One Night Only (154 page)

T
ess
was
determined
to
keep
it
to
herself
for
as
long
as
possible
.

“Wha
t
d
o
yo
u
mean?
”
sh
e
asked
,
sortin
g
ou
t
th
e
clothes
sh
e
ha
d
wor
n
fro
m
thos
e
sh
e
hadn
’
t
.
Sh
e
picke
d
u
p
th
e
red jumpsui
t
an
d
shuddered
.
I
f
clothe
s
coul
d
tal
k
.
.
.

“Sh
e
look
s
a
deathl
y
shad
e
o
f
whit
e
an
d
he
r
to
e
i
s
all bandage
d
up,
”
sai
d
James
.
“Pu
t
i
t
lik
e
this
,
I
haven
’
t
seen
he
r
lookin
g
a
s
roug
h
a
s
tha
t
sinc
e
th
e
mornin
g
afte
r
her he
n
part
y
an
d
w
e
al
l
kno
w
wha
t
happene
d
then!
”

“Oh
,
her
e
w
e
g
o
again!
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
Sh
e
brough
t
her clothe
s
t
o
th
e
adjoinin
g
laundr
y
roo
m
an
d
tippe
d
them int
o
th
e
baske
t
b
y
th
e
machine
.
She’
d
pu
t
th
e
jumpsui
t
in
a
delicat
e
was
h
cycle
,
sh
e
tol
d
herself
,
shudderin
g
a
t
the memorie
s
i
t
brough
t
back
.
Th
e
Stag
.
Oh
,
th
e
Stag
!
She
cam
e
bac
k
int
o
th
e
kitche
n
an
d
mad
e
hersel
f
bus
y
a
t
the sink
.

“What?
”
aske
d
James
,
a
hug
e
smir
k
growin
g
o
n
hi
s
face.
“
Y
ou’r
e
hidin
g
something
,
I
ca
n
tell.
”

O
h
fuck. “I’
m
not.
”

“
Y
es
,
yo
u
are
.
T
es
s
mad
e
a
foo
l
o
f
hersel
f
an
d
I
want t
o
kno
w
ho
w
.
Y
o
u
don
’
t
kno
w
ho
w
lon
g
I’v
e
bee
n
waiting o
n
som
e
fue
l
t
o
ligh
t
u
p
Mis
s
Good
y
T
w
o
Shoe
s
T
eacher
’
s
fire.
”

“I
t
wa
s
nothin
g
lik
e
th
e
he
n
part
y
,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
She
coul
d
fee
l
resentmen
t
a
t
th
e
loo
k
o
n
hi
s
fac
e
an
d
sh
e
was to
o
tire
d
an
d
to
o
hung-ove
r
t
o
tal
k
t
o
him
.

H
e
reall
y
di
d
lov
e
an
y
give
n
opportunit
y
t
o
brin
g
up
T
ess
’
s
he
n
part
y
,
jus
t
a
s
sh
e
love
d
t
o
remin
d
hi
m
o
f
the antic
s
o
f
hi
s
ow
n
sta
g
trip
.
I
t
wa
s
lik
e
a
neve
r
endin
g
ping-
pon
g
gam
e
tha
t
n
o
on
e
woul
d
eve
r
win
.

“Rut
h
stoo
d
o
n
he
r
to
e
o
n
th
e
danc
e
floo
r
,
i
f
yo
u
must
kno
w
,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
.
“It
’
s
n
o
bi
g
deal
.
She’l
l
live
.
Bu
t
never
min
d
al
l
that
,
di
d
yo
u
manag
e
oka
y
withou
t
m
e
then
?
No dramas
?
N
o
meltdowns?
”

Jame
s
wasn
’
t
lettin
g
i
t
g
o
s
o
easil
y
.
I
n
fact
,
h
e
was
finding
it
so
amusing
he
had
to
sit
down.
He
was
buckled
ove
r
wit
h
laughte
r
.

“I
t
wa
s
we
e
buns,
”
h
e
sai
d
betwee
n
spurts
.
“No
problem
s
whatsoeve
r
.
.
.
bu
t
bac
k
t
o
th
e
broke
n
toe
?
Who
stoo
d
o
n
i
t
?
”

“Ruth,
”
sai
d
Poll
y
. “
Ruth
?
”

“
Y
es
,
Ruth
!
What
’
s
th
e
bi
g
deal?
”
aske
d
Poll
y
.
Sh
e
really
w
ante
d
t
o
thro
w
th
e
dishclot
h
a
t
hi
m
righ
t
no
w
.