Page 131 of The Invitation

“I don’t know what the issue is.” Clark sounds as exasperated as I feel. “You both want her to settle down, get married, make babies and stews and soups. Maybe this is the guy she’ll do that with.”

I look up at my brother in surprise. “I’m sleeping with him, not marrying him.”

“Amelia!” Mum snaps.

“Well, I am.” I laugh, flinching at my own words, quite sure Jude would have something to say about my claim. But I must play this down for a while. Give them time to get over Nick, and for Nick to get over me. And who knows where this is going with Jude?

Am I being delusional?

“I’m sleeping with him,” I repeat, stronger. “And I—”

The front door opens, and I still, hearing Dad coming in. “Shit,” Clark mutters, grabbing the flowers.

“Oh dear,” Mum whispers.

“Fuck,” I hiss.

“Amelia!” Mum scolds me as I get up, ready to assist Clark hiding the flowers, taking them from his arms, just as Dad wanders in. We both freeze.

“Nice flowers,” Dad says.

“I got them for Rachel,” Clark blurts, grabbing them back and grinning. I sigh, rubbing my forehead. This is ridiculous.

“They’re mine.” I claim them back off Clark, smiling my appreciation for him trying to cover for me. But I’m thirty years old and single. I do not need to sneak around.

“Yours?” Dad asks.

“I’m seeing someone.”

Dad recoils, just as somebody appears behind him.

My mouth turns lax. “Nick,” I breathe.

“Oh shit,” Clark curses.

“Oh,” Mum whispers. “Oh, this is unfortunate.”

I stare at Nick, as he stares at the over-the-top flowers in my arms. “I invited Nick for dinner,” Dad declares, unashamed, as I glare at him, so fucking angry.

“What’s going on?” Grandpa hobbles into the kitchen on his stick. “Oh, Nick, how lovely to see you.”

“You’re seeing someone?” Nick’s voice is so quiet, hurt splashed all over his face.

“It’s nothing serious.” Mum starts flapping around the kitchen again. “She’s just sleeping with him.”

“Mum!” Clark and I yell in unison.

“Who?” Nick asks as Dad places a hand on his shoulder and rubs, his unimpressed eyes nailed to me. The villain.

“Nick, it’s—”

“Who?” he repeats, his eyes definitely clouding.Oh God.

“It’s no one you’d know.”

“Who?” he snaps, getting himself worked up. “Who is it?” He gasps. “Were you having an affair? Is that why you left me?”

“No, Nick, of course I wasn’t.”

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