Page 194 of Never Tell Secrets

I closed my eyes, inhaling the bleeding hearts, the velvet softness of their petals light on my fingertips.

Yes, I was ready.

I was in heaven, walking with Natalie on one side and Riley on the other as we admired a collection of topiary elephants.

“Okay,” Keira half-whispered as she rushed over to me, Ryan following close behind, “we’ve scoped out the competition and those losers have got nothing on you. Have they, Ryan?”

“Nothing. They’re going down.” He punched his fist into his open palm, scowling. Keira and Riley both laughed but Natalie and I didn’t, we knew Ryan well enough to believe he might actually sabotage one of my competitors.

“Thanks for your expert opinion,” I told him, straightening out his shirt. Natalie had done her best to dress him appropriately for this prestigious event but his shorts still showed off grazed knees and nothing would ever make his hair behave itself.

“Riley, back me up,” Keira said.

“They aren’t far wrong. You have strong competition but your piece is incredible. You could really win it.”

I was trying not to get my hopes up. I’d looked at the other pieces in my category, each had me awestruck and each had been created by designers with far more experience than me. I felt like a tiny fish in a very big pond but the point of today wasn’t winning, it was being here. In my mind, I’d already won. Already achieved the biggest dream I had.

I walked with my family, exploring. Listening to Riley explain to Ryan what each plant was reminded me so much of my own mum, the kind of conversation we’d have had if she’d ever been able to bring me here.

We were looking at a water garden when I caught sight of a familiar blonde head of hair. “Bradley?” I called out and heturned, grinning wide. Leaving my family I ran to him, flinging my arms around his neck. “What are you doing here?”

“I told you I’d come, did you really think we’d miss it?”

“We?” Oh, his girlfriend. I cast my eyes around searching for her but instead I found another familiar face. “Rosie!”

“Oh, my dear, I’m so, so proud of you!” She enveloped me in a hug and I held on tight to her. “Your mum would be so happy too.”

“Thank you.” I pulled away, squeezing her hands tight. She looked the same and there was something so deeply comforting about that.

“Where's your girlfriend?” I asked Bradley.

“Fiancée,” he grinned and I squealed. “Anna couldn’t make it, she and her mum are going to a wedding fair.” He shuddered. “She said to wish you luck.”

“She doesn’t mind you being here instead?”

“No,” he shook his head, pushing the curls out of his eyes. “I think she’s glad I’m going to be out of the way and can’t have a meltdown about how much she’s spending.”

Rosie laughed and made a comment about it being better that he didn’t know, then wandered off to greet my family.

Bradley and I stood in silence for a moment, a world of unspoken history passing between us. “You look happy, Lo.”

“So do you.”

“I am, I’m really glad you…” he trailed off as the atmosphere around us suddenly shifted, the crowd filling with excited chatter. Bradley frowned. “I didn’t knowhe’dbe here.”

I turned, following his gaze until I found Mark Tafferty heading for me.

“Neither did I,” I muttered. The last time I saw Mark, we hadn’t exactly parted on good terms.

Bradley’s stern eye was fixed on the man currently making his way through a series of fans. “Shall I stay with you?”

“No, I’ll be fine. Come find me when they’re announcing the winners, okay?”

“I will. Don’t take any shit.” He kissed my cheek before going to join Rosie. I took a deep breath and turned to face the man I’d once looked up to so much.

“Mark…hi. How are you?”

“I’m very well and very happy to see you, Lola.” He pressed a stiff kiss to my cheek and I fought the urge to wipe it away, hating the fact that it covered Bradley’s. “You’ve done amazing work.” He sounded genuine, an earnest tone in his voice that I’d never heard before. Our working relationship had gone from indifferent to passive aggressive to cold very quickly, there hadn’t been much time for warmth.