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Heading over to the tall sash windows at the back of her office, she twisted the blinds, taking a moment to enjoy the sight of a bustling Godalming High Street. The late spring sunshine blazed through the glass, heating the room.
The picturesque town below sported the usual familiar brand names, such as FatFace and WH Smith, but with the addition of several designer boutiques, antique dealers, picture framing shops and a fancy high-end jewellers. There was even a shop sporting fancy-dress outfits for pets. This was not your typical high street. This was how every high street aspired to be, but often couldn’t afford.
Beth noticed a woman standing by the water fountain was waving at her. A woman she recognised. Her beautiful face was upturned towards the window, drawing attention from several workmen affixing scaffolding to the neighbouring building. Beth smiled. The men’s reaction was perfectly normal. Megan Lawrence was the kind of stunning beauty who constantly drew attention. Attention she was completely oblivious to – or that’s how it appeared. Her sister was quite the actress, so maybe feigning surprise was all part of the pretence.
Megan lifted a paper bag from Cafe Mila and pointed to an empty wrought-iron bench in the pedestrian-only area of the High Street.
Beth was torn. She really needed to get back to work. She had court papers to prepare, a final letter before action to write and a child custody application to submit before the close of play. Her mother’s visit had already delayed her. Time was of the essence.
But she needed to eat, and Cafe Mila’s food was a lot more appealing than the cheese-and-pickle roll she’d stuffed in the fridge. Decision made. She could spare twenty minutes.
Buttoning her jacket, she locked the office and headed into the street.
‘For a moment, I thought you were going to snub me,’ her sister said, rising from the bench like the Greek goddess Aphrodite and kissing Beth’s cheeks. She smelt of roses and looked like she’d spent the morning being polished. Her skin glowed, highlighted by deep red lips, smokey grey eye make-up and long glossy black hair.
For the most part, Beth shared her sister’s features. The heart-shaped face, long legs, eye colouring and her hair a lighter shade than her sister’s. But there the similarities ended. Megan was the high-end version of the Lawrence gene pool. A real ‘showstopper’, as their mother referred to her, adored by all who gazed upon her. Beth was referred to as the ‘academic’ one. Hair always up, thick glasses masking the appeal of her hazel eyes and legs never on display. Her looks were less striking than her sister’s – softer, and usually hidden behind muted tones and sombre business suits. Beth didn’t mind. She was happy to live in her sister’s shadow.
‘I got you a falafel pitta and a berry smoothie,’ Megan said, opening the paper bag. ‘Well, sit down. Don’t leave me hanging.’
Beth joined her sister on the bench. ‘To what do I owe the pleasure?’ she said, accepting the offer of the smoothie. ‘Being treated to lunch isn’t a usual occurrence.’
‘Can’t I spoil my sister without a motive?’ Megan fluttered her long eyelashes, her smile revealing pearl-white teeth and dimpled cheeks, inherited from their father.
Beth unwrapped the pitta. ‘I guess not.’
‘Although, I do have news,’ her sister said, looking excited. ‘Two bits of good news, actually.’ She unearthed her vegan burger, teasing out small pieces of lettuce and tomato. The archetypal actress – always on a diet. Why her sister never just ordered a salad, she didn’t know.
Beth took a bite of pitta. It was delicious. Unlike her sister, she was wholly averse to diets. She liked her food too much.
‘I landed that acting job.’
Beth swallowed. ‘The one in Greece?’
‘That’s the one. I fly out in a couple of weeks. Can you imagine? Two months filming on a Greek island.’ She sipped at her iced tea. ‘Heaven.’
Beth pulled the lid off her smoothie. ‘Congratulations.’
‘And the pay is fabulous.’ Megan flicked her long dark hair over her shoulder. ‘To be honest, it’s the only reason I accepted the part. They needed someone at short notice and they were prepared to pay through the nose to secure me. My agent negotiated three times what I normally earn. How cool is that?’
‘Very cool.’ A dollop of falafel escaped the pitta and landed on Beth’s grey skirt.
Damn it.
She unearthed a napkin from the takeaway bag and wiped at the mess. ‘Why wouldn’t you have taken the part otherwise? I thought you liked working abroad?’
‘I do, but that leads me onto my second piece of good news.’ Megan’s smile radiated excitement. ‘You’ll never guess?’
Beth wiped her hands with the napkin. ‘You won the lottery?’
‘Nope.’
‘You’re going to be a contestant onLove Island?’
‘Even better.’ Megan shook her head, her expression dreamy. ‘Think romance… love… and rings.’
Romance and love were two things Beth tried very hardnotto think about. Besides having had two disastrous relationships herself, she’d spent the last decade dealing with messy divorces, not to mention watching her own parents’ marriage disintegrating. Romance and love were a minefield she was happy to avoid. Life as a singleton was so much easier.
And then her brain caught up with her ears. ‘Rings?’
