Page 190 of Save You

“It sounds lovely.What would the dress code be?”

“Everyone could dress up as elves,” Doug suggests at once.

For a moment, we stop and stare at him.Who’d have thought Doug’s quiet demeanor would hide a love for fairy folk?

“Yes,” I say, but add hastily: “Or just floral for women and black tie with pastel shirts for the men?”

Jessa nods.“Perfect.”

Lin and I exchange glances.Have we just accidentally stumbled on the perfect theme for our next event?

“What’s the budget?”Kieran asks, frowning slightly.For the first time today, he’s looking directly at me.“Sounds kind of expensive.”

“True.But we didn’t have to pay the décor firm for the charity gala.”

Opposite me, James snorts.Clearly that’s still a touchy subject for him.I don’t know why, but I find that kind of sweet.

“So with that plus the money Lexie’s promised us for this event, we can really go to town.There should be plenty.”

“Well, I’m in,” says Camille.“Guys?”

“Should we vote on it, just to be certain?”suggests Lin.“All in favor ofA Midsummer Night’s Dream, raise your mugs.”

There are no mugs left behind.

As I look at the relaxed faces of my team, I get a warm andfuzzy feeling.I don’t know why, but it feels like the last half hour has really brought us closer together.

James

The week flies by, and they’re the best five days I’ve ever spent at Maxton Hall.Ruby and I spend as much time as we can together, which isn’t easy as we’re in different groups for all our subjects, but it still works out better than we’d have believed.

I meet her off the bus every morning and walk her to her classroom.Saying that, on Wednesday, Ruby insists on walking me tomyclassroom, and as that’s in the east wing, she has to practically sprint across the school to get to her own lesson on time.We have a couple of free periods at the same time, which we spend together in the library, where I try to focus on my revision, despite Ruby’s presence.On Thursday, we manage to eat lunch together, although I get the feeling that Lin is anything but thrilled by my being there.There are times when I’m scared she’ll jam her spoon into my eye, but she seems to be holding back.

For the first time since Mum died, I don’t feel like everything’s hopeless.It’s as if a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders, although I could do without all the gossip and unashamed nosiness of everyone at this school.

But the lads are more suspicious of Ruby than ever, and things are still tense since that bust-up with Wren.On Friday evening, Alistair invites us all over, in a blatant attempt to clear the air.I’m longing to spend the time with Ruby, but I know that I really need to speak to Wren.We haven’t said a word to each other sincelast Saturday, and I want to patch things up, on top of which, I want to know what’s wrong for him at home.And how I can help.

Annoyingly, Alistair’s brother, Fred, has crashed our little party, and he’s been droning on at me nonstop for over half an hour.He’s twenty-two and the Ellington poster boy: He’s at Oxford, he’s got a fiancée, and—unlike Elaine and Alistair—he’s keen to uphold the family traditions.None of us can stand him, mainly because their parents dote on Fred while acting like Alistair doesn’t even exist.

“Is it true that you’re on the Beaufort’s board already?”he asks, swirling a finger of whisky around the glass he’s holding.

“Yep,” I reply, not looking at him.I pull out my phone and see that I’ve had a message from Ruby:

JAMES!Alice Campbell invited me to see her in her London office!

I feel Fred’s curious eyes on me, so, much as I’d like to grin from ear to ear, I fight it down.

How did that happen?

“What’s it like?”Fred asks, totally oblivious to my blatant hint that I’m not putting up with his interrogation.

“Thrilling.”I growl my standard answer while waiting for Ruby to reply.“A real honor.”

I hear Cyril snort, despite his efforts to muffle the sound behind his hand.Unlike Fred, who just keeps on asking questions, he knows that what I really mean isWould you kindly shut the fuck up?

“Come on, Beaufort, spill the beans!”

At that moment, my iPhone lights up.Ruby’s sent me a screenshot of Alice’s email, above which she’s commentedEeek!