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Looking from Halle to Fe, Lydia gave in. How could she compete with those two giving her puppy eyes? “Ugh, fine, but I’m bringing Cathy.”
“Deal,” Fe grinned triumphantly.
Lydia knew better than to believe Fe was going to butt out of her business, she wasn’t that daft. But she went along with things anyhow, partly because sometimes it was just easier to relent to her sister, and because some part of her still believed she might have stamina for one last go at dating. Who knows, maybe it wouldn’t end in heartache. Yeah, right!
Chapter 2
Nerves jangled around Lydia’s stomach. It was ridiculous; she was only going to a bar, for God’s sake. There would be a few drinks consumed, possibly some light flirting, but that was it. Lydia would not let Fe and Halle bully her into finding a date. It’s a shame Cathy couldn’t come. She was the perfect buffer.
The little voice in the back of her head still urged her to try one more time. It was sad, really. Why couldn’t she just be happy alone? Because you want love. Was that really too much to ask for? A person who would love Lydia exactly the way she was made, broken parts included.
The shrieking of the doorbell pulled her back from the brink of gloom. Smoothing down her modest dress, Lydia grabbed her purse, kissed Monty, and opened the door. To her surprise, it wasn’t Fe, but Halle. “Oh hey, I was expecting Fe.”
“Yeah, she’s going to meet us there. Jack and Jenny got into it over which dinosaur is the best. Apparently, it got kinda heated.”
“Oh, dear,” Lydia chuckled. “Who won?”
“Who do you think?” Halle grinned.
“Jenny kicked his little arse, didn’t she?”
“Oh, yeah!”
Laughing, Lydia shuffled out, closing the door behind her. Halle smelled great. Was that a new perfume? In all honesty, it was rare for Halle and Lydia to spend time alone together. Halle was Fe’s best friend growing up, and on a few occasions, Fe made it clear to her annoying little sister that she wasn’t to get too cosy. No one liked a third wheel. To Lydia’s 13-year-old self, those words had cut deeply, and made her take a step back from interfering.
As they grew into adults, Lydia, and Fe grew much closer, but Lydia never tried to cosy up to Halle. Fe’s stern warning all those years ago still lingering at the back of her mind.
“The taxi should be here any minute,” Halle commented. Lydia smiled, taking a second to cast her gaze over Halle. At nearly five-foot-nine, Halle towered over Lydia, just like Fe. Somehow Lydia had inherited all the shortcomings in her family. Squat, on the heavier side, reproductively and hormonally challenged. Fe got the height, the slim build, same colour hair, and creamy skin sans imperfections.
Halle inherited her height and beauty from her mum. Lydia had met Mrs. Cartwright once a few years ago. Halle and her mum were freakishly similar in nearly all aspects of their lives. They both worked in physiotherapy. Both had shortish black hair and clear copper skin. Halle had a tighter body because of all the swimming she did, but even then, Mrs. Cartwright wasn’t too far behind. Yoga paid off. Had Lydia spent a little too much time thinking about Halle and Mrs. Cartwright? Yes, and she wasn’t going to over analyse it. Halle was hot, and her mum was too.
“You look nice.” It wasn’t a fib. Halle looked great in tight black jeans and a red tank top.
“Thanks, I was going for uber lesbian. Did I get it right?”
“Spot on. Oh, the taxi’s here. Shall we?”
“After you.”
They sat in comfortable silence the entire journey. Lydia felt a pang of envy that her sister had a friend like Halle. Lydia had Fe, but it wasn’t the same as having a real best friend. Shame Fe was so weird about sharing Halle. Lydia had a feeling they would get on pretty well.
“Twenty-five pounds please, ladies.” Jesus, how much?
“I’ve got it,” Halle murmured, already handing the driver his fare. “Let’s get a drink.”
Halle’s hand wrapping around Lydia’s, pulling her along, came as a surprise, but she let it happen. Halle didn’t let go until they were both at the bar. “Wow, there’s a lot of ladies here tonight!”
“All of the sapphic persuasion, too.” Halle wiggled her eyebrows playfully. Another thing they had in common. Halle identified as a lesbian, and Lydia as pan.
“Are you on the prowl?” Lydia half joked.
“Nah, not tonight. I just want to have a drink and enjoy the company of two beautiful women. One of them is already here. I wonder if the other will turn up?” Blushing slightly, Lydia brushed off Halle’s compliment. Has she always been such a sweet talker?
“She’ll turn up. Fe never misses the chance to let her hair down.”
“I don’t blame her with the triple terrors she has to deal with.”
“Triple terrors. That’s brilliant. And so true!”
