Page 99 of The Wedding Game

I’ll join Max and Michelle later for dinner, and then tomorrow they fly off to London before moving on to Paris. I’m offended they haven’t included Edinburgh or Glasgow in their travel plans, so that must mean I’m feeling some grounding and loyalty towards the place I now call home.

‘I’d throw in some golds to neutralise the look, but also add some glamour,’ I say to Max. My words echo around us in the cavernous space. ‘These downstairs rooms are all going to be huge, so it’ll need softening,’ I muse as I look around, taking pictures on my phone. ‘What about pillars? Even though we don’t need them structurally, it’s so big in this main lobby and restaurant that we could add some to break up what the eye sees, create different spaces around them.’

‘Ilovethat. Draw up some ideas,’ he tells me and then hisgaze softens. ‘Can I be patronising and tell you I’m proud of how far you’ve come?’

‘You can,’ I say, trying not to blush. ‘Thanks.’

Max squeezes my arm. ‘Right, that’s enough work for one day. Pub?’

‘Definitely.’

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

February

‘You are now an interior designer with a Distinction certificate and all sorts of brilliant skills,’ Scarlet declares in an excited ramble, as we sit on the sofas and she pops the cork open on the bottle of champagne she and Rory brought round to celebrate. It feels too cold outside to drink champagne. It’s one degree and is threatening to snow.

‘I know!’ I squeal. I’d been told my predicted grade was going to be good, and I’d worked so hard, but a Distinction still surprised me. This is the first time Scarlet and I have found a free evening together when we can celebrate. ‘Thank God it’s a Friday. No early starts for work for any of us,’ I say.

‘Hello-o-o,’ Rory says, raising a hand. ‘Ihave to be at work tomorrow.’

‘Poor you,’ Scarlet replies and makes a sad face that Rory doesn’t buy into. ‘Scything in a garden while hungover? Like some sort of brooding, shirtless Scottish Poldark?’

Rory raises an eyebrow. ‘Shirtless? In this weather. And … a scythe?’ he questions. ‘A lawnmower more like.’

‘Lawnmowers aren’t sexy,’ I tell him. ‘Could you just play along about the scythe … for Scarlet.’

He laughs, takes the glass of fizz that I offer him. ‘Christ, you two are a nightmare together,’ he mutters. ‘Congratulations again.’

‘Thank you,’ I tell him, as Rory automatically rests an arm over the back of the sofa and pulls Scarlet into him, where she nestles comfortably. The movement sends a jolt of happiness through me for my friend. But it also reminds me how I have no one to do that to me. I breathe in, breathe out. I’m strangely OK with this. I have so much going on, such a good life now. I’m happy.

Alongside celebrating my new educational milestone and promotion, I am also commiserating about failing my driving test. It was too soon to take it, given the infrequent lessons I’d been having, but a space came up and I thought I’d try and wing it. I’d been doing so well in general recently that it has been grounding to fail in something.

‘Reversing round a corner is the most unnecessary driving skill ever,’ Scarlet says knowingly as we commiserate together.

‘I also clipped a kerb,’ I confess.

‘Kerbs are overrated too,’ Rory declares in solidarity.

‘Apparently the car could have bounced all over the place and maybe have mounted the kerb and then hit a few pedestrians,’ I say.

‘Fuck off,’ Scarlet says, scoffing. ‘That would literally never happen.’

‘Bit late to argue it now, and I’m not sure I’m supposed to. Got to roll with the punches,’ I tell her.

‘Here’s to next time,’ Rory says.

‘Not sure I can go through with that again.’ I shudder.

‘That’s what people say about childbirth,’ Scarlet declares. ‘But those babies keep being born. A driving test is pain-free. Suck it up. Book another test. And maybe a lesson or two to brush up, before you go in.’

‘Just in case next time I flip the car over on the kerb and take out an entire town?’

She nods. ‘You can’t have everything at once, so perhaps we could focus on the good news of the day and how much money you’ll be earning, now you’re qualified, with a promotion.’

‘A couple of thousand more,’ I say, ‘essentially to do near enough the same job I’ve been doing, with more freedom over the design process. Although Max has trusted me since the start not to mess it up. It’s nice to be rewarded while doing something I love – having a voice that’s listened to, while still technically having my learner plates on.’

‘Not for long, though,’ Rory chimes in. ‘Allthose learner plates will be off soon enough.’

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