The Saturday morning of London Pride broke with glorious sunshine streaming in through India’s new windows. Gina had secured India the keys at the start of Pride month, but now it was June 21st, and she’d moved in three days ago. India had taken her time, having a hot tub installed on her terrace this week, as well as getting decorators in to paint the place so it was box-fresh. Hence, waking up in India’s bedroom on Pride morning was like waking up inside a celestial white cloud. When Gina cracked open her eyes, she half-expected some bony finger to reach down and anoint her. Especially after what they’d been up to half the night.
If some higher being was giving out scores for sex, Gina was certain they were in line for an award. Last night’s session had been epic.
India was keen to make up for any perceived wrongs she might have done.
Gina was keen for her to be keen.
They were truly a match made in heaven.
India rolled over, then sat up, wincing. “Who turned up the sun so early?” She eyed Gina, then collapsed at her side, kissing her shoulder. “Morning, sexpot.”
“Morning to you, too.” Gina kissed India’s shoulder, then her lips. Far from being scary, telling India her feelings had actually been freeing. Gina was far more open with her affection now their relationship was on solid ground. She’d even talked about India with her parents again, and invited them on the Pride bus. They’d turned her down, but at least they were talking without too many pauses in the conversation. It was a start.
Her relationship with her parents would be slow to change, but so long as it was in motion, Gina was happy. She had to get out of her own way and be okay with letting them in, too. For now, it was enough. Plus, Gina had enough of her family to contend with today, because Neeta, Neil and Deepak were coming on the bus.
Gina pushed herself onto her elbows, eyeing India who was still half asleep. India had got a haircut yesterday, and was now sporting a pixie style. It suited her. Gina had no doubt any cut would look good on India Contelli. If anything, she looked even more beautiful than before. Gina had a thing for short hair, so when India had appeared last night, she’d been delighted.
“You know, if I were looking at the parade from the outside and seeing the great India Contelli all dolled up with her Pride biscuits, I’d never have guessed you started the day being grumpy and gorgeous in bed.”
That drew a smile to India’s lips as she opened her eyes. “Is that your new name for me? The Great India Contelli? I could get used to it.”
Gina gave her a languid smile, before crawling on top of her. “No, but I have some other names for you.”
India quirked the side of her mouth. “Like what?”
Gina squinted into the rays of sunshine hitting the wall through the slats in the wooden blinds. “I dunno.” She tilted her head. “Maybe, something like Screamer?”
India opened her mouth in mock shock, then grabbed Gina’s sides and pulled her close. “I would try to deny it, but I know it’s true. But it’s your fault.” She glanced over at her phone. “Do we have time for a repeat performance before we head to the parade?”
Gina grinned. “Not if you want Frankie to kill us both with her bare hands; 8am sharp she told you last night.”
“Bloody Frankie.” India kissed her. “The good thing about going out with you, though, is you’re not going anywhere. It can wait. We have a big day to get through.”
Gina nodded. A big day. Where some people might still think India was engaged to Andi. The tabloids had died down on the subject, but there was still some interest. India’s tactic had been to ignore the story and hope it would go away. It was working.
Plus, Gina hadn’t wanted to be the subject of tabloid gossip, so they’d kept things quiet over the couple of weeks since The Savoy incident. However, Gina didn’t want any more mishaps. Her parents and friends knew the truth. Now, Gina wanted it to be clear to everyone else, too.
“What’s that face for?” India asked.
Gina shook her head. “Nothing. I was just thinking about Andi.”
India tensed up. “It’s old news, I promise.”
Gina sucked on the inside of her cheek. “I just want it to be clear that we’re together. But I also don’t want to make a song and dance about it.”
“How about this.” India sat up, turning to Gina. “I’ll say something to everyone on the bus. Then they’ll say something to everyone they know. It means those around us know the truth. Which most of them already do, but there will be some curious people. If today is what’s bothering you, I’m happy to tell all of them, okay?”
Relief pulsed through Gina. She blew out a long breath. “I think that’s what I need. I don’t want people looking at me like I’m a fool.”
“Nobody thinks you’re a fool. I think you’re brilliant and beautiful.”
Gina raised an eyebrow, then jumped off the bed and rummaged in her bag.
“What are you doing?”
Gina found what she was looking for. She put the rainbow head-boppers on, then moved her head side to side. The rainbow balls on the end of metal springs wiggled right back. Gina was taken right back to Birmingham, when her life had seemed far less sorted. She crawled back onto the bed and landed on her knees in front of India.
“What do you think? Still brilliant and beautiful?”
India nodded. “You couldn’t look more beautiful. Or Pride-ready.”
Pride was two weeks earlier than usual this year due to clashing events in the city, and the weather was shining on it. What’s more, the Stable Foods open-top bus was the gayest Gina had ever seen. It was pink, with rainbow garlands all over it, a massive boa on the front, and the Rainbow Rings biscuit logo slapped on both sides. It was also the first bus in the Pride parade, set to lead the convoy of floats, buses and organisations that stretched back as far as Gina’s eye could make out behind.
In front of her, Frankie and her team of helpers were busy running around with clipboards and loudspeakers, lanyards wafting in the sunshine. The mayor of London, the aptly named Maxine Love, was chatting with Eunice and Joan. The couple of the moment, who’d truly caught the public’s imagination with their love story, were going to be walking the first part of the parade alongside Maxine, with the mayor’s bodyguard close by. After that, Eunice and Joan were being put in a love chariot, and were then set to be wheeled the rest of the parade by six butch lesbians in leather. If they were anything other than thrilled at the prospect, they were doing a grand job of hiding it.
Gina was still pinching herself she was here, with a front-row seat to one of the biggest Pride parades in the world. She’d met Eunice and Joan earlier, and her heart had melted. The entire time they were together, they held hands. Sixty years later, their love was still burning strong. It was enough to fuel the hardest of hearts.
As the Pride banners proclaimed, ‘It’s Never Too Late!’. Gina was 41, and she’d only just fallen in love for real. Meeting India was one of the luckiest breaks she’d ever had — professionally and personally. Gina had only been to Birmingham Pride before, and that was with an ex. It had been a disaster. She hoped exes were now in the past, for both her and India. If Andi or Sara tried anything today, she had an army of helpers to make sure they buggered off. Plus, nothing could shake Gina’s certainty about India now. Not after the past few weeks they’d shared.
To either side of her, whistles were already being blown even though the parade was yet to start. To Gina, they sounded like a welcoming klaxon for her London Pride experience. Every time she heard one, she couldn’t help but smile.
Gina’s phone beeped. The message was from her sister, telling her they were walking up Oxford Street and should be with her in five minutes.
A bristle of anticipation fizzed through her.
This was it: Gina’s lives merging together. Family, friends, sexuality. She’d always imagined when that happened, she’d be apprehensive. However, all she felt today was love and pride. Especially when she glanced down the road, to the back of the bus, where India was instructing her biscuit crew.
India was so involved in her business, so hands-on with her team. Gina had never expected that, but India was full of surprises. The biggest one of all being that she’d fallen for Gina. It was still something she was getting used to.
Arms encircled her from behind, and she screamed.
“I heard there was an A-star lesbian around these parts. Have you seen her?”
Deepak.
Gina turned and moved her head. One of her head-bopper rainbow balls punched Deepak in the face. “You nearly gave me a heart attack!” Gina said.
In response, Deepak clutched his face. “Nobody told me Pride was this violent!” Then he peeked out from behind his fingers, picked Gina up and whirled her around. Deepak had never learned the art of subtlety. It was another reason Gina loved him.
Gina hugged Neeta and Neil, too, only clocking belatedly they were all wearing T-shirts with rainbow love hearts on them. Something welled up inside her and she had to tamp down the urge to cry. Maybe she wasn’t ready for her worlds to collide if she was going to burst into tears.
“You’re wearing rainbows! I love it!” She looked down at her black shirt. “I feel a little lacking, but I do have them on my head.” She pointed to her rainbow head-boppers, just in case her family hadn’t noticed them.
India walked up behind her and draped a rainbow garland around her neck. “You can never have too many rainbows.” She kissed Gina’s cheek. Then she shook hands with all Gina’s family. Gina took a snapshot of the moment. It was one for the memory bank.
“I love the new hair,” Neeta told India.
India gave her a coy smile, then patted her hair to make sure it was still there. “Thanks. I’m still getting used to it, but Gina approves and that’s the main thing.” India gave Gina a smile that made her heart crumble.
“Glad you could all make it, I hope you’re ready to make some noise!” India handed out rainbow garlands, whistles and bags of biscuits to Gina’s family. “Gina told you I was making you work today, right? That bus is full of biscuits, so please hand them out to as many people as you can.”
Deepak peered inside the bag. “Can we eat some, too?”
“I’d be offended if you didn’t.” India grinned. “When you need a break, the bus has a loo downstairs, plus a DJ and an open-air bar upstairs, so make use of that, too.” She glanced over Gina’s shoulder where Frankie beckoned her. “Excuse me a minute.” India gave Gina the rest of the biscuit bags and disappeared.
Her family watched her go, then turned to Gina. “An open-top bus with a bar and free biscuits on tap?” Neil snorted. “I’d say you’ve landed on your feet with that one.”
The noise was insane as the bus crawled along Oxford Street, rainbow flags and glitter everywhere Gina looked. The sky was the brightest blue she’d ever seen, the sun giving off a glamorous, accommodating glow. Gina had spent the first half hour giving out biscuits, but now she was taking time to soak up the atmosphere on the top deck, waving at the crowds. Was this what it was like being famous? Somewhat, perhaps. But nobody was asking Gina for a selfie. She was going to have to get used to sharing India with the public.
A glass of bubbles appeared at her eye level.
Gina accepted it from Deepak, as he swigged his beer and waved to the crowds. Unlike Gina, Deepak was a natural born extrovert.
“Where have your rainbow head-boppers gone?” Deepak pointed to Gina’s head.
“The hairband cut into my head after a while.” Gina held up her feather boa. “This is easier and doesn’t make me bleed.”
“A better option,” Deepak agreed. He bumped his hip to Gina’s. “I could easily get used to this. How do you think your mum would react if we jumped off the bus and got a photo next to one of those blokes wearing nothing but leather straps?” His grin told Gina the answer.
“You’re a bad brother, you know that?”
“Your mum would say the same.”
Behind them at the bar, the volume increased as the group of women who’d come onboard earlier came back from biscuit duties. Gina recognised some of them from lesbian events she’d been to, and she made a note to introduce herself. You never knew who might want a hot London property. If any of them did, she was the estate agent to talk to. Had she remembered to pack business cards? She hoped so.
Gina turned her attention back to Deepak. “Did you get the paperwork through for the business?”
He gave her a look. “No business chat today.” He waved an arm. “I just want to feel the love all around me.”
“Are you coming out to me, Deepak?”
He grinned. “Never say never. Life’s for living, Gina!”
She clutched the bus rail. “If you come out, please tell Mum it wasn’t my fault.”
Deepak laughed. “But it was. I was just an innocent boy from the Midlands before you brought me to the big bad city, put me on a bus and corrupted me.” He gestured out to the screaming crowds. “Look at it. It would be easy to be seduced.” He bent down and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, by the way. For letting me use your flat, and for this amazing experience, too. I’m glad you’re not hiding away anymore.”
Gina put an arm around his waist and squeezed. “I am, too.”
“Although I hear from Neeta that your lady has a flash pad in the city, so you’re not exactly slumming it.”
Gina tilted her head back, soaking up the sun. “I’m definitely not slumming it.” She squinted at him. “Life is good, uncle.” She’d never said a truer sentence in her life. She extended her arms, turned and planted her arse on the bus railing, then leaned back. “I’m out, I’m in love, I’m proud.” She raised her voice. “I’m fucking proud!” Gina shouted.
Whoops could be heard from the women on the top deck at her declaration.
Gina gave them a wide grin.
“And I’m a proud uncle,” Deepak replied, in a rare serious tone. “I tried to get your mum and dad to come, but a parade was a bit soon for them.”
Gina shook her head. “Truth be told, it would have made me nervous. I’m happy how it is. You being here is perfect, same for Neeta and Neil.”
“Hey Gina, sorry to interrupt.”
“Hey,” Gina said to Lib. “Deepak, this is Lib, Eden and Heidi.” She turned to them. “This is my Uncle Deepak. He’s investing in Hot London Properties.” She inclined her head to Lib. “This is Lib, she’s going to be working with me.”
They all shook hands.
“Just Deepak,” he told them. “Less of the uncle.”
“Got it,” Eden replied. “Have you met the rest of our crew?” She pointed towards the bunch of women in the centre of the top deck who Gina had spotted earlier. Eden beckoned her friends over.
Gina scanned the crowd drifting towards them. “Some. I think I’ve met that woman before?” She pointed at the tall woman wearing a red-and-white striped top.
Eden beckoned her over. “This is Tanya. Tanya, this is—”
“Gina Gupta, nice to see you again.” Tanya shook her hand, a firm grip and a confident smile. “I know we met at a networking event. Just don’t ask me to narrow down which one.”
“Glad it’s not just me,” Gina replied. “Lovely to see you again.”
“How did you make it onto the bus? We’re all mates with Heidi and Eden, so that’s how we squeaked on.”
“I’m…” She cleared her throat and puffed out her chest. “I’m dating India Contelli.”
Gina had never told anyone that before. Her pride level shot up a little more, just as she saw India’s newly cropped dark hair emerge at the top of the stairwell, closely followed by her brother, Luca, and his husband Ricardo, who Gina had met earlier. Now, when she looked up, she saw two pairs of the same piercing blue eyes staring back at her.
“Talk of the devil.” Gina gave India a wave.
Their eyes met, and the noise dimmed. Then, it was just the two of them.
She was dating India Contelli.
Those words tasted delicious on her tongue.
Her girlfriend sidled up, greeting the guests, introducing her brother and Ricardo, before installing an arm around Gina’s shoulders. “Everyone having a good time and rinsing the bar, I hope?”
Nods and smiles from everyone in the group.
“Great.” India leaned down to Gina. “You look gorgeous, by the way,” she whispered in her ear.
Gina rolled her shoulders and strained her neck, shyness hugging her. Being loved like this was going to take some getting used to, but she was prepared to put in the work.
India accepted a glass of fizz from Eden. “Eden thinks she’s still on the clock.” India gave her a grin. “I appreciate it.”
“You looked thirsty. Plus, it is your bar.” Eden paused. “Also, the LGBT+ business bursary recipients are coming onboard when we finish the parade, just to let you know.”
“Okay. I’ll save some energy for them, too.”
Luca waved at Gina and India to move together, holding up his camera. “We should take a photo of the happy couple, shouldn’t we?”
India glanced at Gina, then pulled her closer.
Luca made approving noises, then snapped a few shots.
Gina smiled, but she could feel the weight of everyone’s stare on her. They still weren’t totally out in the open. She glanced at India, hoping she understood.
India gave Gina a nod, then clapped her hands.
The crowd turned.
India cleared her throat. “I just wanted to say a few words while most of the bus is onboard. I’m going to shout over the music, so bear with me.”
As if vying for attention, the DJ chose that moment to drop ‘It’s Raining Men’ and the crowd whooped louder.
“You’d better shout,” Gina said.
India gave her a nod and did just that. “Just to say, thank you for coming, thanks for helping spread the Rainbow Rings around. I want you to drink, dance, eat and have a fab time. We’ve got the bus until 5pm, so fill your boots.” She paused. “Also, in case some of you were wondering, I am not engaged to Andi Patten, despite what the tabloids have been speculating.” She put an arm around Gina. “Rather, I’m very much in love with the gorgeous Gina Gupta. If you haven’t met her, come and say hi!”
The whole top deck broke into applause as India kissed Gina, this time, long and slow. If Gina had any doubts about India and Andi, they were washed away in that moment. India loved her. She’d sprinted away from Andi. Now, India Contelli was kissing her in front of everyone.
When the Pride crowds saw it, they cheered, too.
Eventually, they broke apart, India shaking her head, a smile on her face. “I love you,” she repeated.
“I love you, too,” Gina replied.
Because she did.
They were the truest three words she’d ever spoken.
The moment was broken as the DJ started to play Diana Ross’s ‘I’m Coming Out’, and the air around them seemed to gather speed as if they were in a movie.
It kinda felt like they were.
India and Gina leaned over the front of the top deck with Gina’s family and India’s friends, and Gina wasn’t sure she’d ever had such a perfect moment.
She was loved.
There was sunshine.
She wanted to bottle today and live it forever more.
In front of them, the leather-clad lesbians were doing a dance routine in front of Eunice and Joan, and the crowd were lapping it up. The couple waved from the love chariot, like they’d done this their whole lives. They were finally the leading ladies in the movie of their own lives.
“Do you think Eunice and Joan were ever entertained like that when they were courting in the fifties?” Tanya asked next to India.
“I’ll ask them later,” India replied. “I hope they’re enjoying it. I promised they could come on the bus afterwards. They seem to be coping with the spotlight pretty well.”
“Amazingly well,” the woman next to Tanya replied. She leaned over and offered a hand. “I’m Sophie, Tanya’s girlfriend.”
Gina and India shook her hand, and they all turned around. Sophie introduced Gina to Jess and Lucy, Kate and Meg, and Rachel and Alice.
“I’ll never remember all of your names, so excuse me if I forget you.”
“You’re fine,” Lucy told her. She had a haircut similar to India’s, and it looked just as good on her. “Also, thank you for stepping in on the Birmingham trip to meet Eunice and Joan. I know India was grateful to have company.” She gave India a look. “Now I know just how grateful.”
India laughed, but also blushed. “It might have been the start of something, so sorry you weren’t there. But also, not sorry.”
Lucy laughed. “Glad to be of service.”
“Where’s Cleo and Becca?” Jess asked Rachel. “Becca is Rachel’s sister, and Cleo is her partner,” she added to Gina by way of explanation.
Rachel shrugged. “On holiday or in Boston. I lose track. They were back here for a bit. Heidi might know, she speaks to Cleo more than my little sister speaks to me.” Rachel cupped her mouth. “Heidi!” she shouted.
Heidi turned at the bar.
“Where’s Becca and Cleo?”
“Boston!” came the reply.
“Cleo works there,” Rachel told Gina. “Not that this is very interesting to you, seeing as you don’t know them. But you will. Now you know us, there’s no getting away from us.” She indicated the group of women on the top deck surrounding Gina with beaming smiles.
“That’s fabulous. I could do with some new faces in my life.”
Rachel grabbed Gina’s arm. “You should come to my restaurant in Woolwich. I opened last year. It’s doing okay.”
“It’s doing more than okay,” Alice intervened. “Rachel’s too modest.”
Rachel rolled her eyes. “India’s been before.”
India nodded. “Rachel is a fantastic chef and her restaurant is brilliant. In fact, I wanted to speak to you about catering my house-warming next month. I have a rooftop now. I want to use it. Can we chat another time soon?”
Rachel nodded. “I’d love to.”
Heidi returned with two bottles of champagne, to great cheers from everyone.
“Spot the woman who’s farmed her child out for the weekend!” Eden said, laughing.
“Too right,” Heidi replied, waving the booze in the air. “Who needs a top-up?”
Every hand on the top deck went up.
Gina laughed. London laughed with her.
India caught her eye.
Today was a good day.