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27
‘What’s up?’ Jen asked, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Holly.
‘Huh?’ she replied, shifting in the bath, suddenly aware she’d been in her own wee world.
‘You had that faraway look on your face again.’
‘Did I? Sorry. Just tired, I guess.’
Jen cocked her head, her hand finding Holly’s leg under the bubbles and giving her calf a squeeze. ‘See, usually I would buy that, but you’ve been odd since your dad and I made those Rusty Nails after dinner. Did I do something wrong?’
Rumbled. Holly thought she’d hidden it well. After her little chat with Chloe she’d made a point of keeping tabs on Alison by following her Instagram. In Holly’s experience there was never smoke without fire, and if this woman was as bad as everyone made out she was one to watch. While Jen and Dad had made cocktails yesterday, Alison had updated her stories: a video of a suitcase being packed, ready for a week at home. Glasgow. Alison was coming to Glasgow.
Holly had sat on the knowledge all evening. Feeling duty-bound to tell Jen, warn her at least, but with Chloe’s words ringing in her ears, she’d held off. Truth be told, she didn’t want to pop their little bubble either. The last few days had been magical.
She’d tied her brain in knots, and so, needing a second opinion, this afternoon she’d messaged Chloe, but had no reply. A few aloof questions and Jen had let slip she was in a staff meeting and probably wouldn’t be finished until well after eight.
So, here she was, supposedly enjoying a bath with her gorgeous girlfriend, all the while contemplating if she should tell Jen her ex was en route.
And that was all without worrying what Alison had planned once she was actually here. Holly kept reminding herself that Jen wasn’t Shona. Still, it wasn’t a scenario she’d wanted to ever repeat, never mind so fresh into a new relationship.
‘You’ve done nothing wrong,’ Holly finally replied, her eyes on Jen’s shampoo bottle. ‘Just me getting in my own head again.’
Jen’s face pulled into a sympathetic smile. ‘Anything you want to talk about? How can I make it better?’
She wanted to scoop Jen up and take her away from Glasgow. Surely Alison wouldn’t be staying long? But with the closing of Lovefest in just a few days, that would be impossible.
Holly found Jen’s gaze and held steady. ‘I don’t think it can get better than this,’ she replied with a chuckle before turning wistful. ‘I can’t remember the last time I was this happy.’
Jen’s features softened. ‘Me neither.’
They held each other’s stares for a beat, before Jen lunged forward, looking for a kiss. She had only got half way when there was a hard knock at the door. She froze, the water sloshing about the tub.
‘Can’t be Chloe; her meeting won’t finish for ages,’ Jen said, listening.
Holly’s heart hammered. Alison wouldn’t have the balls to come straight here. Would she?
They listened in silence for a few seconds. Both jumped when the second knock came.
Holly rose out of the bath, grabbing her towel off the radiator.
‘Where’re you going?’ Jen hissed.
‘This doesn’t feel right.’ Holly said, pulling on her clothes even though she wasn’t fully dry.
If this was Alison, she was going to put a stop to it.
A quick check in the mirror to look for panda eyes and she was good to go.
‘Holly, wait,’ Jen called, half-out of the bath.
‘Jen, I can hear you,’ came a voice through the letterbox.
It definitely wasn’t Chloe.
‘Holly,’ Jen wailed, still scrabbling with her towel. It was too late; Holly was in the hall now.
With a final deep breath she flung the door open.
