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She giggled and squished me hard. Our breasts smooshed together. Our collarbones sharp against each other. Tears came hot at the thought of never having another bond like I’d shared with Zara.
I knew why I was so attached to her. It was because of Sophie. My childhood friend who’d been laughing one morning and then torn into pieces by a dog the next.
A part of me had never truly gotten over it and...I clung to girls out of fear that they’d be next. It wasn’t healthy and I knew I needed to deal with it...but I couldn’t help how I felt and it already hurt so, so much.
“You should message her,” the girl whispered into my ear. “If you’re as close as you say you are, she might one day understand and be able to forgive you for hurting her brother.”
I pulled away. “Do you truly think so?”
“Worth a shot, right?”
“Definitely.”
“Honey, ready to go? Our table’s ready.” Her boyfriend with his huge, broad shoulders and a thick Aussie twang appeared, smiling at us with questions in his brown stare. “Made a new friend, huh?”
The girl snickered. “Looks that way.” She pulled out her phone, its pink rhinestone case blinding me as she opened up a new contact page. “What’s your name and number? If you truly have lost your bestie, then you can have me to replace her.”
My heart squeezed. “Do you live around here?”
“Nah, we’re on holiday from Sydney but that doesn’t mean we can’t keep in touch.”
“Sure.” I took her phone and entered my number. “That sounds great.”
“And you will never lose me as a friend for dating my brother. Know why?” She giggled. “Because he’s as gay as they come and has been shacked up with his lover for years. They’re gonna be buried together, that’s how committed they are.”
I snickered. “Good to know.”
Taking her phone, she checked my details. “Nerida Taylor. That’s a cool name.”
“What’s yours?” I asked.
“Honey Ross.” She winked. “It’s not a term of endearment. I’m literally called Honey. My parents live in a free-thinking commune in Perth. They’re all about sustainable living and becoming one with nature.”
“Sounds awesome.”
“My brother, Teddy—short for Theodore—fully embraced their mission and has almost finished his university degree to be an architect. His dream is to create a community that’s safe from every disaster imaginable. Drought, fire, floods, plagues...he has lofty aspirations.”
Something slipped into place in my brain.
Something unfurled so swift, so right, it felt as if the seed had always been there, just waiting for a droplet of inspiration to make it bloom. “He won’t find anywhere like that on earth,” I said quietly. “His best bet is to build something beneath the sea.”
Honey laughed. “Okay, I’ll be sure to tell him. In fact, I’ll pass on your number to him. That way, you can have two new best friends.”
“I’d like that. More than I should probably say.” I smiled.
“Excellent.” Grabbing her boyfriend’s meaty arm, she smiled up at him. This pint-sized blonde sweetheart seemed at such odds with the man-mountain with his chequered shirt and baggy jeans. “Billy, can we invite my new friend to dinner, pretty please? Her heart is broken into teeny tiny pieces, and she needs a drink to cheer her up.”
Billy looked me up and down with mock seriousness. “Three questions first.”
“Oh, here we go.” Honey rolled her eyes. “Don’t take it personally. He does this to everyone.”
I smiled despite myself. “Okay...”
“Do you own any crazy pets?” Billy asked deadpan.
I scowled and shook my head. “Does a dolphin count?”
“Oh my God, shut up!” Honey swatted my arm. “You do not have a pet dolphin.”
