never giving anyone a reason to doubt her or, worse, pity her.
‘So,’ Nancy continued carefully, ‘it’s just an image thing? That’s it?’
Not a hardball question, but Ari hesitated. ‘Yes, of course. What else could it be?’
OK. Interesting.
‘I don’t know,’ Nancy said quietly. But that wasn’t to say she was satisfied. Ari, for her faults, wasn’t much of a liar. And she was lying right now.
But she didn’t feel like she could push any further. This was as personal as they’d ever gotten, and Nancy didn’t want to bend things to a breaking point. She didn’t precisely know what the breaking point was with Ari. What she did know was that she was paid to help Ari. Be it driving or whatever. Whatever had simply gotten a little more complicated. Looking at it like that, standing next to her at a wedding wasn’t all that wild.
Ari met her gaze again, and there was something in her expression. ‘So, you’re still doing it?’ Ari checked.
‘I already said I was.’
Ari nodded. ‘Cool.’ But she didn’t look cool. She looked scared.
Nancy was really starting to wonder what was going on here. How bad was this ex that Ari was freaking out like this? And if she was a monster of some sort, why the hell would Ari go to her wedding?
As their food arrived, Ari smiled at her, her usual confidence back in place. ‘OK, since you wouldn’t order lobster, at least try a bite of mine?’ she cracked the lobster loudly yet somehow, utterly unselfconsciously. She picked some meat out and held it out to Nancy with a wry smile.
Nancy hesitated and then leant forward to be fed. Again, they were in a new and strange zone.
‘Good?’ Ari asked like she already knew the answer. But annoyingly, she did. It was bloody delicious.