‘Okay, where were we?’ Lewis said. ‘There’s no point Holly carrying on because we already know it will be a lie. I’ll go next.’ He pondered for a moment.
‘Number one, when I was fourteen, I told my dad I intended to make a career as a playwright.’
‘That one is false,’ Holly said. ‘You wanted to be a poet. I’ll never forget Dad’s face. Mum was really encouraging– she was a lover of the arts, Patrick, and would have loved to have had a son who was a writer– but Dad actually rang the head teacher of Lewis’s school and shouted at her for filling Lewis’s head with “poncey nonsense”.’
‘So what did you do?’ I asked. ‘Did you rebel?’
‘Oh yes. I pursued all the “poncey” careers. Tried writing, acting, painting.’
‘And then he gave in and joined the company,’ Miranda said.
‘Briefly.’
‘Until he was fired.’
‘I resigned,actually.’
Miranda snorted. ‘Zack told me you were forced to resign.’
‘Talk about me a lot, do you?’
‘Only when we’re really bored.’
Jasmine watched this exchange like someone witnessing a bar fight.
‘Touché.’ Lewis smirked. ‘Back to the game. Number two,the car outside is borrowed from a friend because I’m too broke to even lease my own. And three: I’m really happy that Dad is going to marry Jasmine.’
Miranda made a vomiting noise.
‘You’re such an arse-kisser,’ she said. ‘Why don’t you pull her pants down and give her a smacker right on the fanny.’
‘You’re unbelievable.’
‘I’m using it in the American sense,’ Miranda said, employing what was obviously intended to be a sweet smile. ‘Fanny meaning bottom. I didn’t mean you should kiss her on her c—’
‘Stop!’ Lewis snapped at her. ‘What the hell is wrong with you?
Holly grabbed Miranda’s glass. ‘You shouldn’t be allowed to drink whisky. It always ends horribly. I think you should apologize to Jasmine.’
‘Oh, no.’ Jasmine put her palms up. I couldn’t tell if she was horrified or amused. Maybe both. ‘It’s all good.’
Miranda narrowed her eyes at Jasmine. I was sure she must have been drunk to say these things, but she still sounded completely in control. ‘I apologize. I amverysorry. The very definition of contrite.’
It was excruciating. I tried to catch Holly’s eye to convey this, but she was too busy staring at Miranda, who sat there with a fake smile on her face.
Lewis sighed. ‘I’ve had enough of this. The true one was obviously number three.’
‘Of course it was,’ Miranda said. ‘We’re all delighted about Dad marrying Jasmine. And I’m sure she’s thrilled to be joining our family.’
‘I am,’ Jasmine said, somehow keeping her dignity through all this. I was impressed by how cool she managed to remain.
‘It’s lucky Dad didn’t take Lewis on that holiday to Floridainstead of Zack. I bet if Lewis had spotted you first he’d have swooped in before Dad got a chance.’
‘You’re out of order,’ Lewis said. He tried to apologize to Jasmine, but Miranda talked over him.
‘But Dad would never take Lewis on holiday with him, just like he wouldn’t take him hunting. Poor Lewis. He wants Dad to love him, and that’s why he hates Zack. Zack’s the son Dad never had.’
Lewis glowered at her. ‘I hate Zack because he’s an arsehole.’
