‘So, Nick,’ said Simon, who hated uncomfortable silences more than I did, ‘Zoë says you speak loads of languages. How come?’
Bless Simon for trying.
‘I moved around a lot growing up.’
‘Whereabouts?’ asked Jess.
‘I bounced around between England, France, Spain and Italy.’
‘Must be a real headache during the Six Nations,’ she said.
I didn’t see Nick as a rugger bugger, but he smiled gamely.
‘Where do you prefer living?’ said Simon.
‘I like England, these days.’
Jess leant forward. ‘Is that because of our Zoë?’
When had she turned into aCoronation Streetcharacter?
Nick reached for the champagne and started refilling all our glasses. ‘She certainly keeps me on my toes.’
It was hardly a ringing endorsement for true love, but Jess didn’t seem to care.
The champagne ran out before Nick got to his own glass.
Simon frowned. ‘I meant to order another bottle.’
Nick stood. ‘It’s no problem, I’ll go to the bar.’
Once he’d left, Jess announced she was off to the ladies, leaving just Simon and me at the table.
I groaned and hid my face in my hands. ‘This is excruciating.’
‘But kinda entertaining.’
‘Nick’s not even trying to get Jess to talk about Marcie.’
‘He seems kinda uncomfortable.’
I nodded, impressed that Simon had sensed it too. ‘It’s probably because I make a crappy girlfriend.’
‘Nah, it’s Nick that makes a crappy boyfriend.’
It was a throwaway line, but he said it with feeling.
I smiled, amazed at Simon’s reaction. Initially, I’d been peeved that he’d suggested this stupid charade, but bizarrely this stupid charade seemed to have thrown things into focus for him. Like how maybe he’d quite like to try out the role of my boyfriend...
‘You look very pretty tonight, Frixie.’
I smiled again. I wished fourteen-year-old me could have been here. I’d spent years trying to work out how to get Simon to like me. I would have got here a hell of a lot quicker if I’d enlisted the green-eyed monster sooner. Simon washatingseeing me with another man.
‘Nick should try to flirt with Jess a bit,’ I said. ‘I bet she’d start singing like a canary.’
Simon frowned. ‘That would be kinda low, don’t you think?’
It jarred to hear his concern wasn’t uniquely for me. Now he was getting all protective of Jess? I bit my lip to hide my disappointment.
