‘You told us you were.’
Alec laughs, drawing a glare from Ollie. ‘Sorry, but I think he was having us on.’
‘Having us on?’
‘A joke, darling,’ Alec says. ‘I think Sam was winding you up.’
Ollie’s jaw clenches, and he looks at Sam like he’s a problem that needs pesticide. ‘You think that’s funny?’
‘I do.’
Ollie’s jaw twitches.
Lydia sips her wine, catching my eye. I try not to pull a face.
‘So, what do you do?’
‘I own the coffee shop,’ Sam says. ‘The one you walked through when we double-dated.’
Ollie lets out a laugh. ‘So, that double date thing was…?’
‘Fake,’ I say. ‘Yes. Kind of.’
‘Why did you lie?’
His question isn’t directed at me.
‘Hey, it wasn’t Sam,’ I try to interject, but Sam leans forward.
‘The way you spoke to Will when we first bumped into you was awful,’ Sam says. ‘You acted as though you pitied him because he was here early. Like you own Athens or something. Ididn’t want to watch you walk all over him. So, I said I was his boyfriend, and we went from there.’
If we’re being honest, I might as well go all the way. ‘Ollie, I was trying to make you jealous.’
Alec leans back in his chair. The candle light on the table dips like an omen of doom, as if a spirit wanted to blow it out and tell us to go home.
‘Jealous?’ Alec repeats.
His voice is small.
Ollie freezes in his retort.
‘I don’t get it,’ Alec says. ‘What does he mean, jealous?’
‘You don’t know?’ Lydia asks, surprising me. ‘How long have you been a couple?’
‘Near enough three years,’ Alec says. He looks at the table, everyone looking back at him. ‘Can someone please tell me what is going on?’
Ollie’s smug expression is gone.
Both of us have been caught in a lie.
I don’t know which one is worse.
Except I do.
‘Will’s humour,’ Ollie says, aiming for light and ending up sounding hollow. ‘He’s always had a bit of a thing for me, but we never wanted to let it ruin the friendship.’
My mouth drops open. Sam lets out a low whistle.
