‘Don’t distract her while she’s cooking.’ He sticks his hands in his trouser pockets. ‘There’s nothing that woman can’t do. It was a sad day when that arse walked out of the office.’
Remembering himself, he takes his hands out of his pockets and folds them across his stomach.
‘Speaking of which.’ He nudges Ed. ‘Isn’t it about time you made that speech, old man?’
Ed shoots me a smile of apology before he steps forward. I tighten my grip on my glass. I thought he said he wasn’t going to make a speech. Behind us, Emma’s shushing people and Ben is braying for silence.
‘Ladies and gentlemen.’ Ed takes out the paper from his jacket and clears his throat with a soft click. ‘Please forgive the interruption but I couldn’t let the evening pass without thanking our wonderful hosts, Rich and Izzy Waverly, for throwing this fabulous party for us.’ Aping a traditional wedding speech, he continues: ‘My future wife and I thank you for your generosity and your friendship.’
Everybody cheers and the people closest to me lean in to clink their glasses against mine.
‘We also want to thank the rest of you for coming – some from far and wide – to share in our celebrations. I think you’ll all agree that Bec looks absolutely stunning tonight. The moment she said yes to me was the happiest of my life.’
I start to breathe more easily. That was lovely, and it feels nice to be appreciated. I make a mental note not to make such a fuss next time. But Ed hasn’t finished yet.
‘Second only, of course, to learning that we’d won the Credit Suisse account off Marsh, that is.’ The insurance side of the room titters and Ed holds up his hand in acknowledgement. ‘On that note, I’m sorry to take things from pleasure to business but with so many of you here, celebrating with us, I wanted to share some additional news. This time it’s about a partnership of a different kind.’
Somebody near me – I think it’s Ben – makes a suggestive catcall and a few people laugh. Ed waits for silence. I can’t help smiling – it’s so typical of him to revolve a party – even his own engagement – around his job. It’s what makes him so successful.
‘Earlier this week, SZR voted unanimously to ask Izzy Waverly to rejoin the firm and spearhead that account, this time at partnership level.’
What? My stomach drops like it’s on a rollercoaster. Pushing a work agenda is one thing; using my engagement party to promote Izzy is quite another. I know I said I didn’t want a fuss but I thought I would have at least this night to myself. And Ed’s still talking. I try to catch Izzy’s eye to see if she knew about this but she’s staring at Ed.
‘As many of you may recall, Izzy started as a graduate at SZR and rapidly worked her way up the firm to head of the banking division, a position she held for five years before deciding to take some time out to have a family. Now she’s made the excellent decision to come back—’
His lips carry on moving but I can’t take the words in. Different thoughts are firing across my brain so quickly I can’t take any of them in. Izzy and Ed are going to be working together again? This is what all the secrecy was about. I watch him beckon her over. Her cheeks are slightly pink but her smile is wide and broad like she’s doing a victory lap. Just before she reaches Ed, she looks right at me. Am I imagining the edge to it? I shrink into the crowd. Why didn’t they tell me?
There’s a burst of applause. Ed must have stopped speaking. I clap along, hoping nobody can see the confusion splashed across my face. I don’t understand why she didn’t say anything before tonight. I feel a burst of resentment as I watch Ben and his cronies surround her, welcoming her into their circle. The memory of the flowers smashed in the wastepaper basket resurfaces.
Ed materializes at my side with two glasses of champagne. ‘What did you think?’ he twinkles at me. ‘I told you I wouldn’t make a speech about you.’
I snatch one of the glasses out of his hands and take a glug. ‘Very clever.’
‘What do you make of the news, then?’ Ed smiles expectantly. ‘Isn’t it great that Izzy’s coming back?’
‘What I think is that it would have been nice to have heard it, say, about two hours ago before the rest of the masses.’
‘Bec—’
‘No, Ed,’ I hiss. ‘Don’t you “Bec” me. I can’t believe you didn’t do me the courtesy of telling me this major life-changing news about my friend before everybody else found out. It’s humiliating.’
‘I wanted to.’ Ed makes the same click in his throat he made before the speech. ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t. I never imagined you’d react like this. But it wasn’t my place.’
‘Isn’t that exactly the point though? It is your place. Your place of work that she’s coming to work at. Why didn’t you say something?’
‘Izzy asked me not to. If I’d known it would upset you, of course I would have said something. But I thought you’d be pleased for her.’ He looks surprised and I feel bad. He’s right. What kind of person am I who can’t be pleased for her best friend?
‘I am,’ I manage to twist the words out. ‘I just don’t understand why she didn’t tell me before tonight.’
‘I expect she didn’t want to steal your thunder. SZR made the offer just before we got engaged. She’s been delaying telling anyone for weeks. I only announced it tonight because there are clients here.’
‘Oh.’
‘I’m sorry you felt out of it.’ Ed wraps his arms around me. ‘That wasn’t my intention. It was one of the things Izzy was most worried about through the whole process. How it would affect you. She’d be horrified if she thought you were hurt in any way.’
I nod, though I can’t help thinking that if she were that horrified she could have given me a heads up instead of letting me find out in Ed’s speech at our engagement party.
‘She really cares about you, you know.’ Ed kisses the top of my head. ‘And so do I. Now, can I get you another drink? I want you to have a good time.’
‘Sure.’ I finish my champagne. It tastes like sugary water. Maybe another drink will help.
I watch Ed wind his way back towards the bar with my glass. But when he gets absorbed into Ben’s group on the way, I head over to the bi-fold doors. I yank them open and a welcome blast of cold air smacks me in the face. The gravel flicks against my heels as I skirt around the side of the house. I reach the corner of the side return and breathe a sigh of relief as the automated security light clicks off. I press my face against the brick wall and let the darkness envelop me like a cloak. I’m shuffling through what I want to say to Izzy when, out of the gloom, a voice says:
‘Bec?’
It’s Rich.
Five
8.42 p.m.
‘You made me jump!’ In the dim light I can barely make out his face. ‘What are you doing out here – having a sneaky fag?’
He doesn’t say anything. I start rummaging in my clutch, fingers tracing house keys, lipstick and a stray hairclip.
‘That’s what I’m doing. I just needed a break. Don’t tell anyone.’ My hand closes around the packet of cigarettes. In the flare of the lighter, I can see he isn’t smiling.