Page 101 of Lie For Me

Wow, this lie just kept on giving.

‘Nope,’ she said, as evenly as she could manage. ‘No plans to.’

Sophie looked concerned. ‘Won’t that be hard though?’ she asked, her head on one side, her face a picture of concern. ‘Being apart for a year?’

Lucy felt her eyes start to burn. She willed one of the kids to do something astoundingly naughty, or for a waiter to drop a tower of plates.

But Peter was the picture of good behaviour, fully clothed and tucking into chips, and there were no waiters or plate towers in sight. No dramatic event came to her rescue, and Sophie and Ollie were gazing at her, waiting for her answer.

With forced brightness, she said, ‘We’ll manage.’

Sophie looked puzzled, but Lucy quickly changed the subject.

‘So! Your honeymoon—remind me where you’re going?’

She knew full well where they were going, for how long, and where they were flying from, but needed the conversation to move on.

Ollie and Sophie grinned at each other.

‘We leave for the airport soon, and by this time tomorrow, we’ll be relaxing on a beach in the Maldives!’

Sophie giggled with excitement and clapped her hands.

Lucy chewed on a piece of bread, smiled and nodded.

‘How exciting!’ she said as she ripped another piece, taking out her feelings on the poor baguette.

‘Hi, little blister.’ Heather appeared behind her and squeezed her shoulder. ‘How are you?’

She plumped down in a seat across from Lucy and slipped off her dark glasses, taking in Lucy’s red-rimmed eyes and pale face. Lucy wished she had been more heavy-handed with the make-up.

‘Oof, looking a bit rough. Heavy night, was it?’

Lucy’s mouth was dry, and she struggled to swallow the bread.

‘No,’ she said, clutching her water glass. ‘Not really, just tired.’

‘Where’s Jack?’ Heather asked, looking about. ‘Still getting dressed?’

Lucy, still trying to swallow the rest of the bread, which was remarkably difficult, as it seemed to have sucked all the moisture from her mouth, shook her head.

Sophie interjected.

‘No, he’s had to go early, poor thing.’

She reached over and patted Lucy’s hand.

God, this was torture, Lucy thought. There clearly was a vengeful God who hated liars, and she was being thoroughly punished for transgressing. She mentally apologised to God, swearing she’d learnt her lesson and would never lie again—once she’d got herself out of this one. Except tiny white lies so as not to hurt people’s feelings.

Heather was peering at her.

‘Really? Why? What did you do?’

Lucy thought she might throw up the bread right in front of everyone. Sophie, her new spokeswoman, continued for her.

‘Heather,’ Sophie laughed. ‘Why would you think it would be Lucy’s fault?’

Lucy’s heart went out to her new sister-in-law in gratitude, and she gulped down some water.

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