“Nice dress.” I said before I could help myself.

She quirked a sarcastic eyebrow at me, but I still felt her eyes travelling over me making me feel naked before her. The silence made the atmosphere grow intense.

“No Lara?” She asked, breaking our eye contact as she sipped her wine.

I shook my head. “She had to work late, but we’re both hoping to get to Wax later on.”

“You’ll be lucky; these things drag on for hours.”

I sighed, and traced invisible patterns on the floor with my heels.

“How about Ethan?” I asked, looking up.

“Oh, he’s around.” She said, gesturing with her glass, twirling slightly. “Mingling…”  I realised then that Alice was definitely not on her first drink of the evening.

I was just thinking of how to broach the subject of the other night, or if I even should when Bob appeared by my side.

He gave Alice a lingering glance, looking away when she stared back at him.

“Ready for those introductions now, Dana?”

I smiled tightly.

“Sure, Bob. Let’s do it.”

My eyes caught sight of a little group of beautifully dressed women a few yards behind him, who immediately stopped talking when they saw I had noticed them, and starting giggling and waving nervously. Oh, great.

As I was being led away I turned my head back, mouthing “help” at Alice, who couldn’t suppress a giggle.

I didn’t see her again until my ordeal was long over, and we were all seated in the presentation hall. I was feeling pleasantly tipsy by this point and when I saw Alice sitting two rows in front of me I allowed myself the luxury of openly watching her. Ethan was beside her in a tux, whispering something in her ear that was making her laugh. Her head was tilted back and her eyes were shining. I felt a sudden surge of love as I remembered what it felt like to make her laugh like that. She had such a beautiful laugh. Get a grip, Fairbanks. I made myself sit up straighter and tried to take an interest in the incredibly tedious speeches that went on and on until I gave up and started Alice-watching again. I noticed that Ethan was knocking back the booze at a rate of knots. He was also stroking Alice’s thigh in a possessive and I thought, rather sleazy manner: the jealously I had by now grown quite used to was resurfacing making my throat tighten. I was trying to take my mind off them, studying my nails and playing with the hem of my dress when I felt someone’s eyes on me. I looked up and met the unwelcome gaze of Ethan, who had twisted around in his seat. He smiled at me in a rather arrogant way. My lips didn’t seem able to form a smile in return, so I looked away. When I looked back he had turned around again and was whispering in Alice’s ear once more. God, Al could do so much better than him.