No Rings Attached: A Novel (Ms. Right) Read online

  “Ah, yes. I do that in New York as well.”

  “So what’s the plan for tomorrow?” Grace asked as they took their seats.

  “I’ve rented a car for the weekend, so I could pick you up at your place around three? My parents are expecting us for dinner.”

  Grace rolled her lips inward, then nodded. “All right.”

  “Is that okay for you, work-wise? I’m sorry for disrupting your week.” Lia wasn’t sure if she was imagining the awkwardness between them now that the wedding had come up.

  “I’ll need to work at least a few hours on Friday, as long as you don’t mind me hiding away somewhere with my laptop.”

  “Oh, that’s totally fine. Take as much time as you need. What do you do exactly as a translator?”

  “I work for Modern Style magazine. Essentially, I translate their issues into Spanish for the international market.”

  “You translate the entire magazine?” Lia asked.

  Grace shook her head with a smile. “There’s a team of us.”

  “Did you grow up bilingual, or did you learn Spanish after you moved to Spain?”

  “A little of both,” Grace told her, and there was something wistful, almost sad, in her expression. “My mom was born and raised there, so she often spoke Spanish with me, and we visited a lot while I was growing up, but I wasn’t fully bilingual until I moved there. English is definitely my first and strongest language.”

  “I’m fascinated with languages,” Lia told her. “But despite many years of French and Latin classes, I am completely inept at learning anything but English.”

  Grace’s lips curved in amusement. “That’s a shame, but I suppose I can overlook your shortcoming since you speak with such a beautiful accent.”

  It wasn’t the first time someone had told Lia they loved her accent. Americans seemed to have an odd fascination with accents, which she didn’t entirely understand. She didn’t mind the way Americans spoke, but she’d never found a certain accent more appealing than another. She’d be curious to hear Grace speak Spanish, though.

  The lights dimmed, indicating that the show was about to begin. Around them, people began to move toward their seats.

  “Oliver is part of the dance ensemble?” she asked.

  “Yes,” Grace told her. “He’ll be out during the first musical number, about ten minutes into the show. He’s the one in the red pants. You can’t miss him.”

  “Got it,” Lia said with a nod.

  She and Grace fell quiet while they waited for the show to start, and Lia took the opportunity to look around again, absorbing the atmosphere in the theater. It really was beautiful, and the buzz of the crowd was exciting. Even though she didn’t know anything about this show or its actors—other than Grace’s roommate—she was looking forward to it. There was nothing like the energy of a live performance.

  Her gaze drifted to Grace, who had leaned back in her seat and was reading something on her phone. No matter what happened this weekend, Lia was glad for the chance to have met her. Grace was important to Rosie, and that made her important to Lia as well. Besides that, Grace was an interesting person to talk to, and she certainly seemed to be a loyal friend, since she was willing to do this enormous favor for Lia basically because Rosie had asked her to.

  Lia didn’t take something like that lightly. She was loyal to her core, and it seemed that was something she and Grace had in common, although it also made her wonder why Grace didn’t visit Rosie more often. Why hadn’t she come to see the new store or to meet Jane? Grace worked remotely, which would allow her to attend Colin’s wedding with Lia, so why didn’t she just bring her laptop with her to New York for a visit?

  Lia felt somewhat guilty for all the times she’d called Grace “Rosie’s imaginary friend” now that she’d met her, but still . . . she did wonder why Grace was so elusive at times. She certainly seemed steady and reliable in her everyday life.

  But then again, that remained to be seen. She might ghost Lia tomorrow when it came time to drive to Sevenoaks. She’d certainly backed out of enough events in Rosie’s life at the last minute. Lia wouldn’t count on Grace’s attendance until they were in the car together.

  Grace tossed back the shot in front of her as Oliver’s hands settled on her shoulders. Liquor warmed her belly, and the bass of the dance floor thumped in her chest. She beamed at Ollie, glad she and Lia had joined him and some of the other dancers from Inside Out at the bar where they often congregated after the show.

  She’d needed a night out, a chance to cut loose before she spent the next few days at Lia’s parents’ house for the wedding. She wasn’t looking forward to it, but she had to reluctantly admit that she liked Lia more than she’d expected to. She was straightforward and had a good sense of humor, and her devotion to Rosie was evident, which earned her big points with Grace.

  She was the kind of woman Grace would be glad to have as a friend—if not for her poisoned feelings over being replaced as Rosie’s best friend—the kind of woman Grace might have even wanted to date, back when she was interested in such a thing. Currently, Lia was deep in conversation with one of the other dancers.

  “Your fake girlfriend is hot,” Ollie stage-whispered in her ear.

  Grace spun to face him, giving him a playful punch on his biceps. “She is, but I’m not interested. However, I am interested in dancing with you.”

  “It would be my pleasure.” He extended a hand.

  She took it and followed him to the little dance floor at the back of the bar. It was already packed with other patrons, including several dancers from the show. Ollie started grooving to the beat, keeping one hand on her hip. She didn’t have any professional dance moves, but she loved moving to the music, especially once she’d had a few drinks to loosen her up.

  She and Ollie danced to several upbeat tunes, and when a slower song began to play, she settled in his arms. She didn’t let many people get this close these days, and she was surprised by how good it felt to be held, the warmth of his hand on her back and the comfort of the connection between them.

  “I can’t believe you’re going through with this wedding-date thing,” he said, dipping her during a dramatic beat in the song. “I’ve become used to having you around, and now I’m going to miss you.”

  “I’m mostly doing it as a favor to Rosie,” she told him. “But don’t lie. You’re going to love walking around naked this weekend and being as loud as you want with Raj.”

  He laughed. “Okay, I will enjoy both of those things, but you’re good company too.”

  “Well, I’m certainly glad you think so.” She gave him her most charming smile. Truly, she loved sharing an apartment with Ollie and hoped things between him and Raj didn’t get so serious that he’d want to move in with his boyfriend, at least not anytime soon.

  “How is being Lia’s wedding date a favor to Rosie, though?”

  “Because Rosie’s the one who asked me,” she told him. “And I certainly sympathize with Lia not wanting to fend off matchmaking attempts all weekend.”

  “But you hate weddings,” he said as he spun her.

  She clutched his hand to keep herself upright, giggling as he pulled her back in. “I do, and yet, I’m confident I’ll survive attending one. Maybe it’ll even be a good reminder of why I never want to get married.”

  He winked playfully. “Or maybe it’ll change your mind about marriage?”

  “Not a chance.” On that, she was firm. She was happy for her friends when they got married, but it didn’t change the fact that Grace didn’t believe two people could truly promise to love and cherish each other for life. She’d seen it go wrong too many times, for others and for herself. She’d already had enough pain in her life, already lost too much.

  “Mind if I cut in?”

  She turned to find Raj standing there, and she stepped automatically out of Ollie’s arms. “He’s all yours.”

  As they began to dance, she made her way back to the bar. She found Lia on a barstool, sipping her beer. Grace was tipsy and in a good mood, and she almost invited Lia to dance, but something held her back. Maybe she didn’t want to know what it felt like to be held in Lia’s arms, the way she had with Ollie, although she’d probably find out before the end of the weekend. “Ready to head out?” she asked instead.

  Lia nodded, finishing off her beer.

  Grace led the way outside, grateful as the cool London air met her overheated face. She didn’t even mind the misting rain, at least not until she saw the way Lia’s glasses had fogged from the moisture. Lia took them off, swiping at them with a cloth from her purse, and she looked somehow softer without them, less serious. Grace liked it.

  Lia slipped her glasses back into place. “So I’ll see you tomorrow at three?”

  Grace sucked in a fortifying breath, nodding. “See you then.”

  Lia stepped into her hotel room at just past eleven London time, but her internal clock was out of sorts from jet lag and her afternoon nap, so she wasn’t even remotely tired. Rosie had texted earlier, asking how her meeting with Grace had gone, and since it was only six in New York, Lia called her while she walked to the sink to pour herself a glass of water.

  “Hi,” Rosie answered, sounding breathless.

  “Hi, yourself,” Lia responded. “Got a minute?”

  “Yeah, I just dashed to my office so I can chat while Jane handles the counter, because I want to hear all about your dinner with Grace.”

  “She’s not at all what I expected,” Lia admitted. “She’s . . . well, she’s gorgeous, for one thing.”

  Rosie laughed into the phone. “Oh my God, Lia. Do you like her?”

  “What?” Lia rubbed the bridge of her nose. Why had she said Grace was gorgeous? An image of Grace twirling on the dance floor flitted through her mind, and she blinked it away. “Don’t be silly. She’s not even remotely my type. She’s more your type, to be honest.” Rosie was the one who liked dressy, feminine women like Grace. Lia had always preferred a grungier look in the people she dated. She had a weakness for ripped jeans and tattoos.

  “That’s true,” Rosie agreed. “I did think she was my type, once upon a time.”

  “You did?” Lia asked, surprised, because she’d never had the impression that Rosie and Grace had been anything more than friends. She filled a glass and took several gulps.

  “We went out for, like . . . five minutes,” Rosie said. “If you could even call it that. We were the only queer girls in our grade, or at least the only girls who’d come out yet, so of course we tried dating each other, but there was no spark. We became best friends instead.”

  “Wait a minute.” Lia sat heavily on the bed. “Are you telling me Grace was your first? And I’ve never heard about it before now?”

  “Lia, it was a couple of awkward kisses when we were sixteen. That’s all.”

  “Well, now you’ve made this wedding-date idea weird.” Lia flopped backward in bed. How had she not known that Grace was Rosie’s ex?

  “It’s not weird. I don’t think of her as my ex, and even if I did, it still wouldn’t be weird. In case you forgot, I’m head over heels in love with Jane, so gorgeous Grace is all yours.”

  Lia sighed, rubbing a hand over her face. “This is so complicated.”

  “She agreed to go to the wedding, then?”

  “Yes, she did,” Lia said. “But now I’m wondering if I should just go by myself.”

  “Oh, come on,” Rosie said in her ear. “Grace is a lot of fun. Let her go with you.”

  “I guess,” Lia said. “At the very least, I’ll finally get to know your mysterious friend, right?”

  “She’s not mysterious,” Rosie said with a laugh. “She’s not flighty at all in real life. It’s just hard for her to make the trip to New York.”

  “I suppose,” Lia said. “And how are things at the store?”

  “All good here,” Rosie told her. “Jane got recognized at the counter this morning. She turned so red you wouldn’t believe it.”

  “Oh, I believe it,” Lia said. “Your girlfriend embarrasses easily. That’s great, though.”

  “It is,” Rosie said, sounding absolutely lovestruck. “She had posted on Twitter that she’d be helping out in the store this week, and one of her readers stopped by just to meet her.”

  “I love that,” Lia told her. Rosie’s girlfriend, Jane Breslin, was a successful author, writing lesbian romance as Brie. She’d recently quit her day job to write full time, and this week she was helping Rosie at the store while Lia was out of town.

  “So . . . you and gorgeous Grace, girlfriends for the weekend,” Rosie said with laughter in her voice. “I can’t wait to hear all about it.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  As Lia pulled her rental car into the driveway of her parents’ house in Sevenoaks late Thursday afternoon, a jittery sensation filled her stomach. She didn’t get nervous very easily, but apparently bringing a near stranger to pose as her girlfriend for the weekend had done the trick. Beside her, Grace gazed at the house in open curiosity, not looking the least bit nervous. Either she hid it well, or this was easier for her since the personal stakes were lower.

  “Ready?” Lia asked.

  “Sure,” Grace said.

  “I know I’ve already said it, but I really appreciate you doing this for me.”

  “Of course.” Grace gave her one of the breezy smiles Lia had come to expect, and she wondered if Grace was truly as carefree as she acted. There were moments when Lia thought she glimpsed something darker behind her casual veneer, but she might be imagining it. She barely knew Grace, after all.

  Lia shut off the car, surprised by the number of other vehicles in the driveway. She’d hoped she and Grace could get quietly settled into their rooms before they had to play “meet the family,” but it looked like most of her relatives—and who knew who else—were already here.

  She and Grace gathered their bags and made their way toward the front door. It opened before they reached it, revealing Lia’s mother standing there in linen trousers and a matching blazer, smiling widely.

  “Hello, darling,” she called, pulling Lia in for a quick hug and a kiss before turning to Grace. “And you must be Grace. It’s lovely to meet you.”

  “You too, Mrs. Harris,” Grace told her politely.

  “Please, call me Catherine.” She took Grace’s elbow and guided her into the house. “We’re delighted you could make it. It’s been ages since Amelia’s brought someone home to meet the family.”

  Grace glanced over her shoulder, mouthing, “Amelia?” with a confused smile.

  Lia shrugged, fighting her own smile. She’d given up on trying to get her parents to call her by her nickname, and it wasn’t as if she disliked Amelia. It was just a mouthful and tended to lead to her having to spell out her name for people.

  “You girls will be staying in the upstairs guest room,” her mother said, and Lia stumbled over her feet.

  “Both of us?” She heard the incredulity in her voice, but her mother never let unmarried couples share a room under her roof.

  “Yes, dear,” Catherine said. “Audrey and Mark are in the other guest room, and several of your cousins are staying with us as well. I’ve put an inflatable mattress in my office for Sarah and James, and Ryan is sleeping in the den.”

  “Okay,” Lia said, not wanting to make a scene while she sent silent apologies in Grace’s direction, because she’d definitely thought Grace would have her own room.

  But Grace seemed as unruffled as ever as she turned toward Lia. “Lead the way. I’d like to freshen up before dinner.”

  “Sure.” Lia took her upstairs to the room her mother had indicated, motioning Grace in ahead of her. At least it had a full-size bed, but . . . “I’m so sorry about this.”

  “It’s fine,” Grace said. “I’ve taken plenty of trips where my friends and I had to share a bed, haven’t you?”

  “Well, yes.” And it wouldn’t have bothered her to share the bed with Rosie, but for some reason, sharing it with Grace felt awkward, maybe because they didn’t know each other as well.

  “So, Amelia, hmm?” Grace said as she set her bag on the bed and unzipped it.

  “All my friends call me Lia,” she said, still inexplicably flustered. Why did Grace have this effect on her?

  “Lia suits you,” Grace said as she pulled a red dress out of her bag and moved to hang it in the closet. “But Amelia’s a beautiful name too.”

  “Thank you.” She followed Grace’s example and started hanging up the clothes she’d brought to wear to the various wedding events this weekend, trying not to look too hard at that red dress. Lia never swooned over dresses, but the thought of Grace in this one . . . phew.

  “Your mom seems nice.” Grace had moved to the bureau and was touching up her makeup.

  “She is, when she’s not meddling in my love life, at least,” Lia confirmed. “My parents are great—just a bit old fashioned at times.”

  “But not too old fashioned to let us sleep in sin tonight,” Grace said with a wicked smile, meeting Lia’s eyes in the mirror.

  Lia dropped her gaze to the suitcase in front of her, her cheeks uncomfortably warm. “I’m pretty shocked about that. It’s a first.”

  “Anything I should know before dinner?” Grace asked.

  “No. I’ll make introductions, but tonight’s just family. Olivia and Colin will be here—the bride and groom.”

  Grace tipped her head toward the door on the other side of the room. “Is that a bathroom?”

  “Yes. We’ve got the only room with its own bath, so that’s a plus.”

  “That is nice,” Grace agreed before she went into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

  Lia sat on the bed to wait for her so they could walk downstairs together. So far, Grace had taken everything Lia had thrown at her perfectly in stride. She was easygoing and polite, not to mention interesting company, and Lia could certainly see why she and Rosie had become friends back in high school. She scrolled through notifications on her phone and soon found a text from Shanice, who—other than Grace—might have been Lia’s only remaining single friend.