Page 58 of Unapologetic Love Story

Pepper’s dislike for Tom was palpable. She hadn’t been there to see the Tom Branimir who squared up to a bully during the London marathon, nor the Tom Branimir who spoke candidly about his mother and touched Raina’s feet with firm attentiveness.

‘It’ll be disappointingly civil, Pep,’ she said, steadfast in her resolve. ‘Sorry about that.’

‘Yeah, we’ll see,’ Pepper said, grinning. ‘He gets right under your skin. We’ll see how long the civility lasts.’

Raina took a moment to breathe and relax, smiling as she watched Pepper and Solana gush over each other. Raina’s hair and make-up were mostly done but she was still wearing a terrycloth robe and fluffy pink slippers.

‘Start getting dressed – people will arrive soon,’ Pepper instructed. ‘Take your time. Breathe. We’ll let you know when it’s time.’

‘In a subtle way, please,’ Raina said, laughing as she went back up the stairs.

‘I’ll play burlesque entrance music, super loud,’ Solana yelled after her.

Guests started to arrive, startlingly punctual – something Pepper despised, but Raina loved. She shimmied into her dress and dabbed specific points of her body with perfume. Vanilla with just the faintest hint of coconut. She could hear the loud and excitable voices of some old colleagues from her days in the pub, as well as some of her old neighbours from her time in Poplar. Inevitably, there would no doubt be a couple of mutual friends that she shared with Pepper.

Then a loud, booming cadence she hadn’t been anticipating.

Her heart almost stopped and her throat closed up for a millisecond, as if the sound of that voice had triggered an almost anaphylactic response.

Matt. Matt Fletcher. Ex-boyfriend.

Raina moved out onto the landing to make sure that the raised hairs on her arms were correct. She could just see him moving from the hall into the living room, with his friend Nicholas. The two had been rather inseparable, so Raina wasn’t surprised to see Nick there with him.

But she was surprised to see Matt here at all. She hadn’t, for a second, thought he would actually accept the impersonal email invite she’d sent out. She had barely thought about him during recent weeks.

She returned to her room. Her getting-ready process was a little slower, a little less exuberant.

Tom walked the empty streets of Barnes, glancing up at the detached houses and the tall, caged trees. Expensive cars and quiet, breathable air. It was a different little pocket of London, and not one he would have pictured Raina living in. It was too safe for her. Too bland.

He spotted a house with shiny balloons tied to the gate.

It was her place. He could hear music bleeding out, and the bay window at the front of the house revealed that about thirty partygoers had already arrived. He looked down at the purple Liberty bag he was carrying her gifts in, as well as the hydrangeas he’d bought. He knew nothing about flowers, but seeing the cluster of pale blue had reminded him of her.

‘HelloTomOhMyGodItIsSoGoodToMeetYou!’

Tom almost fell backwards down the steps as the onslaught of verbal excitement hit him in the face. A grinning girl with long dark hair was standing in the doorway and beaming at him.

‘Come in, come in,’ she shouted over the music, reaching for him.

Tom stepped into the beautifully furnished house. He took in the narrow hallway, the stairs and the chandelier hanging down. It was beautiful, but not how he imagined Raina would decorate a home that she completely owned for herself. It didn’t have that slight touch of colourful eccentricity he’d come to expect.

‘Oh, you brought flowers and gifts. My God, you’re so thoughtful. Give them to me. I’ll put them in the kitchen. She’ll love these – she loves blue.’

‘Who are you, sorry?’ Tom asked.

‘Solana,’ she said, almost bruising his wrist in an aggressive handshake.

‘The little sister.’

‘She told you about me!’

She’s the sun and I’m the rain. ‘Briefly.’

‘She’ll be down in a minute. Come through.’

Tom did as he was told, following the bubbly Solana into the front room. A window had been opened but it was still warm, and full of bodies who were drinking and merrily shouting at one another.

He looked around for Pepper and was relieved to find her absent from the room. There were two men on the sofa by the window, loudly debating something, while lots of women stood in huddles, sipping prosecco.