Eliza caught my gaze, blushed, then looked away. “It was a classic case of me not paying enough attention. I put work first and didn’t prioritise her enough. Which she told me in no uncertain terms when she walked out.”
“Are you still in touch?”
Her cheeks blushed red. “We see each other when I go to New York on business.” She took a sip of her drink and avoided my gaze. “Anyway, enough of my sad life. Tell me tales of your wild convent years.”
When we were growing up, she used to make me laugh all the time, just like now. I’d never forgotten that.
“There’s not much to tell.” I suddenly wished there was, because Eliza was older and had beenmarried. She was always ahead of me, in every aspect of life.
“You’re not seeing anyone?”
I shook my head. “I’m not a nun, I’ve had dates, but then my job got busy, and it kinda fell by the wayside.”
“Aren’t we a pair?” she replied. “Things have changed for you since the Playgirl Poppy era.”
My whole body stilled. I knew exactly the era she meant. It was the era I was always trying to flee from. “Playgirl Poppy? Is that what you called me?”
Eliza winced. “And there’s me running my big gob off again, just when things were going so well.” She held up an apologetic hand. “Sorry. Forget I said it.” She grimaced a little more, a Pringle held in front of her mouth.
“Who called me Playgirl Poppy?”
She shook her head as she crunched, then swallowed.
“Not me. It was something I heard the last time I was in Les Gets.” She dropped her head. “In that gay club we all go to.”
My stomach churned. I couldn’t quite believe that time in my life had earned me a nickname. “Right after my mum died? That trip?” I couldn’t look at her. “I was never Playgirl Poppy. I was sad, angry, vulnerable Poppy. And yes, I partied hard. But if I took any women home, I probably passed out before much happened. That time of my life was anything but playful.”
Eliza took a deep breath, then leaned over and put her gin on the bedside table. She sat up, and took my hand in hers.
I didn’t shake her off.
“Look, I’m really sorry. We said we wanted to get to know each other now, and I brought up the past. I know it was a difficult time for you. It just slipped out.”
A barrage of the past and present ricocheted through me. All at once, I wanted to be enveloped by Eliza, but I also wanted to punch her. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to smooth out my emotions into something more palatable. Our childhood had been easy. Our adult relationship had been anything but.
“Can you forgive me? Otherwise, it’s going to be a really long trip.”
I blew out a long breath and shook my head. “You hit a nerve, you know? I wasn’t in a great place then.”
“I get that. Even bringing that up was a stupid move. But you must remember from our childhood that I can be impressively stupid?”
Despite myself, I smiled. “I do remember that.”
“Let’s circle back to you working too hard.”
“Yeah. After Playgirl Poppy was put away, Work Boss Poppy emerged. I needed something to put my energy into, and work won the prize. But it did mean that everything else suffered. Relationships, friendships, family. Aunt Margot wasn’t best pleased with me. Neither was Katy.” I shrugged. “I wasn’t best pleased with me either, but I had no idea how to make a change. Until I really started to deal with Mum’s death and went to therapy.”
“Let me guess: Margot wanted you to come and work in the company?”
I nodded. “She was going to give me Mum’s office. The place where her brain popped and she died on the floor. It was the last place in the world I wanted to be.”
The devastation still rattled through me most days, but its after-effects were getting calmer.
Eliza stroked my arm, and a multitude of fireworks went off under my skin where she touched me. Her fingertips blazed hot, and I leaned into her touch without thinking. When had someone last offered me comfort like this? When had I let them?
“But something’s changed now?”
Something had. “Now she wants to sell, yes. Plus, more time has passed, and I’ve had therapy.” I paused. “Which clearly means I’m an over-sharer now, too.”
