Break-ups, Bombshells and Brunch

Synopsis / Description

Following a drama-fuelled party, a group of friends meet up for brunch and discuss the events of the previous night. With heartbreak, secrets and scandal on the menu, the brunch is nothing if not tasty.  

Break-ups, Bombshells and Brunch

Finley ran her fingers along the stem of her champagne flute as she tried to ignore Shane's not-so-subtle attempts to score the waitress' number. It aroused vivid memories from when they'd first met, when Shane had cranked up the charm to full blast in order to win her over.

They'd been in a similar environment: a high-end bar where Finley couldn't really afford the drinks, but she'd felt important and successful surrounded by LA's elite. Then, once Shane had tempted her into exchanging numbers, she'd also had a genuine reason for staying there.

Shane had made her feel special, and sexy, and proud of who she was. Out of all the women in that bar, it was Finley who'd caught her eye. Given what she'd discovered at last night's party, however, Finley couldn't help wondering if Shane had ever stopped asking other women for their numbers and if she really had been so special after all.

"Does she have no shame?" Finley muttered the words under her breath to nobody in particular, but Micah picked up on them from his seat beside her.

"She's probably just trying to move on," he said.

"She wouldn't have to move on if she hadn't cheated. I'm not sure I'll ever forget the image of her wrapped around that brunette..."

"The pain will fade over time," he replied. "I know it's such a cliché, but you learn from these life experiences."

Finley scoffed, not at the cliché itself but the meaning behind it. "I was learning from the experience. I was learning how to come to terms with my sexuality when it conflicts with the religion I've always followed. Shane knew that and yet she threw it back in my face last night."

"Hey, I know exactly how it feels to come to terms with who you really are. Don't let this knock you."

"Of course you do. Sorry, Micah," Finley said, the earlier bitterness in her voice now replaced with something softer. "I didn't mean to rant. It just hurts."

Squeezing her hand, Micah glanced across the table at Dani and Sophie, who, hours earlier, he'd caught in bed together. Exposing their hook-up would be the perfect way to distract Finley from her turmoil, but Micah didn't want to achieve that by throwing his two roommates under the bus—despite being hurt that they'd potentially been keeping a secret from him.

"Shane, come join us," Alice called across the room. "Brunch first, romance later."

Alice wouldn't have meant anything insensitive by the comment, but Finley stiffened at the insinuation. Even the rest of the table descended into a silence verging on awkward, several pairs of eyes flickering in the direction of Shane's ex.

They'd all witnessed the showdown last night. With a combination of cocktails, wine and shots flooding her bloodstream, Finley had reacted badly when she'd caught her girlfriend making out with a random woman inside the bathroom.

No amount of alcohol could have numbed the pain, and while Shane insisted that the drink had clouded her judgment, Finley's mind was clear. She'd ended their relationship, determined to regain control of the situation, even though it had been the power of Shane's actions that had driven her into that.

Noticing how Alice's poor choice of words had affected Finley, Micah seized the opportunity to both change the subject and spin it around to see if Dani and Sophie would come clean.

"Speaking of romance, I think Cupid's bow struck a couple of others last night." His eyes scanned the table, pausing on his roommates.

Dani dropped her hand from Sophie's thigh, where it had been hidden beneath the tablecloth, and considered how to play it. Over the years, she'd learnt that people responded best to honesty, and it would only have been a matter of time before their secret fling stopped being a secret.

"Okay," she said, releasing a sigh. "Sophie and I hooked up. But before you start, we've been discussing this for a while and it's a step we both want to take."

"It's been going on for a while?" Shane's eyes lit up with intrigue as everyone leaned forwards, eager not to miss a detail.

"It's not a big deal." Dani shrugged. "There's always been an attraction, and as Micah discovered by letting himself into my bedroom this morning, we've now decided to explore it."

"Is it wise to date someone you live with?" Alice asked. "You'll sometimes need space from each other."

"And you risk ruining a friendship if it doesn't work out," Shane said. "Have you thought about how Micah feels, too? You really are working your way around the group, Dani..."

"Really, Shane?" Sophie raised an eyebrow. "You didn't give a shit about the group last night."

Finley lowered her eyes to the empty plate in front of her. Although she appreciated Sophie defending her, up until that point Micah had succeeded in providing a distraction from the traumatizing events of last night.

"I'm happy for them," Micah said, keen to break up the escalating tension. "Dani and I weren't serious and that's a completely different chapter of my life, anyway. I'm not the same person now."

His soft yet firm voice put an end to the questions, but the revelation of a romance between Dani and Sophie allowed them to be more open with their affection. Dani's hand rested on Sophie's in plain view, and a previously undetected tenderness was present in their eyes whenever they looked at each other.

From the other end of the table, Finley watched the two girls laugh with Micah. As Shane caught her eye and offered a small smile, Finley found herself returning it. She wasn't ready to forgive her, but Micah had demonstrated the value of embracing your true self—and of looking forwards, not back—and it encouraged her to do the same.

It was time to move on.