How was any of this happening? Was this night punishment for the wicked deed she’d done?

‘Grecian? Ha! You silly sausage,’ shrieked Eve. ‘They’re not lilies, they’re labia! The cherubs are babies being born. You’re in The Cave.’

Jemima’s eyes darted back and forth. The pink tones everywhere were not subtle and delicate as she’d first thought but cervical.

‘This room is the interior of a womb,’ said Eve sweeping her arms in all directions, ‘and the corrugated tunnel at the entrance is—’

Jemima gulped. ‘A vagina?’

‘That’s right!’ said Eve pleased with herself. ‘Guess what the ice sculpture is?’

Jemima looked over at where her and the girls had been drinking shots from moments before and laughed drily. ‘It’s a clitoris.’

‘Yes! It’s a ginormous, icy clit!’ laughed Eve.

Jemima forced a grin. Thank God she hadn’t drunk the Bloody Mary earlier.

‘We wanted it to be low key. Nothing offensive. Never know, next year, it could be you! BTW, have you seen the ball pits? They’re in the shape of ovaries and the balls are eggs! It’s so much fun!’ Eve said as she grabbed Jemima, dragging her towards an adjacent hall.

Jemima slowed, glancing back at Chance as Simi spoke animatedly to him.

‘Come on!’ said Eve tugging at Jemima’s jacket sleeve.

Jemima turned away, allowing Eve to lead her.

Eve wove through the hallway crowd greeting various guests with air-kisses and promises of lunch.

‘Oh, I haven’t seen that rascal for ages. You must meet him,’ said Eve, waggling a finger at a man across from them. ‘He sells screen rights and could help get a TV deal for Beverly. I’ll bring him over!’

Jemima looked, faltering for a moment.

‘Come here, you!’ Eve called across the hallway. ‘Milesy, there’s someone I want you to meet.’

Chapter 36

Meagan

Meagan glared at Jemima and Miles from the doorway. Half an hour earlier, she’d stepped off the dance floor for a pee break and on her way she’d caught a glimpse of them chatting together in a bar across the hallway. Since then, she hadn’t been able to peel her eyes off them. As far as she knew Jemima and Miles hadn’t seen or spoken to each other since their break-up yet here they were gassing like old friends. Was this just a chance encounter? With all Miles’s industry connections, crossing paths at some point was bound to happen. However, what Meagan could not and would not stand for was him socialising with Jemima as though nothing had happened. And why, Meagan thought, was Jemima giving this waste of skin the time of day? Weeks before she was cowering under a table at the mere mention of his name. Meagan’s anger began to simmer, why do people never learn? Simi’s life was like the scratched record of a terrible heartbreak song and here was Jemima, drinking and laughing with the man who had driven rough shod over her heart then reversed back for good measure. Meagan was not having it. If she had to, she would go over and separate them. So what if it annoyed Jemima? That’s what tough love looked like. One of them had to have their wits about them and as usual, it was Meagan. Just then she felt a body nestle up beside her.