‘OK. I’ll be there.’
After the call, I gathered up my things and headed back for the lodge. The timing of my moving-on ritual had been perfect, as had Effy’s call. It felt like the universe was responding. Finn was free. But what had Effy meant by ‘there’s more’? Was Finn somehow involved in my birthday surprise? Were her and Tash going to have him gift-wrapped and delivered by parcel express? Now that idea did appeal. Suddenly the weekend was looking a lot brighter and as I walked back to the lodge, my whole world felt lighter.
When I got to the road, it occurred to me that if Finn had been at the estate agent’s, he might still be in the village. I raced up the lane, then slowed down, so that if I did accidentally-on-purpose bump into him, I didn’t look like a beetroot.
I strolled down the high street, acting like I was window-shopping but actually looking to see if Finn was in any of the shops. I passed the estate agency. I could see Mrs Davis at her desk but there was no sign of Finn or Effy. I passed Costa. I even went in and bought a cereal bar but still no Finn. He wasn’t in our regular café either.
This is mad, I told myself after I’d looked in the window at café Rouge. It’s one thing being more positive about the future but another trooping about like a sad loser. I set off for the bus stop. Tomorrow, maybe I’ll see Finn tomorrow.
‘Hey, you, stop stalking me,’ said a male voice.
I turned around to see Finn standing behind me. I went bright red. Had he seen me looking in all the shops? How long had he been behind me? Oh shut up, Jo, I told myself. He couldn’t know that Effy had told me he was in Highgate. He couldn’t know I was looking for him. He can’t see in my head. All the same, I felt like I’d been caught out.
‘Er . . . Hi. Ha ha, me stalking you? Er, maybe you hadn’t noticed that you’re behind me. I think that when stalking, it’s common for the stalker to be behind,’ I said and realised that I was blabbering.
‘I like to be different,’ said Finn.
He’s teasing me, I thought, isn’t he? Yes. He is. God, I must relax, not be so intense.
‘So. Are you following me?’ I asked.
He laughed. Ah and there was me trying to be discreet. I’ll never get my stalker’s badge, will I? Nah. I just saw you across the street. So what you been up to?’
‘You’d never believe me if I told you.’
‘You said that last time.’
‘Did I? Oh. Yes, well, I like to be consistent. So what have you been up to?’
‘With Mum and Dad looking at houses,’ he said, ‘and also, checking out wedding venues. My eldest sister’s getting married in the auturnn.’
‘How many sisters have you got?’
‘Two. Darcy and Michelle. Michelle’s the one getting married.’
‘Will you be pageboy?’
‘Think I’d look cute in a wee velvet suit? Nah. She wants my band to do the music, that will be my contribution.’
Where’s she getting married?’
‘St George’s,’ Finn replied. ‘Church at the back of the square. Do you know it?’
‘I do. Least now I do.’ A thought flashed into my mind. Wedding? St George’s. ‘Have you been inside?’
‘Yeah. We all went a few weeks ago to check it out.’
‘Did the church seem familiar?’
Finn gave me a strange look. ‘Familiar how?’
‘Oh . . . don’t know, that is, when I went in, I felt the altar was in the wrong place.’
Finn looked baffled. You going into interior design?’
‘No.’
‘Architecture?’
‘No. I–’
A black BMW honked a short distance away. ‘Finn,’ called the driver. I looked over. An older man was at the driving wheel, Finn’s dad by the look of him.
‘Sorry, I’ve got to go,’ he said. ‘See you tomorrow.’
‘Tomorrow?’
I could tell by Finn’s face that he’d realised that he wasn’t supposed to let on that he knew about my birthday. ‘I mean around. Tomorrow, next day, soon.’
I laughed. He was definitely in on whatever surprise Effy and Tash had organised. ‘Yeah.’
He turned to go then glanced back. ‘Oh, I meant to ask you, how’s the article coming along?’
‘Slowly,’ I said.
He gave me a wide grin and looked me up and down in a suggestive way. ‘That’s how I like it.’
If I was red before, I was purple now. Someone let out a strange high-pitched giggle. Oh Lord! It was me. I turned away before I did or said anything else stupid.
Finn got into the waiting car which then roared off. There was no denying it. Major flirting had just taken place. As I reached my bus stop, I realised that I was grinning like an idiot.
Chapter Twenty
When I got to Effy’s the next day, she showed me the invite that she and Tash had sent out.
Come As You Were
A reincarnation parly at
228 Trinder £oad, north London NG
Saturday June 2nd, 7.30 onmrdz
Dress up as whoever you think you might
have been in a past life.
‘Brilliant idea for a party but I have nothing to wear,’
I said as I sat on Effy’s bed. ‘I didn’t come prepared.’
‘Sorted,’ said Tash and she produced an Edwardian dress from Effy’s wardrobe. ‘We got it from the fancy dress hire shop when we got our costurnes. Put your hair up and you’ll look the part perfectly.’
I didn’t have to ask what part. It had been decided for me. Henrietta.
The dress was fabulous, deep plum-coloured velvet with a high buttoned neck and nipped-in waist. It fitted perfectly and when I did my hair, I looked every bit the governess.
‘I look like Mary Poppins,’ I said as I took in my reflection.
‘Supercalifragilistic. Really suits you,’ said Effy as she added big gold earrings to her outfit. She was going as an Egyptian dancer and Tash as Guinevere in a simple white dress with a crown of flowers on top of her loose hair which for once she’d let curl.
A squirt of my Guerlain Jicky perfume (my birthday present from Mum she knew it was my favourite) and we were ready. We made our way down to the basement where the party was to be held. Effy’s mum and dad were still in the house but had retired to the top floor for the evening. The lower floor has always been Owen and Effy’s. It changed from a nursery to a den as they grew up. It’s a lovely space that opens out through French windows into the garden at the back, it has a bathroom and loo and what used to be an au pair’s room is now Owen’s bedroom and study at the front. This evening, the back doors were open onto a lovely summer evening and Dave, dressed as Sir Lancelot, was ready to meet guests with a tray of fruit punch out on the terrace area. Owen, dressed as an ancient Greek in a toga and sandals, was out there with him. He was busy filling bowls with crisps and tortilla chips.
‘Hmm, nice legs,’ I said.
He turned and looked me up and down. ‘Thanks and wow, you look amazing. Seriously’ He put down his bag of supplies, gave me a hug and pulled me over to a quiet corner. ‘So how have you been?’
‘Good,’ I said but I took a step back from him. I didn’t want Finn to arrive, see me in a close tete a tete, then get the wrong idea.
Owen noticed that I was keeping my distance and, for a second, a flash of hurt crossed his face. ‘I . . . I wondered if we could get some time alone? Doesn’t have to be tonight as you’ll be busy chatting to everyone at the party.’
I glanced at the door where people were beginning to arrive. ‘Course,’ I said. ‘Maybe in the summer when you’re back for longer. We’ll have weeks to hang out with the gang then.’
Owen looked directly into my eyes. ‘I meant just us. We don’t always have to hang out with the others.’
‘That’s true. Talking of which, who’s this Susie then?’
Owen shrugged a shoulder. ‘Just a mate. No-one special. Listen, Jo, I ... I want to talk to you.’ My heart went out to him
. This was Owen. One of my oldest friends and I did have feelings for him, tender feelings. I wouldn’t hurt him for the world.
‘Sure. Course,’ I said. ‘We’ll do something soon. Just us.’
Luckily I was saved by Mark’s arrival. He was dressed as an Egyptian king and was followed soon after by the Pope, Rasputin and the Queen of Sheba. Someone dressed as a pig came in from the garden and headed straight for the table of food making oink oink sounds that cracked us all up. It was a good spread. My mum had paid for some of it and Effy had asked people to bring contributions, then Tash, Owen, Mark and Dave had put it all together. Quiches, French bread, cheeses, coleslaw, hummus, taramasalata, lots of crisps and dips were all laid out with paper plates to the side.
The pig wasn’t the only strange costurne; Ben Fraser arrived wearing black bin liners and his usual shades. I felt a rush of anticipation on seeing him. If Ben was here, Finn couldn’t be far behind.
‘What are you supposed to be?’ asked Tash.
‘A black hole,’ he replied. ‘What else?’
‘Obvi,’ said Effy.
I cracked up and even Ben laughed. ‘Each to his own,’ I said. ‘I guess everyone will interpret the theme their own way, depending on what they believe.’
‘Or depending on what costurne suits them,’ said Tash. ‘I don’t really believe I was Guinevere. I just like the look.’
Ben turned back to me and thrust a card into my hand.’You look good.’
‘Thanks,’ I said.
Tash whipped the card away from me. ‘I’ll take that,’ she said and went and put it on a small pile on a table in the corner.
‘Sorry about my bossy friend,’ I said to Ben. ‘Her and Effy do like to organise.’
Ben looked around. ‘It’s nice. Nice to have mates who are there for you.’
‘Are you good mates with everyone in the band?’ I asked. ‘Or is it just a business arrangement?’ I was hoping to get him talking about Finn.
‘Bit of both,’ said Ben. We have to get on because we spend so much time together.’
‘Food,’ Dave called from the buffet table. He came towards us with a couple of plates laden with pizza. He gave one plate to Ben. ‘Give us a hand, will you, and hand out some of this while it’s hot.’
‘Sure,’ said Ben.
‘I told you my friends were bossy,’ I said.
‘It’s cool. It’s your birthday. You should be princess for the day,’ he said, smiled then went off with Dave. I was beginning to warm to Ben. My silent companion from my sad days in junior school and he clearly had a good sense of humour judging by his mad bin liner costurne. Maybe he would be worth getting to know better.
After he’d gone, Owen moved back over to me with a worried look on his face. ‘Who’s he?’
‘No-one really,’ I was able to say truthfully. ‘Just a guy from Minted, the bass player in fact.’
I could see he was relieved. ‘Oh yeah. I thought he looked familiar,’ he said.
The rooms and garden soon began to fill up with various kings, queens, a nun, a vicar, Marilyn Monroe, Jimi Hendrix and a few animals. It appeared that Effy had invited half of our year plus some people we knew from the year above. Dave and Mark had invited some boys from their school too. Luckily everyone arrived laden with food and drinks for the table. I watched a headless Mary Queen of Scots head for the buffet. She’d fastened her dress over her hair and was carrying a papier mache head under her arm. Very inventive but perhaps not the wisest costurne, I thought as she walked into a wall.
‘I see Mary’s out of her head again,’ Effy quipped as she sashayed past.
‘You’ve invited loads of people,’ I said. ‘Sure your mum and dad are OK with it?’
Effy nodded. ‘You know they love a full house.’ I did. Effy and Owen’s parents were very social and there were always people over, whether for a big Sunday lunch or spontaneous drinks party.
‘Um, so seeing as Ben is here ... any chance you invited Finn?’ I asked. I tried to act like I didn’t know.
Tash grinned. ‘Course we invited Finn.’
‘A birthday surprise,’ said Effy. ‘Though I do think Owen is keener than ever.’ My face must have given away my reaction to that news and Effy put her hand on my arm. ‘But hey, even though he’s my brother, if it’s not true love, I’m certainly not going to push it.’
‘There are different kinds of love,’ I said. ‘True love, safe love, crazy love, love for chocolate, love for friends. A hundred varieties of love and how I feel about Owen is in there somewhere.’
Already the atmosphere was bubbling as people greeted each other and saw who’d dressed up as who. I wondered who Finn would come as. Casanova? Some romantic hero, I was sure of that. It will be so cool if Finn comes as an Edwardian gentleman, I thought, then we’ll be the perfect match.
Tracey O’Neill and Chantelle Robinson made their entrance next. Tracey had come as Peter Pan, a fictional character so not possibly someone she might have been in a past life but it didn’t matter, especially not to the boys, most of whom did double takes when she walked past. Her amazing, curvy body, tiny waist and great legs were shown off to great effect by the short tunic she was wearing with a wide leather belt slung round her hips. She’s very pretty with cropped auburn hair and as I watched the boys ogling her and Chantelle, who was wearing nothing but a bath towel, I wondered if I should have insisted on wearing a sexier outfit. I liked the dress the girls had found me but with its high neck, I was beginning to feel a tad prim and proper in it.
‘Who are you supposed to be?’ Tash asked Chantelle.
‘The invite said come as you were. I was in the bath about half an hour ago,’ she replied, ‘so I’ve come as I was.’
‘Brilliant,’ said Tash.
Tracey pulled a bottle out of her bag and offered it to me. Vodka.
‘Oh, no thanks,’ I said.
She shrugged then laughed. ‘Staying in character, are you?’
Now I really did feel prim and proper.
Effy was busy Egyptian dancing with Mark so I went through to the garden to see who was out there. Behind me, there was a sudden round of applause. I looked to see what was happening and saw a group of people gathered at the door. I went back inside and jostled my way through the crowd to see that the commotion had been caused by Finn’s grand entrance. He wasn’t dressed as my romantic hero, instead he’d come as a ballet dancer in a pink tutu and a diamante tiara on his head. His costurne didn’t cover his hairy legs and sneakers though. He was prancing around doing the dance of the dying swan. Curiously, even though dressed as a girl, he looked more attractive than ever.
He noticed me, grinned and pirouetted over. ‘What do you think?’ he asked.
‘Very . . . pretty,’ I said as Elvis Presley handed him a drink.
I looked down at his Converse Allstars. ‘Didn’t they do ballet shoes in size ten?’
‘Afraid not. Hey, you look good. I always fancied Mary Poppins.’
‘I’m not Mary Poppins,’ I said as Owen passed by. He heard what Finn had said and glanced at me. In an instant, I knew he could see that I was attracted to Finn. He’d known me all my life. He attempted a grin but I could see it was a cover-up. He spun around and headed back inside almost knocking Effy over on his way.
She came over to join us. ‘Congratulations, Finn,’ she said. ‘You’re the first person to come in a different gender to the one in this life.’
Finn looked mystified. ‘Meaning?’
‘Apparently souls don’t always stay the same sex on their joUmey through time. We have some lives as women, some as men. You may well have been a woman in a past life.’
Finn looked at me, then back at Effy, then put his arm around her. ‘Jo, your mate doesn’t half talk some shite.’
With that he wandered off towards the drinks table where he’d seen Ben. I also noticed Tracey appeared to be adding the vodka to the punch. Like a moth to a flame, I thought as I saw her clock Finn then go into full flirt mode an
d, the cheek of him, he even glanced over at me to see if I was watching. I stuck my tongue out at him but it was Ben who saw it and nudged Finn. For a moment, I thought Finn was going to come back over to me, but then Effy and Tash appeared with a big cake with candles and everyone sang a rousing chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’.
‘Make a wish,’ said Effy when they’d finished.
I took a quick look around the room at all my mates looking at me with affection: Owen, Dave, Mark, people from school and Finn’s smiling face there amongst them. It didn’t get any better. I wish that Finn is The One, I thought as I blew out the candles.
Everyone cheered, then a great fuss was made of cutting the cake and making sure everyone got a piece. I looked around to find Finn to give him an extra-large piece but he seemed to have disappeared. I realised I couldn’t see Tracey either. Doesn’t mean they’re together, I told myself. Doesn’t mean they’re together.
I chatted to various people but was finding it hard to focus. I had a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach. I made my way into the hall where there was a queue for the bathroom. It was occupied.
Dave banged on the door. ‘Come on, there are people bursting out here.’
I heard a stifled giggle as the door was unlocked. Out came a dishevelled Finn, his tiara in his hand and his lippie smeared up his cheek. He wasn’t alone. Tracey was with him, leaning into him with one arm slung around his neck.
I turned away and came face to face with Owen. He saw what was happening straight away and that I was upset. He looked over at Finn, then back to me, and the expression on his face mirrored mine.
As if things couldn’t get more awkward, Ben appeared behind Owen. He also registered what was going on and looked at me to see my reaction. And then Finn noticed me standing there. With Tracey still draped around him, he shrugged his shoulders and gave me a helpless look as if to say, what can I do?
I looked from Owen to Ben to Finn. They all seemed to be looking at me as though they felt sorry for me. I guess the whole world knows that I’m just another sad loser with a crush on Finn O’Brady, I thought as I pushed past them. Why oh why does love have to be so complicated and the one boy I truly want is with another girl? I asked myself as I made a dash for the garden where I burst into tears. Happy Birthday to me. Not.
Love at Second Sight Page 12
