Page 25 of The Retreat
Dinner was loud. The clink of cutlery, bursts of laughter, and the scrape of chairs on old wood floors were grating on Talia’s nerves.
Talia sat stiffly at the long table, pretending to focus on her food. There was a sauce-covered something on her plate. Possibly aubergine. Maybe a wet sock. She pushed it around, trying to look occupied. Trying not to look up. Not to look across the table at the woman sitting in front of her.
Imogen was talking to Jade, anyway. Talia could take a quiet moment to collect herself. And she would collect herself. Everything was fine. They’d had a weird afternoon, that was all. A bit of blindfolded navigation, a smudge on a cheek, a blame taken, those things didn’t add up to much.
And the way Talia had felt Imogen’s hand on her arm, guiding her, steadying her… That had affected her only because she’d been tired. Disoriented. Vulnerable. Vulnerability did strange things to a person’s mind.
Talia stabbed a cherry tomato a bit too hard. It burst like a blister. She heard Jade laugh. Talia’s eyes lifted instinctively.
Jade was seated on Imogen’s other side, turned toward her with her chin in one hand, all loose hair and sparkly eyes. She said something that made Imogen smile.
It was probably nothing. Jade flirted with everyone. She was one of those people. Touchy. Breezy. In desperate need of that kind of attention constantly and permanently.
But Imogen was laughing back.
Talia looked away and cut a piece of aubergine. She chewed it, tasting nothing. She picked up her wineglass, then set it down again without drinking. Her eyes flicked back up against her will to see Jade touch Imogen’s wrist.
Suddenly, the stupid charade she and Imogen were playing together flashed into her mind. She was meant to be the girlfriend.
She leaned forward slightly, kept her voice light and jokey.
‘Careful, Jade. That’s my girlfriend you’re pawing at.’
A few people at the table snorted.
Jade laughed too, completely unfazed. ‘Relax, Talia. I was just admiring her bracelet.’
Talia smiled back. She was playing her part. See? All fun and games.
Then she looked at Imogen. She wasn’t smiling. She was looking at Talia with this odd sort of stillness. Like she hadn’t appreciated the joke.
Talia’s smile faltered.
She looked back at her plate, heart beginning to thump harder now. She picked up her wine and drank it too fast.
‘You all right?’ Rhona asked quietly from beside her.
‘Fine,’ Talia said. It came out a bit strangled.
She made herself look up again. Just in time to see Imogen lean into Jade’s space and say something close to her ear. Jade tipped her head back and laughed.
And the act dropped. Talia found herself wanting to punch Jade in the face.