Total pages in book: 184
Estimated words: 176002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 880(@200wpm)___ 704(@250wpm)___ 587(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 176002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 880(@200wpm)___ 704(@250wpm)___ 587(@300wpm)
Which means she’s Carly. A goth girl with red hair. Probably early twenties. Hangs out in Camden.
No. No chance. It can’t be.
I lean against their countertop as I listen to Josh’s mum tell me how much they’ve all been looking forward to meeting me, and how lovely it is to see Josh so happy again. I want to sink into it, I do, but my legs are starting to feel like jelly.
Carly. A goth girl with red hair. Early twenties… Camden.
“Come on through, let’s introduce you to the family,” Heather says, and leads us into the dining room off to the right. Wow, here they are. Josh’s family waiting in eager anticipation. I feel swamped by the sea of faces, grinning brightly as I try to work out who is who.
Ok, so Emma is married to Craig, and they are sitting together, along with Polly-Anne, Josh’s niece. I see Josh’s sister Sasha – gorgeous – with the same smile as Josh… and the woman beside her with dark blue streaks in her hair must be Georgia. Yes, I’m right. They all confirm their names with bright grins and welcoming waves for me. Phil, Josh’s dad, is at the head of the table. A hot silver fox who smiles and tips his head in greeting, and next to him is Josh’s brother Scott, who barely shoots me a glance and a nod, since he’s so caught up in his phone.
But no Caroline. Not yet.
No Carly. The goth girl with red hair, in her early twenties, who hangs out in Camden.
“Where is our adorable, sweet little sister, then?” Emma asks Heather as Josh and I take our seats at the table.
“Running late apparently. Her boyfriend was doing a gig last night and they overslept.”
A gig.
I feel sick now. Much more sick.
“Caroline’s got a new boyfriend?” Josh asks Emma as Heather rushes back into the kitchen to stir the gravy.
Emma rolls her eyes, in the exact same way Josh does.
“Yes, she has. And in typical Caz style, she wanted to bring him along today. A surprise announcement. Why not pee on your parade, hey?” Emma looks at me. “Sorry, Ella, Caroline just likes to, um… take centre stage sometimes.”
“We’re all so glad you’re here,” Georgia says, “It’s great to see Josh so happy again. He’s been singing your praises nonstop.”
“Caz won’t last with this new guy anyway,” Craig chips in. “She thinks he’s going to be a world famous rockstar, but I doubt it. She’s living in fantasy land, as per.”
I feel my blood running cold.
A wannabe world famous rockstar, with Carly, a redhead goth girl…
“It’s Carly, not Caz anymore, remember?” Georgia reminds him. “Don’t call her Caz or she’ll bite your head off.”
“Not in front of her new boyfriend, she won’t. She’ll be putting on too much of a Little Miss Perfect display.”
“What’s his name, this new guy?” Josh asks.
My heart is suddenly pounding at his words. I look over at the door, my head spinning. It will take one hell of a scrabble to get around Emma, Craig and Polly-Anne if I need to run.
Stop it. I’m being paranoid. Just paranoid. I keep my smile on my face, shoving the stupid fears away, because it’s nothing but paranoia.
This guy’s name could be anything. Alex, Aaron, Eddie, Egbert, Graham, Leon, Leroy, Bertie, Ben, fucking Zeppelin. Who knows, and who cares, just as long as it’s not…
“Connor,” Georgia says, and my world implodes, just like that. “Carly’s new boyfriend is called Connor.”
“Sorry, what?” Josh says. “His name is Connor?”
Georgia nods. “Yeah, a guy she met in Camden. He’s hot, apparently. A punky looking rocker. Ha. Put a purple streak in his hair and maybe he’d look like you.”
Josh looks at me, wide eyed in horror, and I must be like a ghost staring back at him. I want to run, but I can’t, I’m stuck in position, I’m stuck here. In my seat. With Josh’s family all around me. Oblivious.
Oh shit. Oh fucking shit.
What the fuck am I going to do?
I have to try something, and Josh is ready to help, he takes my hand under the table, squeezing my fingers in support. Fuck it. I want to run out of here and bail before this car crash becomes reality. The universe has withdrawn its good fortune today, and it’s laughing at me. It’s laughing in hysterics.
A HELLO, sounds out from the hallway, and I hear Heather call out a hello, Carly in return.
My stomach lurches and I’ve gone all shaky and I’m close to throwing up my breakfast.
“Ah, there they are,” Emma says. “I thought she’d be later than this. She must be super keen to show him off, the incredible Connor. Sorry, Ella, she really is trying to pee on your parade.”
Pissing on my parade could never do it justice. Feasting on my soul, more like it.