‘That’s good to hear,’ I laugh.
‘So, how can I help?’
I talk her through my idea, watching her reaction carefully. Natalie knows Alice better than anybody and I would love to get her seal of approval for this X date idea of mine.
‘HOLY SHIT,’ she shouts at me when I’ve finished. ‘This is big.’
‘I know. Do you think she’ll like it? Or is it too big?’
‘I think she’s going to be totally bowled over by your romantic gesture.’
I wince. ‘Alice isn’t into romance.’
Natalie looks at me disapprovingly as I sit down at the kitchen table with my own coffee cup.
‘Correction, Alicewasn’tinto romance. Still isn’t, probably. But she is into you. She loves you!’
‘She told you that?’ I ask, surprised.
‘Obviously. Now it sounds like we’ve got a lot of work to do before she gets back.’ Natalie checks her watch and moves into planner mode.
Ninety minutes later Alice bursts through the front door shouting ‘I’m getting married!’
What?
I shoot a panicked look at Nat, who’s helping me tuck little notes into envelopes in the living room. She wrinkles up her face and heads into the hallway. ‘What are you banging on about?’
I listen as Alice kicks off her shoes. ‘Me and Eve. Totally getting hitched. We’ve got a really tricky bride on our hands at the moment. You know Zach’s ex? So awkward! She’s been very exacting about the details, which is fine, but when we met this morning she pulled such a sour face when I showed her my initial designs that I wanted to scream a bit. DON’T YOU KNOW HOW LONG I’VE BEEN WORKING ON THESE FOR? Anyway, Eve stepped in just in time and I think we’re all back on track now. So I’m marrying her.’
‘Hmm. What will Zach say?’ Nat asks.
‘He’ll get over it,’ Alice laughs.
I pop my head around the living room door. ‘I’m not sure about that.’
‘You’re here,’ Alice smiles widely. ‘Hello! Why are you here?’
‘I was hoping to start our X date early but if I’ve been usurped by Eve I can always …’ I start moving towards the door with a smile on my face.
‘Stay!’ She laughs, stretching her body across the hallway to stop me. ‘I’ll tell Eve I’ve got cold feet.’
‘I’d appreciate that,’ I grin, my stomach flipping as I realise what’s about to happen. We both turn to see Natalie clasping her hands at her heart, looking at us like a proud mother watching her kid win a prize at school.
‘Why are you being weird?’ Alice asks.
‘Oh you know me, too much caffeine in the morning and I’m basically bonkers,’ she breezes, pulling on some black boots and a puffer jacket. ‘Right, I’m off on a solo date to the cinema becausethat’show much I like my own company these days! Have fun.’
Alice spins around to me, her hair piled high and a pair of rainbow earrings sparkling in her ears.
‘I’ve been wondering about this one,’ she says after we kiss. ‘Not much begins with X. Can I guess?’
‘Go ahead.’
‘Actually, I’ve already come up with a list of things I don’t want to do today.’
Oh hell.
Alice holds up a hand and starts ticking things off with her fingers. ‘X-Box,’ she frowns. ‘I’m not big into gaming. But I don’t think you are either?’
