One Perfect Summer

happened with Callum?’
    ‘Oh . . .’ She slumps down onto one of the sofas and almost spills her drink. ‘Whoa!’
    ‘Sorry. You can get lost in those cushions.’
    Suddenly she snorts with laughter and I can’t help but join in, relieved to have my friend back.
    ‘Cheers,’ she says between giggles. At least the tears have been kept at bay. ‘I don’t want to go into it too much, but he was being a bit of a shit and I’d had enough.’
    ‘A shit in what way?’ I ask.
    ‘I hardly got to see him – he was always out playing football at weekends – and the last straw was him telling me he wants to go to Ibiza this summer with his mates instead of going away again with me.’
    ‘That sucks,’ I empathise.
    ‘You don’t see much of Lukas, though, do you?’
    ‘Not during the day, but that’s the bonus about living together – I see him every night.’
    ‘Fair point. But he goes home to Germany all the time without you?’
    ‘Not all the time,’ I say dismissively. ‘And it’s not like he’s going away with his mates; he’s going home.’
    ‘ To see that girl.’
    What the hell? ‘He doesn’t see Rosalinde!’ I exclaim. ‘He sees his parents! And his nephew and his brother and sister! Anyway, she’s engaged,’ I feel compelled to add.
    ‘Is she?’ she asks with interest.
    ‘Yes. She’s marrying some banker.’
    ‘Will you be invited to the wedding?’
    ‘I don’t know, Lizzy!’
    ‘I don’t mean to be annoying,’ she says suddenly. I’m feeling slightly less excited about having her here at the moment.
    ‘Don’t worry about it.’ I try to calm down. ‘Anyway, you were saying about Callum . . .’
    ‘Oh, I don’t know. Maybe I’m expecting too much.’
    ‘No, it does sound a bit crap about him wanting to go off on holiday with his mates.’
    ‘Yeah, but they all finish university this year and have been talking about having one last lads’ holiday before they all have to grow up and get jobs.’
    Is she talking herself into asking him back? I don’t know, but I’m staying well out of it.
    I hear Lukas’s key turn in the lock and I get up to greet him.
    ‘Hello,’ I say warmly, giving him a kiss on his lips.
    ‘Champagne!’ he exclaims with a look at my glass.
    ‘You don’t mind, do you?’ I ask with alarm.
    ‘No, no, of course not. It’s early, that’s all.’
    ‘Don’t worry – I’ve warned Lizzy not to let me forget to cook dinner.’
    ‘You only have to put it in the oven,’ he teases. I follow him through to the living room. ‘Hello.’ He waves at Lizzy.
    ‘Hi!’ she replies brightly.
    ‘How was your journey?’ he asks.
    I go to the kitchen while they make small talk. I should probably get on with the salad.
    Harry arrives before Matthew. ‘My beautiful Alice,’ he says when I answer the door. He brandishes a bottle of red wine in my face, then wraps his arms around me for a hug. I laugh into his shoulder as he squeezes me hard.
    ‘Would you get your filthy hands off my girlfriend,’ Lukas jokes as he relieves him of his bottle. They shake hands.
    ‘Come and meet my friend Lizzy,’ I say, taking him through and making the introductions.
    ‘It’s very nice to meet you,’ he says politely to her.
    ‘How did your revision go today?’ Lukas asks.
    ‘Frightful,’ he replies. ‘Symmetry and particle physics.’ Blah blah blah, something about mesons, baryons and quark structure. It’s like another language to me.
    ‘Have a glass of champagne?’ I interrupt.
    ‘I wouldn’t say no,’ he replies.
    Matthew arrives soon afterwards. I see his taxi pull up outside the kitchen window and go to let him in. He hands me an exquisite bouquet of green and white flowers.
    ‘They’re beautiful.’ I kiss him on his cheek.
    ‘It’s been far too long,’ he says intently, his hand on my waist. I can’t help but think about my conversation with Lukas at the ball. ‘How are you?’
    ‘Great! You?’
    ‘Hello, there!’ Lukas appears in the hall. I back away into the living room.
    Lizzy’s eyes widen when she sees Matthew. She tries to sit up straighter on the sofa when he shakes her hand, and then blushes furiously when he collapses down next to her. I smile to myself as I go into the kitchen to put the flowers in a vase. Lukas follows me.
    ‘You okay?’ I ask him.
    ‘Why wouldn’t I be?’ he replies frostily, staring at me for a long moment before going back through to the living room. I shiver inadvertently. For the first