‘Like she said – she wanted to tell Ed first. She probably needs some time to get her head around things.’
‘I don’t think she wants this baby.’
‘She does. She said—’ Robyn cut herself short.
Bella blinked. ‘Wait. You knew, didn’t you? Lexi told you she was pregnant.’
‘She called because she was upset—’
‘When?’
‘Last Sunday.’
‘Last Sunday? That’s over a week ago! She’s known all this time and not told me? I’m her maid of honour!’
‘Maybe she wasn’t sure she’d get the reaction she wanted from you.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘You didn’t even say congratulations.’
‘It was a shock.’
‘Is it? Lexi’s getting married. Everything’s different now. She’s not the same Lexi you were partying with in your twenties. She’s in love with Ed—’
Bella rolled her eyes.
‘What does’ – Robyn mirrored Bella’s eye-rolling, making her look deranged – ‘mean?’
‘It means Ed. She’s in love with Ed?’ She was saying his name in that way again, like it was a question.
Robyn folded her arms. ‘Let me guess, you don’t like him?’
She shrugged.
‘Name one boyfriend of Lexi’s you’ve actually liked.’
Bella went to the tray of drinks and poured two shots into used glasses. ‘The guy with the eagle tattoo,’ she said, passing a shot to Robyn.
‘Him? That’s the one you liked?’
She clinked her glass against Robyn’s and tipped back her drink in one swallow. ‘I liked that he was from Australia and his visa was running out.’
‘See! You’re impossible!’ Robyn swallowed her drink, then grimaced.
‘I just want Lexi to be with someone as amazing as her.’
‘No, what you want is for Lexi to be single. You’re scared that she’ll love someone else more than she loves you.’
‘Ow,’ Bella said. ‘Easy there with the truth bullets.’
Robyn pursed her lips. ‘Look, I’m only saying maybe this isn’t about Ed—’
‘Course it is! I don’t trust him!’ Bella shot.
‘Why not?’ Robyn asked, her voice piqued with curiosity.
Bella glanced up at Lexi’s room. The shutters were closed, a faint glow of light spilling from the slats. She took a step closer to Robyn. Maybe she shouldn’t be saying this. If anything, it was Lexi she should speak to. ‘You remember the engagement drinks?’
Robyn nodded.
‘I was at the bar with Ed and we bumped into a friend of mine, Cynthia. She used to work as a lap-dancer to pay for her nursing training. When she clocked Ed, she had this look on her face.’ She tried to replicate it, but Robyn just stared at her blankly. ‘She gets it whenever she’s out and bumps into a punter. You know, like how a teacher looks when they spot one of their pupils on holiday while they’re getting their money’s worth at the all-inclusive bar. Like, Quick! Hide me! Well, Cynthia did that face. Turns out he used to be one of her clients. Had been a regular a while back. For, like, two years.’
Robyn’s expression didn’t change. ‘Lexi probably knows. Her past isn’t exactly snow-white.’
‘I know that.’
‘So what’s the problem?’
She hesitated. It was Cynthia’s reaction on seeing Ed: her lip had curled with a hint of distaste. Trying to explain it to Robyn felt too loose, unsubstantiated; instead, she said, ‘I don’t like him.’
‘Let Lexi be happy. Don’t ruin it for her.’
‘Of course I want her to be happy! She’s my best friend!’
‘Well, your best friend has just told you she’s pregnant. You should either be telling her how pleased you are, or, if you can’t manage that, maybe you should be asking yourself why not.’ Robyn gathered the drinks tray, glasses sliding and clinking, then returned to the villa.
Once again, Bella was alone on the terrace. A chorus of cicadas blazed in the darkness, as loud and unsettled as her thoughts. Inside the villa, the lights were on but there was no invitation in their warm glow.
She returned to the memory of the engagement drinks. When Cynthia had left the bar, Ed had appeared at Bella’s side. ‘Nice chat with your friend?’
She’d looked him dead in the eye. ‘Turns out you know each other.’