Page 143 of Falling for You

Penny’s eyes widen. ‘You can’t not do it – it’s amazing! People need to see it!’

‘Yeah, okay,’ I say. ‘Anyway, how’s your week been?’

‘Fine. Boring. Same old.’ Penny shrugs and looks around the room and I know the conversation about her work is over. The funny thing is, Penny is an actual scientist. She was part of the team that developed the Covid vaccine, forGod’s sake. She’s by far the smartest person that I know, and I could spend hours listening to the thoughts stored up in her brilliant brain. But to Penny, her job is the most boring thing in the world. She cannot understand why anyone would want to talk about it, and when I slip it into conversation how brilliant she is, she gets annoyed and brushes it off.

So, I’ve learnt not to dig too deep and certainly not to bring it up in front of any of our friends, and heaven forbid any strangers. Even though it’s the coolest thing about any of us. Unless I’m drunk, that is. Give me four tequilas and sign me up forThis Morning. She’d be nominated for Pride of Britain before she’d finished her drink.

‘You know, for a beauty event, everyone looks very …’ Penny makes a face. I turn around so we’re both looking at the same collection of poised, perfect strangers.

‘Beautiful?’ I suggest.

‘Well … yeah,’ Penny says. ‘But like, where is the imagination? You’d think someone would be wanting to steal the show at an event like this.’

‘What, like wearing a bat costume with real wings and hanging upside down in the ladies’ loo?’

Penny laughs. ‘Were you planning on doing that?’

I shrug. ‘You’d have to give me a leg-up – the pipe I spotted earlier is pretty high.’

‘What if it breaks?’

‘Free special effects.’

‘Of course.’

We drift into silence and I continue to sip my champagne.Tanya swans over a moment later, her dark skin sparkling as it catches the light of the giant chandelier.

‘Hey, guys,’ she says, swiping a champagne flute as it sails past. ‘What do you think? Are you having fun?’

Penny nods politely. ‘Yeah, it’s great.’

Tanya raises her eyebrows. ‘Honestly? I didn’t organise this event, remember, they’re just my client. Real feedback is helpful.’

‘It’s really boring,’ I say flatly. ‘Nobody is dancing! Everyone is just standing around looking perfect.’

Tanya looks over her shoulder and nods, chewing her lip. ‘That’s just what the client was saying.’

‘It’s not your event though, right?’ Penny says. ‘So not your problem to fix?’

‘No …’ Tanya says slowly, still peering around at the grand ballroom. ‘But if I do fix it then they’ll love me forever and let’s be honest, Christmas is round the corner and I’d love a bonus. Okay,’ she turns back to face us, ‘if I get them to play a good song, will you dance?’

‘Only if it’s a good Halloween song,’ I say. ‘I’m not getting my bat out for anyone.’

I pause. ‘Not a euphemism,’ I add into my champagne flute, concerned that Tanya may expect me to flash my vagina as soon as I hear the opening bars to ‘Thriller’.

Tanya nods. ‘Got it.’

‘Oh!’ Penny squeals, grabbing my arm. ‘Annie should open her wings, too! That’ll get people onto the floor!’

‘Really?’ I mumble.

‘Great idea,’ Tanya says, spotting the DJ. ‘Okay, I’ll be right back.’

‘Meet you on the dance floor!’ Penny calls after her. ‘Come on,’ she adds to me, plucking another two champagne flutes. ‘Get this down you.’

Five minutes later, as I’m gurgling down the dregs of my champagne, ‘Bump in the Night’ by Allstars starts to pump through the speakers. I grin and Penny whacks my arm.

God, I’m amazed that the DJ evenhadthis song.