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Round and round they followed the stairs, all the way to the top floor, four storeys up. Holly’s face was a picture of confusion.
‘Close your eyes,’ Jen said, standing in Holly’s way as they reached what looked like someone’s front door.
‘Really?’
‘Yes. Trust me?’
‘Of course.’
Jen’s smile was infectious. Holly closed her eyes, her hand gripping Jen’s tighter than ever, and allowed herself to be guided.
The sound of the street hit her first, then the cool evening air. ‘Just round here,’ Jen said, her voice low and her face inches from Holly’s. ‘Keep those eyes shut.’
There were other people here, but not many; a few voices at most. They rounded a corner before coming to a stop, Holly aware Jen was now behind her, hands covering her eyes.
‘You ready?’ Jen asked, her breath hot on Holly’s neck.
Holly nodded, unable to speak for the smile breaking across her face. She bit her bottom lip, fighting to keep it under control.
‘Okay, open your eyes.’ Jen lifted her hands, stepping to Holly’s side and leaning on the metal railing in front of them. She looked bloody pleased with herself.
And rightly so. Holly gasped, her breath stolen. Glasgow spanned the horizon before them, the setting sun streaking the sky pink and purple, as the city lay black below, its lights like yellow pinpricks and the occasional spire a jagged splinter against the kaleidoscope of colour above.
‘Wow,’ Holly said, taking in her surroundings: a rooftop garden with fairy lights strung between the dozen chimney stacks. The voices she’d heard must have been on the other side of the brickwork: here it was just Jen and Holly, in their own little world. It was pure magic. Every hair on Holly’s body stood to attention, her skin turning to gooseflesh at the beauty before her.
‘Not bad, huh?’ Jen asked, pushing against the railing, her tricep muscles flexing.
‘How did you know this was here?’ Holly asked, taking her turn to lean, checking out the view below. They were bloody high. The rooftops of the neighbouring flats spanned beneath, as well as the flat top of The Reading Lounge.
‘I’ve always known there was a rooftop garden. I’ve never been cause it’s residents only, but I figure we’re at a party, so that makes us temporary residents.’ She smiled as her eyes softened, concern clear. ‘You feel okay now?’
Holly nodded, still blown away by the turn of events. ‘Golden, thanks.’
Jen sucked on her bottom lip like she was wrestling with the words in her head. ‘Sorry I left you alone downstairs. I got roped into conversation and I couldn’t wriggle out of it without looking rude.’
‘It’s okay. You can talk to who you want. It’s not like we’re really dating.’
Jen straightened herself, a devilish grin playing on her lips. ‘Is that what it was? Were you jealous?’
‘No? Of course not. Don’t be stupid.’ Holly bumped her hip into Jen’s. She could never commit a crime; she was terrible under pressure, unable to lie to save herself.
‘It’s okay if you were.’
‘You’re on thin ice, Miss Berkley,’ Holly jibed, raising her eyebrows as she tried to keep her face serious, but failing to hide a smirk.
‘And I would hate to anger you, Miss Taylor. But, for future reference, as lovely as Tilly was, she really wasn’t my type.’
‘No?’ Holly replied, a firework of relief exploding in her chest. She wasn’t usually the jealous type but Jen was a dab hand at bringing out the unexpected in her.
‘Nope. Not at all.’
‘So, what is?’ she asked, turning round to lean her back and elbows against the railing.
Jen sighed. ‘Hard to say. I mean that’s like picking your favourite book – there will always be curveballs and anomalies. It could change every day of the week depending on my mood.’
‘Blonde? Brunette? Tall? Short? What did Alison look like?’
Jen winced at the name and Holly wished she could stuff it back in her mouth. Why bring her ex up?
