“Run a tab,” Veronica told him, handing over a credit card. Bella wondered whether it was hers, or Carl’s. They both took sips from their brimming glasses.

“Mmmm, lovely,” said Veronica. Bella watched the tip of her tongue lick at a drop on her top lip. “Anyway, what was I saying?”

Bella paused for a second, wondering whether to remind her. Curiosity compelled her.

“You were talking about Carl’s money.”

“Oh yes.” Veronica took another slow sip of her drink. Bella could tell she was weighing up what to say and wondered whether her reluctance stemmed from the topic of conversation, or whether it was she – Bella – that was the reason for her hesitation.

Veronica lit another cigarette and waved the packet at Bella. Bella shook her head.

“Sure you don’t want one?”

“I’m sure,” said Bella, more firmly than she felt.

The barman slid another two brimming glasses in front of them. Bella flexed her aching feet and glanced down at the shopping bags clustered around the legs of their chairs; she was paranoid someone was going to steal them.

“God, I’ve spent so much money,” she said, almost to herself. Veronica heard her and smiled.

“It’s only money,” she said, waving her cigarette in a slow, lazy circle. They both watched the smoke weave itself into a small, grey circle.

“I suppose.”

Veronica put her free hand to her neck, rolling her head back as if her shoulders ached. There was something sensual in the movement. Bella blinked and looked away.

“What have you got planned for tomorrow?”

Bella frowned. “Not sure. It depends on what Jake wants to do, I suppose.”

“Don’t let him get his own way all the time,” said Veronica, unexpectedly. Bella shifted uneasily on her stool. What did she mean?

“Work on Monday – God – “

“I know.” Bella took a sip of her drink. “I can’t bear it.”

“What do you do, again?”

“Admin. At a business publisher. It’s really dull.”

“So, do something else then.”

Bella laughed. “Yeah – it’s that easy.”

Veronica regarded her for a moment. Another tendril of smoke curled from her cigarette to the ceiling.

“You know what you could do. Escort work.”

“What?” Bella looked at her, wide-eyed.

“You’d be great. You’d like it – it’s easy. I put myself through college doing escort work.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” Veronica stubbed her cigarette out in a quick, decisive twist. “It’s really good money, and not too much like hard work.”

“But isn’t it – “ Bella hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. “Isn’t it – well – “

“No.” Veronica gave her a quick, amused glance. “It can be, if that’s what you want. You need to use a reputable agency. And keep your wits about you, of course.”

Bella gulped at her drink. She made it sound so respectable. She was agog at the thought of Veronica – cool, blonde Veronica – as an escort.

“Does Carl know that you – well, that you used to do that?”

Veronica gave a tiny snort. She’d drained her cocktail glass and gestured to the bartender for another.

“Of course,” she said. “How do you think we met?”

“God.” Bella blinked. “I thought you met at a party.”

Veronica laughed. “We did. We met again at a party. That’s where I met Jake for the first time. Carl and I had – already met.”

Bella took a final swallow of her Cosmopolitan.

“Blimey. Does Jake know that?”

“Know what?”

“Know that – well – that you and Carl had met before?”

Veronica shook her head. “It didn’t seem important,” she said softly. “As soon as it was just the three of us, that was the only thing that seemed important.”

Bella took a final swallow of her lukewarm cocktail, trying to look impassive. She was battling against a rising tide of jealousy, jealously in that the three of them had so much shared history. Jealous that they were so close. How can I compete with that, she thought, and felt tears prick her eyes. The nice day she’d had with Veronica felt spoiled. You’re being stupid, she told herself, trying reason. Jake’s in love with you, not her. You can’t be jealous of his brother, for God’s sake. What were the magazines always saying – everyone has a history? Grow up, Bella.

“Shall we get another drink?” Veronica was saying.

Bella managed a smile.

“Why not?” she said. “I’ll get this one.”

She checked her face in the mirror behind the bar as she looked for the barman and was reassured. She looked normal, just another girl in a bar with a friend beside her. Not a green-eyed monster, after all.

Chapter Eleven

They lay in their own private circle, long stems of grass forming a protective green barrier around them. Bella snuggled closer to Jake. She felt as if they were removed temporarily from the world, despite the faint voices of the nearby dog walkers. The sun felt ferociously warm, the rays as hot as on a Mediterranean beach. Jake put a hand over his eyes and tightened the arm that held Bella close to his chest.

“Nice to have a bit of time to ourselves.”

Yes, thought Bella. I wholeheartedly agree. She said nothing but signalled her agreement in the squeeze of her hand on his bicep.

“What did you and V get up to yesterday?”

“We went shopping. God – I spent so much money.” Bella felt guilty even now. “Seriously, it was like my credit card was possessed by a demon; it kept leaping into tills and forcing them to charge it.”

She heard his chuckle echo through his chest, right into the ear that was pressed against the warm bone of his ribcage.

“Buy any sexy underwear?”

“Of course. Actually, I bought this dress, you’re going to love it. Veronica said you’d love it.”

Jake said nothing but she felt the infinitesimal tightening of his muscles against her.

“Did she?”

“Yeah.”

They said nothing else for a moment. Then Bella took a deep breath.

“What about you?”

Jake looked at her in surprise.

“What about me what?”

“How was your day?”

“Oh – “ He shifted position again. “All right. Seeing the old man’s always a bit of a drag.”

“Why’s that?”

He glanced at her.

“Oh, you know – “

“I don’t. Why’s it a drag?”

Jake sighed. Bella couldn’t tell if it was with irritation.

“Come on,” she said. “Tell me. I don’t know anything about your family – well, apart from Carl.”

Jake sighed again. “Well – Carl – “

There was another moment’s silence. A bee flew low over the pair of them, its drowsy hum loud for a moment before it flew up and over the green barrier of grass stems that surrounded them.

“Oh, you know.”

Bella fought a spasm of irritation. She was just opening her mouth to retort sharply when Jake spoke again.

“I’m sorry, hon. It’s just – oh shit – I really hate all this family crap, all this dysfunctional caring, sharing shit. It’s such a stupid, sordid story anyway, it’s embarrassing to talk about.”

“That’s okay,” said Bella meaninglessly, agog to hear more.

Jake sighed again.

“It’s not particularly illuminating. You know my mum died, quite young?”

“No, I didn’t. I’m sorry – “

“Well, anyway. She had cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It kills you really quickly, I’m not kidding, one minute you’re diagnosed and the next you’re in a coffin, seriously. She died and –“

“How old were you?” Bella couldn’t stop herself interrupting.

“Ten. I was ten, Carl was twelve.”

“How awful,” murmured Bella inadequately. She could picture them; two little solemn-mouthed, black haired boys, clutching a photograph of their dead mother. She felt tears prick the inside of her eyes.

“It was pretty awful,” said Jake, remotely. There was a short silence. “Anyway, about six months after Mum died, my father married again, this blonde bird that used to be a friend of Mum’s. Well, I think she was a friend of Mum’s. Probably not, that was just some plan concocted by her and Dad to pull the wool over our eyes. Angela. She’s a cunt.”