‘We would have, but by the time we found out what was going on he was already halfway through. It would have looked worse if we hadn’t let him finish it.’
‘What on earth possessed me?’
‘Apparently you wanted him to do your hair like his.’
‘But Phoenix isn’t a skinhead.’
Lorcan shook his head. ‘He is now – he’s a Hare Krishna or a Buddhist or something.’
‘Since when?’
‘Tuesday, I think.’ Will said. ‘Anyway, he had his head shaved, and apparently you kept saying how great it looked and wouldn’t leave him alone until he shaved yours. You really don’t rememberanyof this?’
Tom thought hard. ‘No, nothing.’
‘Well, that doesn’t matter now anyway,’ Will said. ‘We’ve got to concentrate on getting you in shape for the big day.’
‘That’s another thing I don’t understand,’ Tom said. ‘How can it be my wedding day today? The stag party was on Wednesday. If today’s my wedding day, that was three days ago.’
‘It was a good party.’ Lorcan said.
‘Wish I could remember it,’ Tom said.
‘You’ll remember today,’ Will said breezily. ‘That’s the important thing.’
Tom looked at Will as though he were mad. ‘You don’t think I’m going to go through with it, do you?’
‘What are you talking about? Of course you’re going through with it. It’s just a haircut, not the end of the world.’
‘That’s what you think!Youdon’t have to face Rachel.’
‘You have to face Rachel either way,’ Lorcan pointed out.
‘Not if I run away,’ Tom said, a mad gleam in his eyes. ‘I could go to South America. I’ve always wanted to see Machu Picchu.’
‘Don’t be daft, Tom,’ Will said firmly. ‘You’re not going to Machu Picchu, you’re going to St Jude’s, and you’re going to marry Rachel.’
‘Come on, Lorcan,’ Tom pleaded. ‘You know how scary your sister can be. I can’t face her like this.’
‘Only one thing for it,’ Will said, appearing behind Tom in the mirror. He grabbed an electric razor from the shelf, plugged it in and turned it on. Then he began to run it through his hair, huge chunks falling to the floor.
‘What the hell are you doing?’ Lorcan gasped.
‘It’s called solidarity, mate. And you’re next.’
* * *
‘Could you put the phone down, darling?’ Antony, Freddie’s very camp makeup artist friend, said to Rachel. ‘I can’t do your face with that thing clapped to your ear.’
‘Wait a minute.’ Rachel waved him away. ‘I just have to make one call.’ She hit redial. Tom’s mobile rang and rang, then went to voicemail again.
‘Shit!’ She hung up and called Lorcan’s mobile. It was picked up on the second ring.
‘Lorcan, where are you?’ she demanded. ‘Is Tom with you?’ she continued, before he had time to answer.
‘Yes, of course he is. We— er— we stayed with him last night. At least he stayed with us at Will’s.’
‘At Will’s?’ Rachel squawked. ‘Why did you stay there?’
