Page 225 of Falling for You
Penny nudges me in the ribs. ‘Annie, that costume has you written all over it.’
I laugh. She’s right. I was so emotional yesterday when I was making it that I let myself go a bit wild with it. Normally, when I’m working on a commission I’ll pull it back a bit, make sure that it isn’ttoo‘me’, in case it’s too much for the customer. But I didn’t care with this one. I only panicked when I was waiting for Stevie, back at the fabric shop, in case I’d ruined his dress and, therefore, his career and – in my anxious, dramatic state of mind – his life. But it was the opposite: Stevie said it was the best dress he’d ever had.
It’s a miracle I didn’t burst into tears right in front of him.
I finish my prosecco as Tanya hands us both another glass. We decided that I’d take a few days to really think about Pam’s offer and not make any rash decisions. So, with that in mind, I decided that I really didn’t want to talk about it.Instead, I would just like to pretend that none of these big, scary life choices were happening to me, and actually, Penny, Tanya and I were staying in our flat and renewing the lease for another ten years.
I pull out my phone and take a picture of Stevie to send to Mum and Dad. God, they’lllovethis. If they lived nearer then I would have got them tickets. Although I—
‘Annie?’
I almost drop my glass in shock as there, standing metres away from me, is Nate.
A whole tsunami of emotions crashes over me. Love, excitement, fear, hurt, anger, humiliation. I’m so paralysed by all the feelings coursing through me that I freeze to the spot.
Penny eyes me and then turns to Nate. ‘Hey,’ she says. ‘I’m Penny.’
‘Nate.’
‘Oh hi …Nate?’Penny gasps, immediately hitting Tanya. ‘This isNate!’
Tanya spins on the spot and eyeballs Nate, but his eyes are fixed on mine. ‘NottheNate?’ She glares at me for confirmation and then turns back to him. ‘Well! I have a few things I would like to say toyou!’
‘What are you doing here?’ I say, cutting across Tanya quickly before she starts verbally undressing him. ‘Did you follow me?’
Nate laughs, but instead of the easy, fun laugh that I’d got used to, this one is sarcastic. ‘Follow you?’ he repeats. ‘How would I have done that? You blocked me on everything. It’s like I don’t exist to you.’
‘Well … I just, I didn’t want to speak to you again.’ I lift my chin. ‘I don’t like being one of many girls. It’s not the type of person I am. I thought you knew that.’
‘What?’ Nate looks like I’m speaking another language.
‘I know about the other girls!’ I cry, losing my cool as I yell over the music. ‘I saw the bra and the clothes in the flat and that message saying to call Jane. You lied to me! You told me there wasn’t anyone else! And it made me realise that we aren’t right for each other. I’m not like that.’
He stares at me, his jaw slack. ‘That’swhy you left?’ he cries incredulously.
‘Of course that’s why I left!’ I explode. ‘What did you expect me to do? You’re just one of those guys! Like, when did she even leave? Was it the night before I saw you?’
He drags his hand through his hair. ‘Jane is someone I went on one date with weeks ago – that note was just Stevie winding me up – and that bra … That bra hasnothingto do with me.’
‘Oh please!’ I cry, almost laughing myself now. ‘Why else would it be there? You told me you lived with your brother, who’s gay!’
‘Idolive with my brother!’
‘Well then—’
‘That’s my brother!’ He launches an arm towards the stage, where Stevie Trixx is currently doing a lip sync to Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’. ‘My brother is a drag queen!’
My jaw drops as every word I know falls out of my brain and I try to make sense of what Nate has just said.
That his brother … his brother is a drag queen … so the bra …
Oh my God.
‘You know what? Forget it.’
I go to speak but Nate has stormed out of the club.
But I’m not letting him go. Not this time.
