Page 83 of Lie For Me

‘I do get it. And I’m sorry too.’

He felt Lucy relax against him and slip her arms around his waist, her head nestled into his shoulder.

‘We’ve never had a fight before,’ Lucy said, into his shoulder. ‘I don’t like it.’

‘Me neither,’ he murmured, his lips pressed into her head.

Across the room, he caught James’ eye over Lucy’s head, and James nodded and smiled.

‘I’m wet because I paddled in the fountain,’ Lucy suddenly said.

Jack shook his head and laughed.

‘You paddled in the fountain? What on earth, Luce?’

She shrugged.

‘It’s hot. And Heather and I made up.’

‘Wow. You’ve been busy since I saw you. Well, I’m just glad you’re back and you’re okay.’

‘I can’t tell.’ Lucy pulled back and lifted her head to look at him. ‘Are you Real Jack or Fake Jack right now?’

Jack looked down into her pale face framed with escaped wisps of honey-caramel hair, big kohl-rimmed grey-green eyes gazing up at him. Her fingers were on his neck, in his hair and he felt his arms instinctively tighten around her. He could feel her breath on his face when she spoke, smell the champagne. It would be so easy to drop his head and kiss her, pull her to him. But her question brought him back to reality, to the lie of it all.

He smoothed a finger below her eye and wiped away a smudge, then cleared his throat and said, ‘Oh, Fake Jack, of course, the world’s best fake boyfriend.’

He dropped his arms, stepped back into the bar, and steadied himself, reaching for his drink.

‘Oh, of course, of course,’ Lucy said, as she stepped back too.

She grabbed the bottle of champagne from the bar and raised it to him in an elaborate toast.

‘Just checking.’

‘You know, your dad thinks we’re a great couple,’ Jack said, as they stood at the bar and surveyed the wedding party.

For a moment it felt normal again—Lucy and Jack and idle chat.

‘Really?’ She raised an eyebrow. ‘You’ve been talking to my dad?’

‘Had to talk to someone when you abandoned me,’ he said.

‘Yes, all right.’ Lucy rolled her eyes. ‘Point made, don’t bang on about it. You’re such a drama queen.’

He could see her grinning out of the corner of his eye.

‘Everything is always about you. So, what did Dad say?’

‘Oh, I can hardly remember,’ Jack said airily. ‘Something about how you’ve done really well for yourself. You’re a lucky woman,’ Lucy was laughing now, ‘me being a total catch, and I think,’ he rubbed his head as if trying to remember, ‘I think he said something about punching above your weight?’

‘Oi!’

Lucy swung the champagne bottle at him.

Jack felt a grin spread across his face, seeing her laughing once more, feeling the joy and satisfaction of being the one to make her laugh. He caught her by the wrist before she could lamp him with the bottle and felt a spark of electricity as they touched. He eased the bottle onto the bar and took her hand in his.

‘Okay, I’m going to get changed.’

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