Page 80 of I Knew You Were Trouble

‘I got Paige to wrap them… well, ’cause I’m no good at wrapping stuff.’

‘You shouldn’t have got me anything.’

‘I wanted to.’

He walks past his bed, over to the desk on the far side of the room, leaning down and picking up two beautifully wrapped boxes, finished with red ribbon. Then he turns and walks back over to me.

‘Here,’ he says, signalling to the slightly smaller of the two. ‘This one was for your birthday.’

I feel my cheeks flush. I take both boxes.

‘Sit on the bed if you like,’ Aidan suggests. ‘You don’t have to open them now if you don’t want to.’

‘No, I want to,’ I croak and lower myself to Aidan’s mattress. He removes his coat and sits down next to me, making sure that there is a wide enough distance between us.

Tearing at the red paper, I remove a jewellery box the size of my palm. I glance across at Aidan before opening it, and he looks almost terrified. I open up the box. Looking at the stunning bangle that is contained inside, my mouth falls open.

‘Aidan, I—’ I breathe, afraid to pick it up. ‘It’s beautiful.’

He rakes a hand through his hair. ‘They’re black diamonds. One point eight carat. Set in rose gold with white gold flowers on each side.’

One hand goes to my chest. ‘I don’t know what to say.’

‘Do you like it?’

‘I love it, but this is too much. I can’t take this.’

‘At least try it on,’ he murmurs, nudging closer, lifting it from the box.

He reaches for my hand, and his touch sets off a bolt of electricity within me. He moves it over my fingers and I watch as the delicate bangle slides down my wrist. I don’t have much jewellery; the pieces I do own are not nearly as extravagant.

‘I picked it out in Dubai,’ he says. ‘Samara helped me choose it, before I was photographed on that yacht.’

I run my fingers over the rim of the bangle on my wrist. It really is stunning. Aidan blows out his cheeks. It doesn’t escape my notice that he’s retreated to his original position on the bed. ‘I know you probably don’t believe me, but Samara is a friend, and the wedding I went to was her brother’s. The kiss that ended up all over the internet was purely platonic. I know it didn’t look like it from the angle, but it was. She kissed me on my cheek and caught the corner of my mouth. Some paparazzi guy must have been rubbing his hands together. Samara and I went out for, like, five minutes about four years ago. There’s nothing between us but friendship. And I told her all about you.’

He looks relieved, nervous almost, to have alleviated himself of the information, yet I sense an enormous gulf between us still, despite him having just given me a bracelet that is encrusted with black diamonds and probably worth several thousands of dollars.

‘It was the same for me and Duncan,’ I say quietly. ‘We went out on a blind date, that’s how I met him. We dated for about a year after that, but then we decided we were better off as friends, and we’ve worked together ever since. There’s nothing more to tell, but I should have said something before I did. I didn’t expect it to come out in that bar in Dubai like it did.’

Aidan says nothing, keeps his eyes on the floor.

‘Can I open this one?’ I ask, pointing to the other gift.

‘Sure.’

I untie the ribbon, tearing off the wrap. It’s a framed photograph of myself and the band, taken before one of the Sydney concerts. I’m standing in the middle of them all, holding my camera. My throat works, my eyes stinging with tears at the sight of it.

‘Uhm.Paige helped me pick out the frame,’ he says.

‘I love it,’ I say, pressing it to my chest. ‘I’ll cherish it. Thank you.’

I hold it in my lap and trace my fingers over the glass. I may not have wanted this job at the beginning, but looking at this photograph, I now have memories I will treasure for the rest of my life, and I feel a sense of determination to make the best documentary possible.

‘I… I didn’t get you anything for Christmas.’

He shakes his head, waving his hand dismissively. ‘I don’t need anything.’

The air is thick again, the conversation stilted. I’m worrying we can’t come back from this.

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