Beauty and the Bridesmaid

Chapter Ten

I drop my phone against the table. “So what did I say to you?”

“Everything that you wish you could say to Ash, I guess.” He shrugs loosely before dropping his shoulders. “It really does suck for you.”

“You mean about Lela?” I’m still unsure what tragic picture of my life I’ve painted for him.

“Her and Ash,” he clarifies. “It can’t be easy seeing them together.”

I shake my head. “Ash and I were over a long time before they got together. I just wish one of them had told me.”

“Last night you seemed really down about it. I thought that maybe…you know…I thought maybe you were still in love with him and you were trying to hide it or something.”

“Not you too.” I sigh in frustration. “I thought I’d already explained this to you.”

“Okay, so if you don’t have feelings for him, you should still talk to him. There’s obviously some unresolved conflict between you two.”

He’s right. I sigh again and drink the rest of my orange juice. “So what should I do? Just go and see him, even if Lela’s there?”

Damien nods. “Just tell her that the two of you have something to sort out. If she’s any sort of friend, she’ll understand.”

This is how I end up outside Ash and Lela’s place again, only with a clear objective this time. If Lela answers the door, I’m going to explain to her that I need to speak to Ash.

But nobody answers. They’re probably out celebrating their amazing happy life together at some posh restaurant of Lela’s choosing. I imagine her in her Jimmy Choos and a dress that costs more than what I earn in a month, showing off her sparkling diamond to the waitress. Oh wait, posh restaurants don’t have waitresses, do they? They have hosts and maître ds.

“Looking for Lela, are you?” an acid-tongued voice says from somewhere behind me. It’s Kerry. And no doubt Steph too. Do they camp out in Lela’s garden or something?

I spin to face both of them. “Yeah, but she’s out.”

“Sure it’s not Ash you’re looking for?” asks Kerry.

“Just got some wedding stuff to ask Lela.” I’ve found that mentioning the wedding is the best way to try and avoid an awkward subject.

“Why don’t you ask us?” Steph suggests.

I force a smile. “No, it doesn’t matter.”

They’re both following me as I try to head back home. My wedding-related answer obviously didn’t satisfy them.

“You need to stay away from Ash,” Kerry hisses, tugging at my arm.

I shake out of her grip. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Oh, come on.” Steph rolls her eyes. “Do you think we’re stupid?”

I don’t think these women are stupid. I think they’re actually quite devious, like Lela.

“You think it isn’t obvious?” Kerry cackles.

My arms are stiffly by my sides, my hands clenched tightly. I know what they’re talking about. They think I’m trying to steal Ash away from Lela. “You’re wrong,” I spit. “And anyway, it’s really nothing to do with you.”

“Yes, it is!” Steph cries. “Lela’s going to have the perfect wedding. You’re not going to be there.”

“You think I’m going to tell Lela I’m backing out of her wedding?”

Kerry grabs at my arm again, forcibly pulling me towards her. “If you don’t, we’ll tell her the truth. And then she won’t want you there.”

“Let her go, Kerry,” a stern male voice says.

It’s started to rain again and I can’t quite see him from under the damp hair that’s plastered to my face, but I know that it’s Ash.

Lela’s minions drop me like last season’s shiny leggings trend.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

I scrape the hair from my face and nod.

He looks at the other two women, who are still watching me and slips a hand around my waist, guiding me towards the house. I know he doesn’t mean anything by it, but it’s a gesture that’s enough to leave Kerry and Steph staring at us open-mouthed.

Pulling away from him when we reach the house, I say, “Where’s Lela?”

“Meeting her mother to discuss chair covers or something,” he replies.

“I wanted to talk to you,” I explain as he unlocks the front door.

He works his fingers through his short brown hair. “I thought we already talked.”

“I know but we didn’t talk about everything.”

His blue eyes flick over Kerry and Steph who are still closely watching us. “Look, Lela’s not going to be long,” he says, holding the door open for me.

“It won’t take long,” I assure him as the door closes behind us.

I should really have thought about what I was going to say before I got to this position, standing in the living room dotted with aspects of Ash’s life with Lela. Photographs of the two of them, cards congratulating their engagement, cushions they probably picked out together in the home section of Matalan. Actually, Lela probably picked them out herself. And she probably got them from somewhere a bit more upmarket like Next.

“Say what you’ve got to say,” he sharply demands.

“I don’t know what Lela’s said to you–”

“Here to talk me out of marrying her?”

“No. I…I wanted to hear it from you, I guess. About why our relationship didn’t work out. This is nothing to do with Lela.”

He stares at me for a moment, eyes slightly narrowed and posture rigid.  “What’s the point of going over it, Jade? I’m with Lela now.”

My head tilts upwards and I sigh heavily. “Forget about Lela for a minute!” I snap, realising almost immediately after that I’ve probably made it sound even more like I’m angry and jealous. “I’m sorry. Just answer me this. If you’d never gone to Reading five years ago, do you think we’d still be together?”

Ash turns away from me silently, telling me everything that I need to know.

“It wouldn’t have worked in the long run,” I state. “I hope it does with Lela.”

He leans against the shelving unit behind him, a sad sort of smile forming. “Is that enough closure for you?”

I smile back, nodding. It’s over now. I can be Lela’s head bridesmaid. I can deal with her minions. I’ll even wear the ugly dress and makeup.

“You’re not going to quit the wedding, are you?” he asks.

“Of course I’m not! Lela was my best friend before I even met you.”

“Good.” He grins. “I bet you’ll look very…fetching in that bridesmaid dress.”

I hit him playfully on the arm like we’re old friends.

We’re laughing so much about the aubergine monstrosity; I almost don’t hear the front door open behind me.

If it was just Lela, I’d be able to explain this pretty easily. But Diane’s standing next to her, glowering at me like I’ve dared to refer to her foyer as a hallway.

Why am I always in the middle of these unavoidable scenarios?