by Lacey London
Brushing confetti off my shoulder, I am about to tackle the crowd to get to Marc when Lianna appears by my side. She smiles broadly, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.
‘Hey! How are you?’ I link my arm through hers and pick a piece of confetti off her dress. ‘Where’s Dan?’
‘We had a row. He’s not coming.’ Biting her lip, she looks up at the sky. I have known her long enough to realise when she is trying not to cry.
‘What’s happened?’ My mind flits back to the voicemail on our machine. ‘You guys haven’t had a row, have you?’
She opens her mouth to speak when the photographer waves us over.
‘Let’s just get the photographs out of the way and then we will go and get you a big drink, OK?’
Nodding, Lianna wipes a finger under her eyes and marches over to the photographer. For the next thirty minutes we smile for the camera until our faces start to hurt. By the time that we have finished with the photographs and completed the short walk to the reception venue, I am so glad to have a glass of bubbles in my hand.
‘Thank you.’ I flash the waiter a grateful smile and take a sip of the ice cold bubbles.
‘So, spill it.’ I take a seat next to Lianna and wait for the Dan bomb to drop.
‘He’s just such an ass hole’ Downing her drink in one swift gulp, she slams the glass down on the table. ‘I don’t know what has changed for him. Ever since we set the date for the wedding he has been a nightmare.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean that he’s an ass hole! He’s never home anymore and when he is he’s awful. I can’t even ask him a question without him flying off the handle.’
‘Have you tried talking to him about it?’ I ask, smiling apologetically at our neighbouring guests.
‘He won’t even talk to me about the weather, never mind the state of our relationship!’ Snatching another glass of fizz from a passing waiter’s drinks tray, she fixes a smile to her face as Oliver makes his way over to our table.
‘There you are! I have been looking everywhere for you two! I shoulda known I’d find you by the bar.’ Crashing down next to Lianna, Oliver loosens his tie.
‘We’ve only had the one.’ Motioning to my glass I shoot him a wink.
Lianna’s phone vibrates loudly on the table and I can’t help but notice Dan’s name flash up on the display. Without saying a word, she grabs the handset and stomps outside.
‘Was it something I said?’ Oliver’s brow creases into a frown as he watches Lianna walk away.
‘No, it’s not you. She and Dan have been having some problems.’ I take another sip of my drink and shake my head. ‘Apparently he’s been acting all weird since they set the date.’
‘Yeah, he did mention something about that.’
I spin around to face him. ‘When? What did he say?’
‘It was a few days ago at Marc’s bachelor party. He had a few too many and started rambling about how it was too soon and he felt like he is being rushed into the whole marriage thing.’ Oliver runs a hand through his hair and casually picks up the drinks menu. ‘Kir Royale… is that made with cranberry?’
‘Oliver!’ Snatching the drinks menu out of his hand, I throw it down on the table. ‘How could you not tell me about this?’
‘Jeez, Clara! I just didn’t think it was a big deal. It’s not really my place to discuss other people’s relationships.’ Shrugging his shoulders, he pushes himself up. ‘I’m gonna get a drink and between me and you, Dan text me this morning saying that he did something pretty stupid last night. I just figured he got blasted, but now that he didn’t turn up to the ceremony I’m starting to think that it is something more.’
A huge lump forms in my throat as I watch him walk towards the bar. This does not sound good.
Chapter 23
Laughing at Janie’s outrageous dance moves, I pose for a selfie with Lianna. Thankfully, the many glasses of fizz that she has consumed have done wonders at lifting her mood and she hasn’t mentioned Dan once. To be fair, when Dixie, Dolly and Dallas are around it’s difficult to get a word in, but as long as they are keeping her smiling I couldn’t care less.
Since Oliver’s revelation about Dan earlier, I haven’t been able to get it off my mind. I keep telling myself that it’s normal to have arguments and that most men get cold feet in the run up to their wedding day, but there’s something about him missing Marc and Gina’s wedding that just doesn’t seem right.
‘OMG! I just love this song!’ Dixie declares, waving her arms around above her head manically. ‘Li Li, come dance with me!’
Not one to be asked twice, Lianna or Li Li as she appears to be now known, downs her drink and races Dixie to the dance floor. I can’t believe I worried so much about meeting these girls, things couldn’t have gone any better if I had planned it myself.
Glad to have a little time out away from the drunken trio, I lean back in my seat and kick off my shoes under the table. When did I become the boring one of the group? Rubbing my throbbing feet, I notice Dolly tapping away at her iPhone. Catching my eye, she places the phone into her bag guiltily.
‘Aren’t you going with them, Dolly?’
‘I think I’ll sit this one out.’ She flashes me a sweet smile as her mobile pings loudly. ‘I’m gonna take this outside. Excuse me.’
Watching her wander into the lobby, I turn to face Oliver. ‘Isn’t Dolly sweet?’
‘She’s the lesser of three evils.’ Letting out a drunken laugh, he wraps his arm around my shoulders and points to my empty glass. ‘You want another drink?’
Shaking my head in response I slide my sore feet back into my heels. ‘I wouldn’t mind some chicken wings though. Do you want anything from the buffet?’
With a lingering kiss I hobble off across the dance floor. Desperately avoiding eye contact with a drunken Janie, I manage to make it to the buffet without her noticing. I really don’t think that my bruised feet could handle the conga line right now. Eyeing up the delicious food, I load my plate up with chicken, mini quiches and more sandwiches than I can carry. What is it about a buffet that makes you want to eat everything in sight?
Satisfied that I have enough food to calm my growling stomach, I am about to push my way back across the dance floor when I spot Dan’s car pulling into the car park. Normally I don’t notice cars, but Dan’s pimped up, purple Mercedes is hard to miss. Reluctantly putting down my plate I make my way outside. If Dan is looking for another fight I think it’s best that he goes home. I really don’t want to referee a slanging match.
Slipping out of the hotel entrance, I hold my breath as I squeeze through the gang of outcast smokers. The fact that the ground is covered in muddy puddles makes crossing the car park a minefield in my precious Armani sandals. Trying not to cry as huge raindrops land on the ivory silk, I rap my knuckles on the bonnet. It’s only when I press my nose up to the driver’s window that I realise there is someone in the passenger seat. Why isn’t he opening the door? At the risk of looking like a drowned sewer rat if I stay in the rain for a moment longer, I pull open the door and dive onto the back seat.
‘Dan! Why didn’t you open the door?’ Shaking water out of my now soaking wet hair, I pop my head into the front of the car and I’m surprised to see a full head of blonde hair. ‘Dolly? What are you doing in here?’ Confused, I look at Dan who has turned a rather worrying shade of green. ‘Dan?’
‘She… umm… Dolly just needed to get a light, right Dolly?’ Quickly digging into his pocket, Dan produces a lighter and tosses it onto Dolly’s lap.
My eyes flit back to Dolly who throws the lighter back at him in disgust. ‘Eww! What are you talking about? Do I look like a smoker to you?’
‘Dan? What’s going on?’ My heart begins to race as I put two and two together and hope beyond hope that I am coming up with the wrong answer.
‘Yeah, what is going on… Dan?’ Dolly’s bottom lip begins to tremble as she crosses her arms furiously. ‘Because I would really, really li
ke to know!’
Not knowing what to say, I stare at Dan open mouthed. ‘Dan?’
I sit in the back of the car, looking back and forth between the two. Someone really needs to let me know what is going on because it can’t be any worse than what I am imagining. Unfortunately for Lianna, it is.
‘He slept with me!’
‘What?’
‘He told me that his name was James!’
What? How could they? When could they? None of this makes any sense!
‘Where’s Li?’ Dan’s voice is low and hoarse. ‘I need to speak to her.’
‘Li? Lianna is your girlfriend?’ Dolly screeches. ‘You’re disgusting!’ Lifting her hand, Dolly slaps Dan across the cheek and storms out of the car.
Feeling like I might pass out from the shock, I look up at Dan.
‘Just go, Clara.’ Turning on the engine, Dan looks at me over his shoulder. ‘I said go!’
Scrambling out of the car, I stare dumbfounded as he races the car down the street. This can not be happening. What am I going to tell Lianna? I am frozen to the spot when the sound of hysterical sobbing grabs my attention. Spotting Dolly on a bench, I make my way over to her.
‘Dolly, you need to tell me what has happened. I need to know everything.’
Looking up at me from her crouched position, she looks mortified. ‘I swear, Clara, I didn’t know that he had a girlfriend. I swear I didn’t.’
Helping her up, I guide her through the hotel and into the toilets. Once safely locked into our own private cubicle, I hand her a wad of tissues and wait for her to fill me in.
‘It was last night at Gina’s bachelorette party. Gina and Janie left not long after you and Lianna, so Dixie and I went to a club. I think it was called, The Venue?’
Frowning and nodding at the same time, I beckon her to go on.
‘He was sat alone at the bar drinking vodka. He told me that his name was James and that his girlfriend had just left him.’ Dolly sniffs and blows her nose in a very unladylike manner. ‘Normally I don’t do things like this, but he was just so good looking and he made me laugh, so I stayed. We had a few drinks and then when the club was closing, he invited me back to his hotel.’
Hotel? Why would Dan be staying at a hotel?
‘Well, you can guess what happened next.’
My stomach drops to the floor as I try to process all the horrible facts.
‘Everything was fine until just now. We have been texting back and forth all day and when I mentioned that I was here, he just lost it. He called and said he had to talk to me right away. As soon as I got in the car, he told me that his name was really Dan and he had a girlfriend. That’s when you came over.’
Oh, God! I think I am going to pass out. This is going to kill Li.
‘Please don’t hate me. I honestly had no idea about Lianna until just now.’
‘I… I need to get some air.’ Pushing open the cubicle, I tumble into the sink and run my wrists under the cold tap.
Hearing the neighbouring cubicle unlock, I quickly try to compose myself. The last thing I want is for this to get out and ruin Marc and Gina’s wedding. Turning off the tap, I fix a smile to my face and spin around to use the hand dryer when my blood runs cold. Standing in the cubicle doorway with mascara stained cheeks, is Lianna.
Chapter 24
‘Lianna… I… I’m…’ The words trail off into silence as I stare into her sad brown eyes. It’s pretty clear that she has heard every sordid detail. This is heartbreaking. I feel an overwhelming urge to wrap my arms around her, but for some inexplicable reason, I don’t dare move. ‘Lianna, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to say.’
She stares at me in silence and I can’t help but feel partly responsible. I have never trusted Dan, Lianna knows that and if it weren’t for me then he would never have even laid eyes on Dolly. I should have done more from the start to make Lianna realise that he was an ass hole. A good friend wouldn’t have just stood by and watched her get this involved with such an idiot.
We lock eyes for a moment before she lets out an almighty sob. In an attempt to console her I hand her a wad of tissues, but this just makes her cry even more. Feeling totally helpless I pull her into a bear hug.
‘Just leave me alone!’ Lianna wails, batting my arms away.
Pushing past me, her handbag crashes onto the floor as she flees out of the bathroom. Attempting to gather her belongings, I manage to grab her iPhone before it smashes into a million pieces on the cold tiles.
‘Lianna wait!’ I try and fail to grab the sleeve of her dress as she disappears into the crowd.
My entire body feels frozen as I watch her run across the dance floor. How is this happening? Feeling my chest become excruciatingly tight, I try to steady my breathing. This is not the time for a panic attack. Telling myself that I have to be the strong one here, I try to collect my thoughts. The last thing we need right now is me hyperventilating into a brown paper bag.
‘Clara?’ Dolly’s voice pierces my thought bubble.
In all the commotion, I had almost forgotten that she was still sat in there. Crouched on the toilet seat with her knees pulled up to her chin she looks so vulnerable. I can’t help but feel sorry for her, she can’t be held responsible for Dan being a lying, cheating rat with no soul.
‘Just go back to the hotel, Dolly.’ I mumble, shaking my head at the whole sorry affair.
‘Really?’ Her voice is tiny as she carefully tucks her hair behind her ears. ‘I could go and talk to Lianna and explain everything?’
‘No, I seriously think that you should go.’ Rubbing my throbbing temples, I hand her the contents of my purse. ‘There’s a taxi rank right outside. I’m going to go after Li.’
Regaining the use of my feet, I march out of the bathroom and scour the dance floor for Lianna. She must be in here, but the fact that it is so loud and crowded makes it near impossible to think clearly. I contemplate calling her, but soon remember that I am holding her phone. Not only do I have her phone, I also have her house keys and purse too. With no money, phone or house keys she can’t have gone far.
Squeezing between the crowd of gyrating people, I make my way back out into the car park just in time to see Lianna jumping into the back of a cab. Before I have chance to stop her, the cab pulls onto the street and disappears out of sight. Where is she going? Not knowing what else to do, I walk back inside to Oliver and slide into the booth beside him.
‘There you are! How big was this buffet?’ Laughing, Oliver points to a glass of bubbles on the table. ‘It’s nearly last orders so I got you one anyway.’
Swallowing the huge lump that has appeared in my throat I smile gratefully. ‘Actually, I’m not feeling all that great. Do you mind if I head back?’
‘Not at all. To be honest, I’m pretty beat myself.’ Reaching for his suit jacket, he quickly finishes his drink.
‘No!’ The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.
‘What?’ Oliver frowns in confusion. ‘Why?’
‘I mean, you should stay.’ Trying to laugh off my outburst, I signal to the barman to get Oliver another drink. ‘I’ll be fine and Marc would be so disappointed if we both left. Besides, someone needs to keep an eye on your mother.’
A quick glance over his shoulder at a drunken Janie is all the encouragement Oliver needs to put down his jacket.
‘Yeah, I guess a couple more wouldn’t hurt.’ Handing over the house keys and a handful of notes from his wallet he sits back down.
With a quick kiss, I avoid bumping into Marc or Gina and slip out of the fire exit. It won’t be long before the whole horrible ordeal is out in the open and all hell breaks loose. Flagging down a taxi, I slide onto the back seat. I need to find Lianna and if I know Lianna like I think I know Lianna, there’s only one place that she’ll be…
Chapter 25
Peering through The Bistro’s window, I stare at the illuminated closed sign in dismay. She’s not here. Scratching my head I try to rack my brains
of anywhere else that she might be. I have her phone, money and house keys right here, where the hell is she? Puzzled, I wander along the dark street trying to look for clues that she has been here. Apart from a street sweeper and the odd drunk trying to find their way home, the place is deserted.
Reluctantly walking back to the waiting taxi, I am about to give up and go home when my phone pings from the bottom of my clutch bag. After much searching, I finally locate it hidden beneath a mountain of lip balms. I really need to clean out this handbag, it’s worse than Mary Poppins bottomless tote. Jabbing on the message icon, my heart pounds as I see that it is from Dolly. Oh, God. What now?
Lianna is here x
My stomach churns as I take in the text on the screen. I do not need this right now. Quickly giving the hotel’s address to the ageing taxi driver, I buckle myself in as we head for the motorway. What is she doing at The Skyline? I really hope that she hasn’t done something stupid. When you’re in school, no one warns you that the role of best friend will get so complicated. Feeling anxiety prickling in my throat, I shove my head out of the window to stop myself from throwing up. This taxi fare is going to be extortionate as it is, I really don’t want a valeting charge for vomiting on the back seat as well.
My mind flits back to Gina’s hen party where Lianna said that she and Dan were having problems. At the time I put it down to her having too much to drink. I never would have thought it would come to this. They are due to get hitched in a month’s time! What is she going to do about the wedding? She can’t marry him now, can she?
The bright street lights blur into one messy firework display as I wonder what Lianna should do next. In the distance I can see The Skyline’s incredible silhouette piercing the night sky. I dread to think what is going on in room 238 right now. I know that Li is devastated, but it isn’t fair to take this out on Dolly. She isn’t the first to fall for Dan’s charms and by the looks of things, Lianna won’t be the last.
After a while, the car comes to an abrupt halt outside the hotel. Fumbling in my bag, I hand the driver a wad of notes and march into the hotel’s foyer. I really hope that Dixie, Dallas and George aren’t here yet. This really needs to be kept on the down low until I can get to Lianna. Jabbing the button for the lift, I reluctantly step inside and suddenly wonder if I should have brought a weapon. It might sound dramatic, but let’s face it they could be killing each other in there! I have experienced the wrath of Lianna’s short fuse many times before, therefore I know first hand just how explosive she can be.