“Rosie, look this way.”
“Rosie, any comment on the video?”
I narrow my vision, concentrating on keeping my shoulders back and my eyes on Jackson’s hand in mine, caressing me and guiding me through the pushing crowd.
“Give us some space guys,” Jackson booms, cutting a path.
The crowd swarms away from us. Anya and Danny must be following. Eventually, the door to the restaurant opens with a smiling host, and we’re ushered into the foyer of the restaurant.
“I hate that every time.” Anya grimaces as she hands her coat over to the host. “Thank you so much. Sorry about this.”
“It’s no problem,” the host exclaims. “Your friends are waiting inside.”
The ceilings are high and golden, with immaculately pressed white cloths covering small tables and the occupants watching like hawks as we follow the hostess through the restaurant. I keep my shoulders back as I finally spot Pip and Cassie in a corner, whispering together.
“Ah, you made it,” Pip exclaims, jumping to her feet and nearly knocking the bottle off the table, which Cassie quickly catches.
She rounds the table and I expect her to go straight toher brother but she comes to me first. “Look at you. You’re glowing, darling.” She curves her arm around me and places a delicate kiss on each cheek.
Pip is so dainty that I sometimes feel like a giant standing next to her. Even though we’re roughly the same height, I feel my shoulders curving in on myself, trying to be smaller, trying to hold my arms in a way that won’t show off the bingo wings that my mother points out every time I wear short sleeves.
Pip beams at me, her easy friendship somehow always managing to put me at ease. “The dress! I’m obsessed. I knew it would look gorgeous on you. Come sit, sit.” She pulls out a chair for me but I’m intercepted by Cassie. She envelops me in a warm hug of her own, her rose scented shampoo invading my senses.
“Congratulations, honey,” Cassie says quietly.
“Thank you,” I whisper into her ear before she releases me with a squeeze to turn to the others.
I never thought in a million years that when I finagled Anya to take a job in Paris, that I’d now be hiding from paparazzi, having dinner with supermodels and pop stars and expecting a movie star’s baby. But here I am.
I catch Anya’s eye as she takes a seat opposite me and we share a small secret laugh. Sometimes it’s like she can pluck my thoughts straight out of my mind.
“We’ve already ordered a couple of bottles, but we didn’t know what you’d like to drink, Rosie?” Cassie asks, tracing her glass on the white table cloth.
“We should cancel the wine. It’s rude to drink when you can’t,” Pip insists. “Excuse me?” She tries to get the waiter’s attention.
I laugh. “Don’t be silly. I’m good with water.”
Danny fills my water glass before I’ve even finished speaking, and I shoot him a grateful smile.
“I’m not drinking anymore, actually,” Pip announces. “After the wedding I can’t stand the sight of white wine without getting flashbacks to attempting the worm at the reception.”
We all laugh as the conversation descends into reminiscing about the wedding.
“Your Aunt was a machine on the dance floor, Annie,” Cassie says with a laugh.
She groans into her palms as Danny laughs, placing his arm along her chair. “Claudette really was the life of the party.”
“I think she started talking to a studio head about a film idea she had at one point.”
Anya groans more, sinking into her seat. “Whyis she like this?”
“That wasn’t the only interesting thing that happened at the wedding,” Cassie says, folding her hands underneath her chin and grinning impishly.
I glance at Anya with wide eyes. “I didn’t say anything!” she insists.
Cassie cackles, her gold bracelets clanging as she taps her hands on the table. “I knew it!”
“Knew what?” I laugh nervously as my cheeks heat. I glance at Jackson for help, but he just shoots me a wink.
