India stared after Gina, having no idea what to do next. Fuck her life. How could this have happened? How could Gina think she’d marry Andi, after everything they’d shared? She couldn’t comprehend it. Andi had wrecked her life. Again.
Seeing it from Gina’s point of view, it hadn’t looked good. India should have said something, done something to stop Andi, but it had been like it was happening to someone else. It hadn’t been her life. Until reality had come sharply into view when Gina appeared.
India straightened up. There was no point running after Gina now. Plus, her feet were smarting. She looked down. There was blood on the underside of one foot, she could see the traces on the edge. Now she’d stopped running and was allowing her senses to reset, the pin-pricks of pain began to dance on her foot. She started to walk, hobbling slightly.
Thank goodness nobody was taking notice of her on Waterloo Bridge today. If they did, they’d be able to see her bloodied feet, her wild eyes. But they couldn’t see her broken heart.
India dropped her head just in case and walked back the way she’d come, pushing any thoughts from her mind. Her body was like lead, but she had to carry on. She had an interview to do. Eunice and Joan were probably in the function room now, wondering where she was. Hopefully Eden and Heidi were managing the situation. Goodness knows what Eden made of what she’d just seen. It was hard enough for India to fathom.
She glanced up as some whooping tourists walked by. To her right, the majestic Somerset House rose up on the side of the Thames, its regal white walls gorgeous in the early summer sun. India took a deep breath. Bright white wasn’t a colour she was feeling right now. She glanced down at the dirty pavement underfoot, the fag butts and paving slabs. That was more an accurate colour representation of her mood. Grey and fractured.
She got to the top of the concrete steps and began to climb down gingerly, her right foot smarting now. She was going to need a first aid kit when she got back to the hotel.
“India!”
She looked up.
Andi.
For fuck’s sake, this was the last thing she needed. At least she was flowerless and alone. But India had no doubt there were a thousand photos and videos of what had gone on in the cocktail bar being uploaded to social media and beyond. It was how the world worked now. Particularly because she was a semi-celebrity. Just the kind of person Gina hadn’t wanted to get involved with.
Gina. Just the thought of her was enough to make India stop and clutch the concrete rail running down the steps. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath. It was no use. It was like someone had put a bullet clean through it.
She’d fallen for Gina, hadn’t she? Up until now, she’d kept herself busy running around with work and Pride and her new flat, and she hadn’t stopped to truly think. Neither of them had. But she’d fallen for Gina. And now she’d blown it, big style.
Or rather, Andi had blown it for her.
She got to the bottom of the stairs, where Andi was waiting for her. At least she wasn’t wearing her smug smile anymore. That was something India had achieved.
“Why did you run off? I thought you were happy I arrived.”
She was so clueless, it was almost not worth explaining anything to her. Was she a sociopath? A narcissist? All of the above?
“Fuck off, Andi. We’re over. You got engaged to someone else!” India couldn’t quite believe she was having to explain things to her, but she was.
“That was a mistake. It’s you I love.”
India shook her head. “I have to get back to the hotel, I have a job to do. But let’s be in no doubt about this.” She pressed her index finger to Andi’s chest. “The only person you truly love is you.”