I’m sure you’ve explained to Nalisha, you’ll be having a normal hen night and I’m having a stag night with my friends. As per good old British traditions.’
‘I have, yes.’
Nalisha shrugged. ‘To be honest, I couldn’t care less one way or the other. But I promised Deena I’d try. Which I have. Now, can I move my stuff into the cottage and have a shower?’
‘Of course.’ Jay looked slightly confused. ‘Um – where’s your luggage?’
‘In the car.’
Erin stared at Nalisha. Was she going to make no move to help with her own bags? Nope, clearly not.
Outside, in the dazzling sunlight, Jay andErin blinked at the super-expensive, dark-blue sports car. There were designer bags piled into every spare corner.
‘Hell, is all that luggage hers?’ Jay frowned. ‘It’s an awful lot for a short stay.’
Erin raised her eyebrows. ‘Oh yes – another little point Nalisha failed to mention. She’s not here for a few days, she’s here for the rest of the summer. She’s staying until the wedding.’
Jay sighed. ‘Erin, look, I do realise this must seem a bit … well … odd to you. But you are OK with it, aren’t you?’
Erin sighed. ‘I suppose so. Although obviously I’d prefer it if Nalisha was only here for a couple of days and staying at the Bates Motel as arranged and …’ She stopped. ‘No, OK. Seriously, Jay – think about it. How would you feel if I casually mentioned one of my exes was moving into Uncle Doug’s with me for a few weeks?’
‘I’d find it a bit strange, I suppose, and wonder why. But I trust you absolutely, and anyway, this situation is completely different. Nalisha is
not
one of my exes, is she?’
‘Maybe not. But she’s a very beautiful woman who’s a lifelong good friend, and who clearly knows far more about your past than I do. It just seems a little bit … well, odd.’
Jay hugged her. ‘I know it must seem like that to you. But honestly, Erin, Nalisha and I are like brother and sister, and it’s just great to see her again after all this time. Also, this will give you plenty of time together and I just know you’ll be great friends.’
Erin sighed. She had to face it: Nalisha was here for the duration, Jay was happy, and, unless she wanted to risk having an almighty row, she’d just have to accept the situation.
But it didn’t mean shehad to like it. Or Nalisha.
Chapter Ten
‘… and she’s been amazing.’ Bella grinned happily from the passenger seat, across the scorching interior of Erin’s hatchback, the following day. ‘She’s so sweet and so friendly, which is unusual in someone as gorgeous as she is. She’s not up herself at all. And she’s showed me how to useshaders on my face to hide the freckles and –’
‘She doesn’t like animals,’ Erin interrupted as they left the leafy high-banked Berkshire villages behind and headed on to the mad dash rush of the A34’s dual carriageway. ‘So I have no idea why you think she’s so wonderful.’
‘Crap.’ Bella’s bright red curls bounced in the gush of hot air through the open windows. ‘Don’t know where you got that from. She
loves
animals. She spent ages with me last night, making sure Tulisa and the puppies were OK. I’m so glad she’s staying for the rest of the summer. Oh, and she’s promised to show me how she does her eye make-up too.’
Clever old Nalisha … Erin sighed again and flicked a glanced through the rear-view mirror. Ever since they’d left Nook Green Bella had been singing Nalisha’s praises. Sophie, on the back seat, was apparently singing along to Jethro Tull, and fortunately so far hadn’t joined in the Nalisha fan-fest.
‘And –’ Bella frowned ‘– what the heck are you playing?’
‘Jethro Tull,’ Erin said, turning up the volume.
‘Jesus,’ Bella groaned. ‘Never heard of him.’
Sophie leaned forwards between the seats. ‘He invented the seed drill, I think. Don’t you remember MissForbes saying so in history?’
Erin
‘I have, yes.’
Nalisha shrugged. ‘To be honest, I couldn’t care less one way or the other. But I promised Deena I’d try. Which I have. Now, can I move my stuff into the cottage and have a shower?’
‘Of course.’ Jay looked slightly confused. ‘Um – where’s your luggage?’
‘In the car.’
Erin stared at Nalisha. Was she going to make no move to help with her own bags? Nope, clearly not.
Outside, in the dazzling sunlight, Jay andErin blinked at the super-expensive, dark-blue sports car. There were designer bags piled into every spare corner.
‘Hell, is all that luggage hers?’ Jay frowned. ‘It’s an awful lot for a short stay.’
Erin raised her eyebrows. ‘Oh yes – another little point Nalisha failed to mention. She’s not here for a few days, she’s here for the rest of the summer. She’s staying until the wedding.’
Jay sighed. ‘Erin, look, I do realise this must seem a bit … well … odd to you. But you are OK with it, aren’t you?’
Erin sighed. ‘I suppose so. Although obviously I’d prefer it if Nalisha was only here for a couple of days and staying at the Bates Motel as arranged and …’ She stopped. ‘No, OK. Seriously, Jay – think about it. How would you feel if I casually mentioned one of my exes was moving into Uncle Doug’s with me for a few weeks?’
‘I’d find it a bit strange, I suppose, and wonder why. But I trust you absolutely, and anyway, this situation is completely different. Nalisha is
not
one of my exes, is she?’
‘Maybe not. But she’s a very beautiful woman who’s a lifelong good friend, and who clearly knows far more about your past than I do. It just seems a little bit … well, odd.’
Jay hugged her. ‘I know it must seem like that to you. But honestly, Erin, Nalisha and I are like brother and sister, and it’s just great to see her again after all this time. Also, this will give you plenty of time together and I just know you’ll be great friends.’
Erin sighed. She had to face it: Nalisha was here for the duration, Jay was happy, and, unless she wanted to risk having an almighty row, she’d just have to accept the situation.
But it didn’t mean shehad to like it. Or Nalisha.
Chapter Ten
‘… and she’s been amazing.’ Bella grinned happily from the passenger seat, across the scorching interior of Erin’s hatchback, the following day. ‘She’s so sweet and so friendly, which is unusual in someone as gorgeous as she is. She’s not up herself at all. And she’s showed me how to useshaders on my face to hide the freckles and –’
‘She doesn’t like animals,’ Erin interrupted as they left the leafy high-banked Berkshire villages behind and headed on to the mad dash rush of the A34’s dual carriageway. ‘So I have no idea why you think she’s so wonderful.’
‘Crap.’ Bella’s bright red curls bounced in the gush of hot air through the open windows. ‘Don’t know where you got that from. She
loves
animals. She spent ages with me last night, making sure Tulisa and the puppies were OK. I’m so glad she’s staying for the rest of the summer. Oh, and she’s promised to show me how she does her eye make-up too.’
Clever old Nalisha … Erin sighed again and flicked a glanced through the rear-view mirror. Ever since they’d left Nook Green Bella had been singing Nalisha’s praises. Sophie, on the back seat, was apparently singing along to Jethro Tull, and fortunately so far hadn’t joined in the Nalisha fan-fest.
‘And –’ Bella frowned ‘– what the heck are you playing?’
‘Jethro Tull,’ Erin said, turning up the volume.
‘Jesus,’ Bella groaned. ‘Never heard of him.’
Sophie leaned forwards between the seats. ‘He invented the seed drill, I think. Don’t you remember MissForbes saying so in history?’
Erin
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