‘Hannah’s.’
‘Did you actually want one?’
‘I don’t think it’s optional,’ Maddy said.
‘It’salloptional.’
Maddy looked rather disturbed by that comment.
Across the table, Hannah was telling Kelly about a massage she had pre-booked, Aria was describing how she hoped the spa staff weren’t too finicky about her wandering around naked between treatments, and Mary was eating truffles two at a time and washing them back with champagne.
Eva’s gaze drifted back to Maddy. She was sipping her drink, eyes darting at the edges of the group, lips pressed together.
Eva let it all unfold, sipping her tea and wondering if she should have had champagne after all.
Hannah clapped her hands suddenly, dragging Eva back into the moment. ‘All right! Now that we’re settled, drinks in hand, I have a little game to get us all warmed up!’
Yeah. Eva should havedefinitelygone with the booze.
Twenty-One
Yeah. Maddy should havedefinitelygone with the booze.
She’d barely finished her tea when Hannah went into full game-show host mode. ‘Right!’ she said brightly. ‘Icebreaker time!’
Maddy felt herself wither. God,no. Anything but an icebreaker. She stared down at her teacup as though she might find an escape hatch in the bottom.
‘Nothing embarrassing!’ Hannah added quickly.
Maddy didn’t believe that for a nanosecond.
Across the table, Eva set her teacup down with the controlled calm of someone who had accepted their fate. Mary paused mid-truffle. Aria leaned forward with enormous interest. Kelly looked delighted.
‘It’s just a little game,’ Hannah continued, producing a small stack of cards from her handbag. ‘I thought it would be fun if we all answered a few questions about Maddy and the wedding.’
Ah, good,Maddy thought.It’s even worse than I expected.
Her brain immediately began cataloguing possible disasters. Did she even know the answers to questions about herself? What if they were wrong? What if everyone else knew something about her that she didn’t? What if—
‘Relax,’ Eva murmured beside her.
Maddy stopped just shy of jumping. She turned subtly to look at Eva. ‘YouknowI won’t,’ she said quietly.
Eva laughed.
Before Maddy had a chance to feel good about that, Hannah clapped a quick one-two.
‘Okay! First question!’
Mary swallowed her truffle and reached for another.
‘What,’ Hannah said, holding up the first card, ‘is Maddy most excited about for the wedding?’
Maddy stared at her.Wasshe excited about something? She tried to think quickly. The answer that came to mind immediately waswhen it’s over.
Hannah pointed dramatically at Aria.
‘You go first!’
