A Sky Full of Stars by Dani Atkins

Author:Dani Atkins [Atkins, Dani]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781789546194
Publisher: Head of Zeus

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It felt like I’d walked back into an entirely different party. The one I’d left had shocked-faced hosts, slightly uncomfortable-looking guests, and a huge puddle of red wine on the floor. The one I returned to had spotless tiles and a relaxed air. I could hear it in the laughter and casual banter as I descended the stairs wearing Dee’s borrowed top.

As I’d suspected, the navy T-shirt was far more form-fitting on me than it probably was on her. The silhouette in their bedroom mirror had looked a little too Jessica Rabbit for my liking, with the top clinging to me in all the right – or wrong – places. I forced my shoulders back from an instinctive stoop, took a deep steadying breath, and returned to the kitchen.

In the ten seconds before anyone noticed me, I saw that the party dynamic had changed. Barbara had produced a pair of chunky wooden needles and a skein of wool from her bag and was guiding Maisie’s small hands through what I imagined was her first knitting lesson. It ignited a flashback memory I hadn’t visited in years, of my grandmother doing exactly the same with me when I was around Maisie’s age. Barbara’s smile was beatific as she patiently guided the little girl’s hands, picking up every dropped stitch along the way.

On the other side of the room, Jamie was showing Connor a game on his phone that from the sound of it might not have been entirely age appropriate. Which possibly explained why Connor appeared to be enjoying it so much.

But it was the far end of the kitchen that held the greatest surprise. Todd was leaning back against the cupboards, his arm looped casually around Dee’s shoulders, and opposite them, laughing with an ease I’d not heard before, were Alex… and Mac.

Even though he had his back to me, Alex was the first person to register my return. He spun around, a big smile already in place as I stood in the doorway like a vampire seeking an invitation to enter.

‘Molly. Are you okay now?’

It was a curious question, as though I’d been upset about something, when in reality the only thing that had been upset was my glass of wine.

‘I’m fine.’

‘Oh, that top looks great on you,’ said Dee, inadvertently drawing every eye in the room to the skin-tight garment. ‘Way better than it does on me, in fact.’

The kitchen felt suddenly warmer, but perhaps that was because someone had closed the patio doors in my absence.

‘Molly had a bit of a mishap with a glass of wine,’ Alex explained to Mac.

Mac’s eyes went straight to mine, and it was impossible not to see the light of amusement dancing in their depths. ‘How unusual,’ he murmured, his voice gently teasing.

I probably deserved that, seeing as every time we’d met I’d either dropped, broken or spilt something.

‘What can I say? Juggling-school dropout.’

That made him laugh, and I could sense the others were waiting for us to explain, but neither of us did.

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