“I’m here! I’m here!” Willow rushed into the kitchen and dumped the armfuls of bags she was carrying. “I’m so sorry – the traffic was awful and the carnival ran overtime…” She trailed off, catching her breath.
Tonight, Willow and Mia were cooking dinner for their friends. Given the time constraints they had decided to keep it simple and make pizzas. Willow had insisted she would be able to get to the market and pick up ingredients for the toppings despite having to attend her school’s annual sports day.
“I’m the bloody music teacher,” she had complained to Mia earlier. “What do I know about sport?”
Mia looked pointedly at her watch. “They’re going to be here in 40 minutes.”
Mia truly had no idea why Willow was so adamant about going to the market herself. Sure, she was friendly with the stallholders who often gave her discounts, but they had both known that for Willow to get from the sports day to the Victoria Market and then home again by 6pm was a little unrealistic. Still, she had insisted.
“Did you manage to get everything?” Mia had already made the wholemeal dough for the pizzas and it was rising beautifully in the warm kitchen. She started unloading the bags: smoked trout, buffalo mozzarella, jalapenos, heirloom tomatoes… Not quite up to her normal market standards, but they would have to do.
“Most of the stalls were closing so I grabbed what I could.” Willow didn’t have the heart to admit that the market had been completely closed by the time she got there so she’d had to get everything from the supermarket. She was particularly annoyed because she’d missed her chance to see the gorgeous mystery man who had saved her from being trampled by the hordes.
Why didn’t I just ask for his phone number?, she chided herself for the 50th time. She didn’t know if she could wait another week to see him!
“Let me just jump through the shower and then I’ll get to work. Everything will be done by the time they get here.” Willow flashed her brightest smile. “Promise!”
***
When she came back downstairs, Ana had arrived home and was helping Mia set the table. They had arranged candles and little glass jars filled with jasmine from the garden along the length of the table. Willow looked quizzically at Mia – this was more trouble than they usually went to!
Mia indicated her head towards Ana, shrugging. “Her idea.”
“Special occasion?” Willow winked at Mia behind Ana’s back. They both suspected Ana’s good mood was due to a rekindling of her relationship with Tom, but she hadn’t said anything about it.
Ana just shrugged. “Felt like it.” She whistled as she wandered back into the kitchen.
***
Thirty minutes later everyone was gathered in the kitchen. Johnny had arrived, as always, with an amazing selection of wine to complement the meal. To Willow and Mia’s delight, Tom had also turned up, bearing a case of Champagne, which he assured them had been on sale. He shot a look at Ana, who was filling glasses for everyone. She cleared her throat.
“There’s something we have to tell you.” She held up her left hand and, for the first time, the girls and Johnny noticed a giant diamond, sparkling outrageously on her ring finger.
“You’re engaged!” screamed Willow and Mia, in unison.
***
After dinner everyone was very tipsy. The volume of Champagne consumed was vast and didn’t look like it would slow down any time soon. Ana, Willow and Tom had moved into the sitting room where Willow had put on Beyoncé’s ‘Single Ladies’, shouting over the top of the lyrics, “Tom liked it and so he put a ring on it!”
In the dining room, Mia and Johnny cleared the table, laughing at Willow’s attempted lyricism. Collecting the empty glasses, Mia looked up and caught Johnny staring at her. He grinned, walked over and pulled her into a friendly bear hug. Mia was surprised at how comfortable she felt in his arms. His body felt so warm and safe. She could smell his aftershave mixed with laundry powder. Honey, vanilla and spices.
Neither one of them tried to pull away.
I’ve had too much Champagne, thought Mia.
Her legs had turned to jelly and her heartbeat had quickened. She was pretty sure this wasn’t how you were meant to feel while hugging your friend. Then, without warning, Johnny gently took her face in his hands and kissed her softly on the lips. She hesitated – more from surprise than anything else – before closing her eyes and kissing him back. His tongue gently probed her lips open and tenderly explored her mouth. She uttered a small moan, opening herself up to him and pushing her body closer into his.
From the other room, Willow yelled, “Where’s my other single lady?”
Mia and Johnny sprang apart. They were both flushed, their breathing rapid.
Mia felt as though an electric charge had just been run through her. She had goose bumps over her entire body and her lips tingled with desire.
Willow poked her head into the kitchen, too excited to notice the tension between the two of them. “You have to come and dance with me!” She grabbed Mia’s hand and dragged her into the sitting room.
Mia’s head was spinning. She went through the motions of a few dance steps before feigning tiredness and sitting down. She snuck a glance over at Johnny who was still staring intently at her. She couldn’t read his look.
Suddenly, his mobile rang. Looking at the number, he hesitated before disappearing into the other room and answering it. When he walked back in it was with his jacket. “I’ve got to run.”
Willow raised an eyebrow. “Got a hot date?” she teased.
Johnny suddenly looked very uncomfortable. Fidgeting, he averted his gaze to the floor.
Willow squealed. “You do have a hot date!” Looking over at Ana and Tom, who were slow dancing and staring deep into each other’s eyes, she sighed, theatrically sinking into the couch. “Look’s like it’s just you and me, Mia.”
Mia felt as though she’d been slapped across the face. “Think I might go to bed”, she mumbled. “Early start.” She moved toward the hall.
Johnny tried to stop her. “Mia, I…”
She looked up at him, her eyes flashing. “Have fun on your date.”
***
Mia couldn’t sleep that night. She cursed herself over and over again for falling for Johnny’s boyish charm and dishevelled good looks. She thought that she had felt something between them – something that she had never felt with anyone else – but she was obviously wrong.
She was just another conquest to him.
Bastard!
Putting the pillow over her face she tried to block out the painful images of Johnny with his anonymous date that played over and over in her head.