Chapter 28
28
I arrive back to the chateau to hear the muffled sounds of laughter and conversation drifting through the hallway. I follow the voices to the dining room, to say hi, and find Mandy, Bette, and Gina, sitting at a beautifully set table, glasses of wine in hand, chatting animatedly.
‘Amber!’ Mandy calls out, spotting me in the doorway. ‘We’ve been waiting for you to eat. Where have you been?’
‘I went for a walk,’ I reply, hesitant to mention that I’ve already eaten. ‘Sorry, I didn’t know you would be waiting for me.’
‘We always eat together,’ she reminds me. ‘So, unless we hear otherwise…’
I force a smile and take a seat at the table, feeling the pressure to join in.
‘Great timing,’ Bette says, uncovering a hot plate filled with… with… I’m not even sure what it is. Some kind of casserole. ‘We were just about to dig in.’
It does smell nice, and even though I’m not hungry, I load a small portion onto my plate.
The chatter resumes around me, and I find myself gradually relaxing.
‘So,’ Mandy says, topping off everyone’s wine glasses, ‘we’ve been talking about setting our next books here at the resort. See whose story turns out the best.’
‘I bet Bette’s will be the most scenic,’ Gina chimes in, nodding towards Bette.
‘Oh, definitely,’ Mandy agrees. ‘The worlds you build and your descriptions are always so vivid.’
‘And Mandy’s will of course be the funniest,’ Bette says with a smile.
‘And Gina’s book will be the spiciest,’ Mandy adds, winking at Gina.
They laugh and toast each other, but no one mentions me. Well, I doubt any of this lot have ever even touched one of my books, still, it would be nice to be included in the conversation. Pointing out that they’re kind of excluding me probably isn’t the best way to fit in. Plus, they did wait for me for dinner, I guess.
After a few bites, I clear my throat, and dare to speak.
‘I just wanted to let you know I’m planning to sleep in tomorrow, I’m feeling quite tired,’ I tell them. ‘So feel free to have breakfast without me.’
‘Okay, but make sure you’re in for dinner,’ Bette says, her tone leaving no room for argument. ‘I’m cooking dinner for us all tomorrow night.’
‘And I’m pouring the wine,’ Mandy jokes – topping up her glass for dramatic effect.
‘Okay,’ I reply, mentally acknowledging that this definitely doesn’t sound optional. ‘I’m really looking forward to it.’
As the evening ticks along I find more and more that, in all of their conversations, even the ones about writing, there isn’t really much room for me. No mention of me, no one asks me questions, and it’s impossible to get a word in.
I know, I shouldn’t be complaining, because I’ve been asking Jen for months if she could get me a seat at the table, and now I have one but… I don’t know. Just because you’re sitting at a table, doesn’t mean you have a seat at the table. I’m going to have to work on that one.