In Bed With Lord Byron

believe it! I must say hello!’
    She dashed off, flinging her arms around him. Soon they were dancing, Kerry undulating her body in sexy curves, leaning in close to him.
    Shit, I thought, any minute now, Anthony’s going to storm out. Or he’ll walk up and sock Drew one. I felt shaky with disbelief – didn’t Kerry realise how jealous Anthony
could be?
    But Anthony just sat there sipping his cocktail.
    ‘Do you mind?’ I blurted out.
    ‘What?’
    ‘This.’ I waved at Kerry.
    ‘What’s to mind?’
    ‘Well, aren’t you jealous?’
    ‘You taught me not to be jealous, Lucy,’ said Anthony. ‘I’m not going to mess up this time.’
    I felt shocked.
    ‘But Anthony, this is stupid. I mean, this is the other extreme – I think you
should
be jealous . . .’
    ‘What’s it to you anyway?’ Anthony snapped. ‘I thought you didn’t care. I thought you didn’t even want to be friends.’
    I recoiled, stung. Suddenly I didn’t want to be here any more. I’d said sorry, hadn’t I? I was trying to make amends, and all he could do was insult me.
    ‘What are you doing?’ Anthony asked as I stood up.
    ‘Look,’ I said, ‘the only reason I’ve come here is because of you. I thought we could still be friends. And I’m sorry if I was rude at dinner but I was just –
just nervous. I don’t know why you paid for me to come all the way here if you’re going to treat me this way. I don’t think I’m even going to come to your stupid wedding. I
think it’s better if I just fly home, don’t you?’
    ‘Lucy . . .’ Anthony began, but I turned and ran out.
    Outside, I hailed a taxi. As it swung away, I found myself bursting into hot tears of shame. I knew that I had been in the wrong; Anthony’s words kept repeating over and over, lacerating
my heart with a fresh slash each time. I didn’t mean to hurt you or be rude at dinner, I kept apologising inwardly. I just couldn’t understand why you were being so unfriendly. I
can’t understand what’s happened between us.
    Oh God, I wept, I wish I’d never come. What if I’ve ruined my friendship with Anthony for good?
    iii) A very long talk with Anthony
    A knock on my hotel door.
    Now what?
    I had got back from the club an hour ago, and now I was feeling rather sheepish and stupid. The truth was, I had backed myself into a corner. Deep down I really did want to stay and see the
wedding, but my angry pride kept telling me I had to follow my threat through and start packing.
    I had just put on my bridesmaid’s dress again – with a masochistic sort of sadness that I wouldn’t be wearing it, mixed with relief that nobody would have to see me looking
this bad – when there was a knock on the door.
    ‘Yes?’ I called out.
    Anthony entered. He did a doubletake at my outfit, then swallowed.
    ‘Lucy, I think we’ve been having some kind of misunderstanding,’ he said. ‘Look, I really didn’t mean to upset you. I was so worried I was going to come back and
find you’d left. I’ve been going crazy, ringing the hotel every few minutes to see if you’d checked out.’
    ‘Really?’ I asked in astonishment. Suddenly relief washed over me. Anthony did care; he did want me here. Then I said sharply, ‘But you’ve been so mean to me. I mean
– I know I was rude at the dinner, but only because you were making me so upset by being so cold!’
    ‘Yeah, well, it’s all a misunderstanding,’ said Anthony. He broke off and looked over my shoulder. ‘Is that a minibar?’
    ‘What?’
    ‘A minibar. Lucy, my head is thumping and I am dying for a drink. Fuck, Morrison is organising this stupid stag night tomorrow night that I don’t even want, and now I’ve just
had this row with you – I
so
need a drink.’
    ‘Well, sure.’ I laughed.
    We took some gin and tonics out of the little fridge and sat on the bed. We chinked our bottles and grinned. Even without explanations, forgiveness was already starting to flow between us.
    ‘So,’ I said, my tone playful but also still rather hurt, ‘why were you so mean to me?’
    ‘D’you remember that night you came over when I was at work and you and Kerry had a chat together? Well, she told me you’d said it was better if we weren’t friends any
more. I felt pretty hurt – I mean, God, I should have spoken to you, I knew in my heart I should have. But there was no time, and Kerry whisked me off to the States. I didn’t even think
you’d turn up for the wedding. Kerry said you felt really