conditioning mask and the puffiest eyes in the universe.
Which is weird. I’m not expecting anyone. Unless … are Toby and Tom a day early? It would be just like them to arrive at midnight, straight off some cheapie coach. The Entryphone is conveniently within reach from the sofa, so I pull the receiver down, pause
“It’s Magnus.”
I sit up straight on the sofa as though I’ve had an electric shock. Magnus. Here. On my doorstep. Has he heard the message?
“Hi.” I swallow, trying to pull myself together. “I thought you were in Bruges.”
“I’m back.”
“Right. So why didn’t you use your key?”
“I thought you might have changed the locks.”
“Oh.” I brush a lock of hair out of my tearstained eyes. So he
“Can I come up, then?”
“I suppose.”
I put the receiver down and look around. Shit. It’s a pigsty in here. For one panicked instant I feel an urge to jump up, dispose of the Magnum wrappers, wash off my hair mask, plump up the cushions, shove on some eyeliner, and find some attractive matching loungewear. That’s what Annalise would do.
And maybe that’s what stops me. Who cares if I’ve got puffy eyes and a hair mask? I’m not marrying this man, so it’s irrelevant what I look like.102
I hear his key in the lock and defiantly put
The door makes a familiar squeaking sound and I know he’s in the room, but I keep my gaze resolutely fixed on the screen.
“Hi.”
“Hi.” I shrug, as though to say “Whatever.”
In my peripheral vision I can see Magnus exhale. He looks a teeny bit nervous.
“So.”
“So.” I can play this game too.
“Poppy.”
“Poppy. I mean, Magnus.” I scowl. He caught me out. By mistake I lift my eyes to his, and he immediately rushes over and grabs my hands, just like he did that first time we met.
“Stop it!” I practically snarl at him, pulling them away. “You don’t get to do that.”
“I’m sorry!” He lifts his hands as though I’ve scalded him.
“I don’t know who you are.” I gaze miserably at Nemo and Dory. “You lied about everything. I can’t marry someone who’s a lying cheat. So you might as well go. I don’t even know what you’re doing here.”
Magnus heaves another huge sigh.
“Poppy … OK. I made a mistake. Hands up. I’ll admit it.”
“A ‘mistake’?” I echo sarcastically.
“Yes, a mistake! I’m not perfect, OK?” He thrusts his fingers through his hair in a frustrated gesture. “Is that what you expect out of a man? Perfection? You want a flawless man? Because, believe me, that man doesn’t exist. And if that’s why you’re calling off this wedding, because I made one simple error … ” He holds his hands out, his eyes reflecting the colored light of the TV. “I’m
“I don’t want a flawless man,” I snap. “I want a man who doesn’t sleep with my wedding planner.”
“We don’t choose our flaws, unfortunately. And I’ve regretted my weakness over and over again.”
How is he managing to sound all noble, like he’s the victim here?
“Well, poor old you.” I turn up the volume of
“Poppy, you can’t be serious. You can’t want to call everything off for one tiny—”
“It’s not only that.” I feel an old, burning hurt in my chest. “You never told me about all your other fiancees. You never told me you’d proposed to Lucinda. I thought that ring was
“I have proposed to other girls,” he says slowly. “But now I can’t think why.”
“Because you loved them?”
“No,” he says with a sudden fierceness. “I didn’t. I was nuts. Poppy, you and I—we’re different. We could make it. I know we could. We just have to get through the wedding—”
