26. ZARA
ZARA
I laughed as Eli came through the portal and almost fell flat on his face as Rachel cannoned into him from behind. She really hadn’t got the hang of portalling yet so usually he just picked her up and carried her through, but this time his arms were full of bags, so she’d had to go it alone.
“Happy Birthday, Princess.” He pulled me in for a hug as soon as he’d dropped the bags and regained his dignity. “Where do you want your presents?”
“Err…” I looked around. Every available surface was covered in the platters of food I’d set out.
“I’ll put them in the lounge for you, shall I?” I hoped he hadn’t gone too overboard with the presents. I’d told everyone I didn’t want anything, but as usual that had fallen on deaf ears where Eli was concerned. He picked up all but one of the bags and headed off to the lounge.
Rachel gave me a helpless shrug. “Sorry. I tried to convince him you really meant what you said about no presents, but you know what Eli’s like when it comes to spoiling people. I think he bought more for me in the Grand Bazaar than I did for myself, and that was no mean feat.”
She hadn’t said a lot about their trip to Türkiye, insisting nobody really wanted to hear all about someone else’s holiday, but from the way she had been glowing with happiness when they got back, it had seemed safe to assume it had gone well.
She picked the one remaining bag up from the floor and handed it to me.
“This should go in the fridge if you have room. It’s got fresh cream in it.”
I peeked inside it to find a cake box. I hadn’t even thought about a cake.
I hadn’t really wanted to celebrate my birthday at all with Seth being gone, but Eli being Eli had insisted I wasn’t going to ‘sit around moping on my first true birthday’.
He’d taken it upon himself to invite everyone to the manor, only telling me two days ago that it was all arranged now so I’d just have to make the best of it, and I hadn’t had the heart to disappoint him by refusing to go along with it.
By the time I’d juggled the contents of the fridge to make way for the cake, Phoebe and Jed had arrived, carrying another cake box.
“Please tell me that doesn’t need fridge space,” I begged, taking it from Phoebe, “because if it does we’re going to need to drink a lot of wine to make room for it.”
“I have no problem with drinking all the wine but no, it doesn’t need to go in the fridge.
This is one of Mrs M’s chocolate cakes. I forgot to ask Eli if he was getting you a birthday cake, so we brought this along in case he didn’t.
Tilly will be here after work by the way.
She doesn’t get off until eight so she’s coming with Theo. ”
“Just Theo?”
“He said Lisa’s working tonight.”
“Again? That’s a shame.” I was beginning to wonder if she was avoiding meeting us all and from the look on Phoebe’s face I wasn’t the only one.
Eilif was the next to arrive, and after thanking him for the wine and flowers he’d brought, I let myself hug him a little harder, and a little longer, than I would have done if Seth were around.
I stifled a laugh as I saw him trying to have a sneaky look over my shoulder while he was wishing me a happy birthday.
“Jules isn’t here yet,” I said, taking pity on him. “Eli’s just gone to get her.”
“In that case, I shall go and say hello to everyone else now so I can devote myself entirely to her when she arrives,” he said shamelessly before heading over to where Jed and Phoebe were standing chatting with Rachel.
Terrah was next, bearing yet another cake box.
“Many Happy Returns.” She thrust the box at me. “I wasn’t sure if anyone was bringing cake, so I picked these up from The Enchanted Eatery.” I peeked inside at the little cupcakes, covered in pastel coloured frosting and sprinkles.
“Thank you, Terrah.” I would have hugged her but by the time I’d found somewhere to put the cupcakes she’d already moved away and was helping herself to a glass of wine.
“Is everyone else here already?” She asked as the sound of laughter drifted out from the lounge.
“Are Jack and the guys coming?” I’d invited them as soon as Eli had told me I was having a party, but they’d already had a gig booked.
And Ali had left for the States last weekend, after a beautifully intimate wedding that had actually left me looking forward to tying the knot with Seth, so she was missing too.
“No, they couldn’t make it.” She looked disappointed and I had a sneaky feeling she’d taken a bit of a shine to Cole.
“Tilly and Theo are coming though, and so is Nero, but they’re not here yet.
” I’d been surprised when Nero had accepted my last minute invitation, but I was glad he was coming rather than spending the evening on his own in that lonely palace of his.
When he did arrive, he was dressed more casually than I’d ever seen him, looking ridiculously hot in black jeans and a tightly fitted black shirt.
He was also carrying a huge box of fancy chocolates, which were of far more interest to me than his god-bod, and I took them with the requisite ‘you shouldn’t have’, even though I was very glad he had.
Tilly lasted precisely ten minutes after arriving before she dragged out the Karaoke machine, turned off my carefully thought out playlist, and started belting out Get the Party Started.
Surprisingly Eilif was the next to grab the mic and sing Quando, directing the entire song in Jules’ direction.
I’d expected her to lap it up but instead she looked more than a little uncomfortable and pretended not to notice.
Was that because her dad was there, or had she lost interest in him?
“You’re looking very thoughtful.” Nero’s voice pulled me out of my musings about Jules’ love life. “I know you miss Seth, but there are a lot of people here tonight who love you, Zara. Try and hold onto that.”
“I know,” I said, smiling up at him. “And I’m very grateful for each and every one of you.
And I wasn’t thinking about Seth actually.
” For once. “I was wondering what’s going on with Jules and Eilif.
Last time they were in the same room they couldn’t keep their eyes off each other, now it looks like she’s trying to avoid him. ”
“I’m sure they’ll work it out for themselves,” he said with a shrug, obviously not the least bit interested in someone else’s love life. “What are you going to sing with me?”
“You’re singing?” I tried not to sound too taken aback. I’d really thought he’d just been humouring Tilly before.
“Did you think I can’t? What’s your favourite duet? Pick something or I will.”
“Go on then. You pick.” I was curious to see what kind of music he was into. “Surprise me.” Before he had a chance to, I heard Rachel start protesting as Eli pulled her up from her seat.
“Come on Rach, you promised me you’d do a number with me.
You’ll love it.” I laughed as the intro to Don’t Go Breaking My Heart started playing and he grabbed the mic from Tilly, who was apparently going through a P!
nk phase and had moved on to Raise Your Glass the second Eilif had finished serenading Jules.
As soon as Eli and Rachel were done, with Eli totally hamming it up while Rachel looked like she wished the floor would open up and swallow her, Tilly wanted another go and I turned to Nero with a shrug.
“Looks like it’s going to be a while. Want to get a refill?” I nodded at his empty glass, and he followed me to the kitchen, where we found Jules picking half-heartedly at a plate of food.
“You’re missing all the fun,” I said, opening the fridge to get the white out while Nero poured himself some red. “Don’t you want to do a duet with Eilif?”
“Maybe later.” I wasn’t insensitive enough to interrogate her about what was going on while Nero was here, so it was going to have to wait until later. But interrogate her I would, just as soon as I got her on her own.
“Well, don’t stay out here on your own too long, or someone will come looking for you.”
“Oh!” She obviously hadn’t thought of that.
“I’ll go back now.” She abandoned the plate of food, picked up her beer and hurried out of the kitchen like she was being chased by a hungry bear.
Although it wasn’t a bear that had been watching her hungrily all night. It was a far more dangerous predator.
“It’s a shame Lisa couldn’t make it.” I sidled up to Theo where he was standing on his own in the corner nursing a beer. “Is everything okay with you two?”
He looked at me like he couldn’t quite believe I’d had the cheek to just come straight out and ask him that, but I wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity now I had him cornered.
For a moment, he seemed to waver on the verge of confiding in me, but then that moment passed and he pasted on a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Everything’s fine. She had to work.”
“You didn’t look fine for a minute there.
” I gave him my best don’t try and bullshit me look.
“If you need someone to talk to, I’ve been told I’m a very good listener.
” I felt a little of my sirenity, as Phoebe liked to call it, leak out and hastily reined it back in.
Oops. I wanted to know what was going on but I wasn’t going to try and coerce him into opening up to me.
“It’s complicated.” He sighed. “And it’s also your birthday. You should be enjoying your party not playing therapist to me.”
“I can enjoy it by having a meaningful conversation can’t I? What’s going on, Theo?”
“Nothing’s going on. It’s just that Lisa isn’t too sure about me yet. I don’t know if you’re aware, but I have a reputation for being a bit of a playboy in some circles.”
“In the gutter press you mean?” I said with a grin.