Page 10 of The Day After Christmas
She was still squealing and muttering about bad luck as she disappeared into the changing cubicle. Sophie and Felicity looked at each other, then turned slowly to peer out of the window. Sure enough, there was Adam, hands in his pockets, perfect grin on his stupidly perfect face. Not in the least bothered about bad luck, it seemed. Felicity’s stomach sank towards the floor.
They intercepted him outside.
‘You can’t be here,’ said Sophie, hand on his chest, pushing him gently back from the door as he laughed. ‘Impossible man.’
Felicity hung back, feeling almost shy. It was the first time she’d actually seen Adam in person since he and Bex had got engaged. Although she knew it was inevitable she’d see him at some point, somehow she hadn’t prepared herself for it to be today.
‘Felicity,’ said Adam, nodding at her, his hands still in his pockets, that infuriating look on his stupid handsome face.
‘Adam,’ she managed to squeak.
‘How have you been?’
‘Fine thanks,’ she said, looking at the floor. A bit like the sun, it was always better if you didn’t look directly at Adam, Felicity had found. Previously that was so she didn’t accidentally sleep with him. Now it was more so she could resist the urgeto stab him in the eye with a pencil. Looking back, it was hard to imagine what she’d ever seen in him. Once he had been the person who absorbed all her thoughts, who her universe revolved around. All she could see now was someone she knew she could never trust. Not even an inch. A shudder ran down her spine.
‘Good. Good to see you.’
Was it her imagination or did his voice give way a little as he said it?
‘That’s quite enough of that,’ Sophie cut in. ‘Adam, you can’t be here. It’s bad luck.’
‘That’s nonsense.’
‘It’s not nonsense,’ Felicity found herself saying. ‘It’s tradition.’
‘Since when have you ever cared about things like tradition?’ Adam’s voice was cutting all of a sudden.
‘I…’ Felicity was speechless.
‘It’stradition,’ said Sophie, firmly. ‘Now get lost.’
‘I’m entitled to see myfiancéeif I want,’ said Adam, still staring at Felicity. She willed herself not to be cowed. To hold her shoulders back. To look him in the eye. But all she wanted to do was run.
‘You are, yes, but just not right now, okay?’ Sophie was clearly on a losing wicket.
‘It’s okay, it’s okay,’ came a voice from behind them. Bex had got changed in double-quick time and was back in her usual classy ensemble day clothes, Chanel or at least a decent imitation, hair only the teeniest tiny bit dishevelled. ‘He’s taking me to lunch.’
‘Well, why didn’t you say?’ said Sophie, her voice a little frosty.
‘I’ve gone for it, girls. That’s the one. The woman’s put it aside for me. Felicity, maybe you wouldn’t mind collecting it once it’s all adjusted.’
‘It looked like it fit fine to me,’ said Felicity, quietly.
Bex put a hand on her chest. ‘Oh, did you think so? It was a little too big, what a pain. And I’d gone for the smallest one they had too, can you believe it?’
Felicity and Sophie murmured assent as Bex put her arm through Adam’s and they sauntered off together. She even managed to resist giving a smug smile back over her shoulder as she went, which, in the circumstances, was admirable really, thought Felicity.
‘At least she’s trying not to rub my nose in it,’ she said, when Bex and Adam were out of earshot.
‘You think?’ Sophie said with a laugh.
‘Nope. Since when did she turn into such a knob? Has she always been this bad?’
Sophie shrugged. ‘I’m sure she can’t have been, can she?’
‘I mean, I know I’m not the best judge of character going,’ said Felicity, with a wry smile, ‘but I’m sure even I would have noticed that.’
‘Come on, Fliss, we’re free for the afternoon. Let’s go do something fun.’
