Page 42 of Forbid It

19

ROBBIE

I pull up to a curb on a tree-lined street, the houses all immaculate and fucking massive. Not as big as Cassie’s oceanfront mansion, but bigger than the London house I used to live in with my Academy host family by a mile. I turn off the ignition and let silence fall in the Range Rover. It still has the new car smell from the company that housed it for me. Evergreen and fresh and nothing like how I left it. Driving it for just ten minutes was like doing a test drive, vaguely familiar but still alien enough to feel like I’d put my shoes on the wrong feet.

The time on the dash shows I’m already late, but Pip did say I could show up at any time when she sent me the address. Taking a deep breath and grabbing the bottle of wine off the passenger seat, I climb out of the car and cross to the door. Vague barbecue-esque noises emanate from the backyard, so I’m pretty sure I’ve got the right place.

I knock on the door and it swings open to show Anya standing on the doorstep with a growing smile.

“Robbie,” she says, letting the door swing open wider. “I heard you might be on your way.”

“Yeah, uh...” I take my sunglasses off and fold them in my palm. “Pip said it was okay if I came a little late.”

“Of course it’s okay!” Anya reassures me. “We’re still waiting on a couple more people anyway. Come in, come in.”

“This is for you.” I hand her the wine. “Thanks for having me.”

“Well, you’re welcome any time if you bring me French wine.”

“I’ll remember that.”

She turns away from the door and I follow her down a corridor, framed photos lining each wall. The kitchen is, frankly, huge, and giant patio doors are open to the garden where at least two dozen people stand drinking wine.

“I’d take you on a tour, but we’ve all been debating if you were going to show up or not so we might as well say hi to everyone first. Beer?”

“Please.”

I scan the crowd for Cassie, spotting her fiery hair near the end of the garden. Her sunglasses are perched on her nose and her hair is in a loose bun that shows off the elegant line of her neck. She laughs at the couple she’s speaking to and I strain as if I can hear whatever she’s saying. I realize I’ve been staring at Cassie for a second too long when I sense Anya gazing up at me from my side, condensation dripping off the beer bottle in her hand.

“This is a great party.” I yank my sunglasses back on my head. Maybe she’ll just think I was blinded by the sun.

“Thank you.” She hands me my drink. “We’ve been out of the country for so long we wanted to do a kind of welcome-home-slash-anniversary-slash-excuse-to-use-the-Big-Green-Egg-party and viola. I’m just glad everyone could make it. Let me introduce you to some people.”

I follow Anya around as she introduces me to her friends, an eclectic group that consists of celebrities, artists, musicians, film crew and a pub landlord named Steve who sucks me into a long conversation about the 1966 World Cup, before she ditches me for a vaguely familiar couple and their baby walking through the door.

I keep the corner of my eye on Cassie as she crosses the garden. She must know everyone here as she stops to talk to everyone in her path. Is she coming in this direction?

Pip approaches for the first time, a serious expression I’m not used to seeing on her face as she slides her phone in her pocket. “Robbie, hey.” She plasters on a sunny smile, any lingering solemnity gone in an instant. “Did you get your car okay?”

“Yeah, all good.” I want to ask her if she’s okay, but don’t think I know her well enough for the answer. “Took a second to remember how to drive on this side of the road, if I’m being totally honest.”

Pip laughs. “See this is why I don’t drive. Not worth the fuss.”

Cassie is now over by the barbecue with two men. I assume one of them is taken considering the sleeping baby cradled in his arms, but the one manning the barbecue…why do I recognize him? He laughs at something Cassie says and a spike of heat burns behind my ribs. Of course he’s laughing. Cassie is funny as hell.

“Not you too,” Pip groans, reminding me she’s been talking to me for the last few minutes while I imagine this guy’s hand slipping on to the hot grill. The fantasy is actually pretty realistic because he’s clearly struggling.

“Huh?”

Pip places her hands on her hips. “That’s my brother. He and Cassie are not currently and have never hooked up. Honestly, it’s an internet thing that grew too many legs and now everyone makes it a thing. There isn’t a thing. Got it?”

“Noted.” Her firm reassurance is actually quite comforting and I let the heat in my chest abate with a swig of my beer.

“Cute that you’re jealous though.”

I splutter around my drink.

“Relax.” Pip pats my back helpfully. “I won’t tell.”