Gina had always liked The Savoy, but she already knew she’d never be able to come back to the famous London hotel again. It would always remind her of the time when India said yes to marrying Andi Patten.
Had she said yes? Gina hadn’t actually heard the words fall from India’s lips, but why would Andi be on one knee if India hadn’t encouraged it? Andi wouldn’t just turn up out of the blue with a ring.
Gina’s brain flared red hot. She still couldn’t quite compute what she’d just seen. How could she have got it so wrong? Maybe her mum had been right when she’d told Gina “that sort of love never sticks.” Maybe she knew something Gina didn’t.
She stumbled out of the foyer and ran up through the crowds milling outside to get into the neighbouring Savoy Theatre. She elbowed her way through, wanting to get away from people, especially India. They’d woken up together this morning. Shared incredible sex. India had told her she was in this with her.
How could she have fallen for such a player? How was Gina’s radar for such behaviour so off the mark? Sure, she knew it happened, but she’d believed India when she’d told her the messages from Andi were all one-way. But then, there were all the nights she had to spend away for work. Now Gina thought about it, India could easily have been leading a double life. You read about it in the papers all the time, didn’t you? But you never thought it would happen to you.
Well, it had happened to her. Just after she’d told her parents she was seeing India. Now, India was choosing a household name over her. Someone famous. Someone more on India’s level to enjoy rooftop liaisons with. Gina had been such a fool.
Tears began to form behind her eyes, but Gina blinked them back in. She wasn’t going to crumble over a woman she’d known for just a few months.
Only, she had a feeling that when she really stopped to analyse it, she would fall apart completely. Because the time she’d known India might not have been long, but the effect she’d had on her was deep. India Contelli had worked her way into Gina’s heart and mind.
Yet, all the while, had she been sleeping with someone else? Gina didn’t want to believe it. Still didn’t truly believe it. But the evidence was staring her in the face.
Gina stumbled into a couple around her age, knocking theatre tickets from the woman’s hands. Gina trod on them, not stopping to pick them up.
“Hey!” the man shouted after her.
“Gina!”
Gina ignored the man, turning to see India above the crowds.
Even seeing her face made Gina feel sick. She had nothing to say to her.
At the top of The Savoy’s grand drive was the Strand, stuffed with theatres, pubs and shops, cars and buses rumbling left and right. Gina took a deep breath, her system filling with diesel fumes and the smell of biscuits from a nearby bakery.
Biscuits = India.
Gina glared at the bakery and turned right. Shoppers swarmed towards her, and drinkers spilled out of pubs. Why were there people everywhere? Gina didn’t dare look back as she dodged down a side road. She slalomed down the concrete path, tall townhouses rising up on either side. At the bottom, the Thames loomed large. She cut left and approached a tall set of concrete steps up to Waterloo Bridge.
Then her name was called again.
Gina turned. India was running down the street, her longer legs gaining with every step. She had her heels in one hand, and was running barefoot.
Gina turned and tripped, falling forward and banging her knees on the concrete steps. She swore as pain seared up through her body. She was glad of it. She wanted physical pain. It was easier to deal with than thinking about the mental pain of losing something she’d been so close to obtaining finally. Something she wasn’t even going to name, because what was the point? It wasn’t going to be hers now, or possibly ever. Maybe love just wasn’t meant for her.
Gina shook her head and balled her heart. From now on, she was going to protect herself better. She began climbing the steps, trying to pick up speed, ignoring the pain in her knee. She was going to keep walking even if her leg was broken. The one thing she didn’t want was to be caught by India, only for her to tell Gina more lies.
Gina reached the top of the bridge, just as three red buses trundled by. She swayed in the sunshine, looking down at her knee. Her trousers were ripped. They were her new ones, too. She’d been trying to impress India. Entice her. So much for that.
“Gina, stop!”
India was nearly at the top. Fuck.
Gina began to run, her legs carrying her faster than she ever thought they would. Her arms pumped as cars raced across the bridge in the opposite direction. Wind whistled past Gina’s ears, and sunshine dappled her face as the Thames reared up below, Waterloo Bridge stretching out before her. She dodged one tourist in a French football top, then a couple laughing at something the woman said.
Gina looked back to check if India was still following. She was.
When she turned back, she ran straight into two men consulting a huge tourist map. Who the hell still used those in the age of smartphones?
Gina stumbled again, and the men caught her, exclaiming in German as they did.
Gina held up both hands, apologising. But by the time she’d untangled herself from them, she knew India was nearby. She could smell her intoxicating perfume. The one she’d loved waking up to all too briefly.
She turned, her heart vaulting in her chest.
Ba-doom. Ba-doom. Ba-doom.
Gina was almost floored by her own reaction. Could she have loved India?
Oh yes, without a doubt.
Did she already?
Perhaps.
“Are you okay? I saw you trip up the steps.”
Gina narrowed her eyes. “I’m fine,” she lied.
India blinked, then continued. “I’m so glad you stopped. That really wasn’t what it looked like.” India’s words flew out of her mouth at speed. “Andi just showed up out of the blue, I had no idea she was coming.”
Gina was already shaking her head. First Bernie had betrayed her with Sara. Now India had done the same with Andi. “Why would someone just turn up and propose out of the blue, India? Listen to yourself. It makes absolutely no sense at all.”
“I know it doesn’t, and I know what this looks like, but you have to believe me!”
Gina held up a finger, shaking her head. She desperately wanted it to make sense. She’d been slicing and dicing it in her head to try to make it work out. But whichever way she looked at it, it wasn’t good.
“You know what, I don’t have to believe anything that comes out of your mouth ever again. Andi has been a constant feature during the time we’ve been together, and I swallowed everything you told me about her. But I don’t want to hear anything else. Even if half of what you say is true, she clearly had enough signals from you to propose.” Gina gave a resigned shrug. “So please, go back to your privileged, famous life. With your famous girlfriend. Leave me to live the life I want to lead, which involves none of that.”
Then she turned and took off over the bridge.
“Gina!” India called one more time.
But Gina wasn’t caving.
She didn’t look back.