“No. First, she’ll have signed an NDA so won’t be able to discuss it. Second, she may tell Annabel I’ve asked and that would bemortifying.” Cordelia points at the wall. “This is the only way.”
“This is nuts. We can’t!”
“Why are you so afraid to take risks?”
“I’m not afraid to take risks!” I argue. “I’m afraid to go to prison!”
“Graham Slater might have been right about you, Sophie,” she says, looking disappointed. “Look at your life.”
“Why are you turning this on me? Don’t call me a sheep again, because I’m not,” I huff. “If I was, I’d follow you blindly over this wall, but here I am, standing my ground.”
“Your life revolves around you being a goody-goody.”
“This is stupid! I’m not burgling someone’s studio!”
“Always doing the right thing. Never breaking any rules. Playing it safe.” She narrows her eyes at me. “Something tells me you’re afraid.”
I brush a lock of hair behind my ear impatiently. Suddenly Daniel flashes into my brain, his stinging comments about my love of happy endings and lack of brazenness to pull off red hair echoing in my mind. Ugh.
“You’re afraid to get out there and take chances.” She sighs, tilting her head at me sympathetically as she twists the knife in further. “So you hide behind your brides, no eyes on you.”
“That’s not true,” I protest, glaring at her.
It’s a bit true, though. Isn’t it?
“Look, Sophie, I get that this is a big ask but it’s an important one.” She exhales, looking at me with such a sincere expression it makes me feel uncomfortable. “I need you.And you know how much it pains me to say that. I can’t do this alone. Help me. Please. Come on, prove Graham Slater wrong!”
Oh, my God, I can’t believe I’m considering this. She knows, too. She can see in my face that she’s wearing me down.
“Over this wall, we’re into her garden. And the wall isn’t very high,” she continues. “We pick the lock on her back door and that’s it! Her studio looks out onto the patio because she needs the light. I promise we’ll be in and out in a flash. We won’t touch anything.”
“What about cameras?” I ask, biting my lip. “What about alarms?”
“I told you, no alarms and no cameras. I’ve been here before.”
“And you scouted out the place in case you ever needed tobreak in?” I hiss.
“I’ve also checked and there are no cameras on this road either. Now, would you stop being such a wimp and help me work out how to get over this wall?” she barks. “We already know you’re going to do it, so let’s not delay the inevitable.”
She starts examining the bricks and I bury my head in my hands. “I can’t believe this is happening. I’m going to be a criminal.”
“Hey, look!” She points to a dip in the wall. “Perfect foothold. Put one foot in there and use it to push yourself up.”
“Why do I have to go first?”
“Because I’m guessing you might be the one who needs someone to push them over,” she says, folding her arms. “Come on. I promise I’ll come after you. I doubt you can pick locks.”
“And you can?”
“Bloody hell, Sophie, we don’t have all night. I have a yoga class at fiveA.M.!”
“Oh, yes, wouldn’t want to ruin your zen,” I mutter bitterly, stepping toward the wall. “Nothing like a bit of breaking and entering to strengthen your spiritual core.”
I examine the bricks. Does everyone see me as this big, boring wimp? Was Graham Slaterseriouslyright about me? Was he flaunting my flaws right from the start?
Daniel broke up with me because I’m not the sort of person to go rock-climbing. He broke up with me because I only like happy endings. I have no sense of adventure. I’m not spontaneous. An all-round goody-goody.
“Stop overthinking it,” Cordelia says, watching me curiously. “Just do it.”
