Page 129 of Unapologetic Love Story

‘Thank you,’ Raina’s dad said warmly.

‘We have to get to Paddington for our train,’ Meggie said.

Raina nodded. ‘Do you want me to take you?’

‘It’s all right, we’ll take the Bakerloo line from Waterloo.’

‘All right.’

The five of them stood in silence. A little pentagon of unspoken feelings.

‘Thank you again for coming,’ Raina finally said.

‘We wouldn’t have missed it,’ her father bumbled. ‘Shall we head, Megs?’

Raina could feel her mother trying to formulate something. She was about to say goodbye when the words finally came.

‘Your hair looked really lovely tonight.’

Raina smiled. A wide, generous and absolvatory smile. ‘Thank you, Mum.’

She and Solana said goodbye to their parents and saw them to Waterloo Station. Just as they began to disappear down the escalator, Raina called out one last thank you.

‘Thank the man for us,’ her father called back.

Raina frowned. ‘Sorry, Dad? What man?’

‘The tickets! Thank the man who bought us the tickets!’

Raina couldn’t make sense of the words, and his face had already disappeared down into the lower station. She shook her head and turned around, heading back towards her sister and Pepper. They’d picked up a few bits from Marks and Spencer and were beaming at her.

‘Right!’ Pepper said. ‘Back to Barnes for some celebrations!’

There were loved ones waiting at the house for them.

Matt, looking more clean-shaven and very proud of her. Nick was absent, for once. Marc and Anita from the White Horse and Deedee from the marathon. They all applauded as Raina walked up the street, Pepper and Solana holding her dress so it wouldn’t drag along the pavement. Though Raina was worn out, seeing them all gathered on her doorstep was a beautiful postscript to the night.

I wish he was here. I want my grumpy Scotsman with his stubble and his big hands and his bigger heart.

‘Inside, all,’ Pepper instructed, tossing the house keys to Marc. ‘We won!’

Everyone gathered in the kitchen, pouring drinks and divvying out bowls of snacks. Raina watched it happen, still in her ballgown, and she felt a flicker of peace. She smiled at Matt and realized that the sight of her ex filled her with bland, lukewarm recognition.

She knew she would never feel that way about Tom. She would never be indifferent to him.

‘Hey, Pep,’ she murmured, while people chattered loudly.

‘Yeah?’

‘I love this house. But I’m going to move on.’

Pepper turned to stare at her, flabbergasted. ‘What?’

‘It’s time. I’ve been saving. I’ll put down a deposit on a place. My own place. I can’t keep living here. Can’t have you as my landlady. Time to move on.’

Pepper stared at her and then gushed out a laugh. ‘You do have your own special brand of timing, Raina Lewis!’

Raina smiled lovingly. ‘Is that okay?’