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“Doesn’t your mum drive one?”
“Please don’t remind me of my mum’s obscene wealth and profligate tastes.” Evie gave a disdainful sniff.
Past Evie’s head, Felicity could see the inside of the old warehouse Evie hired as her sculpture studio, the gunmetal sky through the windows. In her mind she could trace the steps from there to where she worked at Ashwell Pre-primary, and the Slug and Lettuce pub where the three of them met for drinks after work. It felt so close and so, so far away.
Evie said, “From your description, can I conclude that this Oliver is a complete spunk-muffin?”
“Yes, but, um—no.”
“What does that mean?”
“Well, he certainly looks like he’s stepped off the set of a movie, all dark and broody-eyed. But, he’s kind of… yeah…” Felicity trailed off and bit her lip. “Not a very happy chappy, I guess. And me being me, I nearly stepped right in the manure and asked about his partner. Who broke up with him on the day of their wedding, can you believe?”
“Bloody hell, it sounds likeHome and Away.”
“It is rather. But anyway, how’s the exhibition pieces coming along?”
“Meet Deadly Sin number four.” Evie flashed the phone screen onto a blood-red resin sculpture of entwined bodies. It reminded Felicity of Rodin’sThe Kiss, only more X-rated.
“Lust,” Evie said proudly.
“Oh, that’s spectacular.”
“Lust gets her rocks off with Luciferis the unofficial title.”
“Your mind is seriously warped.”
Evie bared her teeth in a demonic look. “Can’t wait to see the faces of all those Sloane Rangers when they unveil this one. So, tell me—” She reverted back to her normal face—as normal as Evie ever got, which was fairly out of left field most of the time. “What’s the itinerary from here?”
“Tomorrow I have my dress fitting and I’ll meet Polly and Judith, the other two bridesmaids. And the next day Henry and Gabe arrive. Not sure where I’ll be staying after they get here. Maybe in a tent on the back lawn. The house is pretty squeezy, but adorable. You’d love it. It’s blue weatherboard on the outside with leadlight windows like the Woodman’s cottage out of Hansel and Gretel. I’ll send you some photos.”
“Sounds amazing. And keep me up with all the goss, okay?”
“Sure thing.” Felicity’s eyelids drooped again, like she had an on/off switch inside her brain that kept flicking.
“You need to get some shut-eye.” Evie’s face loomed closer, the diamond stud in her nose glinting. “Don’t get over-tired.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re fine as long as you don’t overdo it, that’s always when Scarlet plays up.”
“Scarlet’s fine. Really.” Scarlet was the name Evie had given her scar when they were in treatment together years ago. Felicity peered at the long line that travelled from just above her knee to halfway up her thigh. Okay, she’d lied a little. Scarlet had been a bit of a bitch since she’d arrived.
“Just don’t push yourself, okay?” Evie said. “We’ll miss you at curry night.”
“I’ll misshh you tooo…” There was a sudden clatter and Felicity’s eyes flew open as the phone hit the floor.
“Oi!” Evie’s indignant face bobbed up and down from the screen as Felicity scrabbled to pick up her phone. “That hurt!”
“Liar.” Felicity laughed.
After they hung up, Felicity was asleep before she even remembered putting it on the bedside table.
* * *
It was alwaysthe same routine.
5.30 am, wake up, stretch, tug on his Gymshark running gear.
