PRAISE FOR KATEY LOVELL
Magical and sparkly short stories, highly recommended
Skys Book Corner
Im so glad I picked this up, its gorgeous
Rather Too Fond of Books
Swooning all the way through
Reviewed the Book
An absolutely wonderful debut
Little Northern Soul
Quirky, cute and utterly romantic
Bestselling author Rebecca Raisin
Sweet, romantic, perfectly formed coffee break reads. I loved them
Bestselling author Carmel Harrington
The Singalong Society for Singletons
KATEY LOVELL
A division of HarperCollinsPublishers
www.harpercollins.co.uk
HarperImpulse an imprint of
HarperCollinsPublishers
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF
www.harpercollins.co.uk
First published in Great Britain by HarperImpulse 2016
Copyright © Katey Lovell 2016
Cover images © Shutterstock.com
Cover design by Books Covered
Katey Lovell asserts the moral right to
be identified as the author of this work
A catalogue record for this book
is available from the British Library
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the authors imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved under International
and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.
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No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted,
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Ebook Edition © October 2016 ISBN: 9780008195465
Version 2016-08-31
For my lovely Mum. Thank you for everything.
Table of Contents
Cover
Praise for Katey Lovell
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
The Cast List
The Musicals
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
Also by Katey Lovell
Katey Lovell
About HarperImpulse
About the Publisher
The Cast List
The Singalong Society for Singletons
Hope Brown
Monique Brown
Liam Holly
Isadora Jackson
Ray North
Connie Williams
Supporting Roles
Justin Crowson
Amara Lin
The Musicals
Wicked
Frozen
The Lion King
The Sound of Music
Grease
Chicago
West Side Story
South Pacific
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Les Misérables
Singing in the Rain
Fame
Rent
Oliver!
Walking On Sunshine
Mamma Mia
Mary Poppins
White Christmas
Shrek The Musical
The Wizard of Oz
Prologue
Last December The Friday before Christmas
*Wicked My choice*
Ive always considered myself a modern woman. Thats why Id planned to ask Justin to marry me that night.
It would have been a risk, me being the one to do the asking, because in many ways hes an old-fashioned guy. A traditionalist well-mannered, sweet, polite. But Id been so sure that the time was right for our relationship to shift up a gear that Id been willing to take the chance.
After all, wed been together since our last year of secondary school. We must have passed each other in the corridors hundreds of times before that and wed even been in the same maths class for a while, but we hadnt exchanged so much as a word until that fateful April day in Year 11 as we waited to audition for the annual summer show. That year it had been Guys and Dolls and Id had my heart set on the role of Sarah. Miss Adelaide might get the show-stopping numbers, but Sarah was quieter, calmer. Prim and proper, but determined beneath the façade. Truth be told, she was a lot like me.
Id been nervously wringing my hands together as I waited to sing the audition piece of Ive Never Been in Love Before. I can still recall the twisting sensation in my stomach, churning like one of those Slush Puppy machines at the seaside.
Justin had been sitting next to me and hed seen how worried I was, how badly Id wanted the role. Musicals were my thing and if I was cast in a minor role or heaven forbid not at all, my confidence would be severely knocked. Justin had spoken to me in a tone that was immediately soothing, telling me Id shine as Sarah. Hed been the perfect distraction, listening intently as I waffled on anxiously about how I thought I might throw up on my shoes. He didnt recoil at that frank revelation, instead smiling reassuringly until it was my turn to perform on the makeshift stage in the sports hall that reeked of floor polish and sweaty feet.
Thanks to Justin Id kept my cool, holding myself together to pull out a performance to be proud of one that got me the very role Id been coveting. Id been over the moon.
In contrast, he hadnt gone through with his audition in the end. Being as tone deaf as he was, it was probably a blessing. Id never been a Brando fan, but even his version of Luck Be a Lady was far superior to the adaptation Justin had mumbled under his breath as he sat next to me that day. At least Marlon got the words in the right order.
I later found out that the only reason Justin had planned to audition at all was to spend time with me. That was a relief on two counts firstly that hed considered getting up and making a twat of himself in front of half the school proved he was serious about our fledgling relationship; and secondly because it showed he wasnt one of those deluded people who cant hold a tune for toffee but secretly thinks theyre going to win the next series of the Saturday night talent show on TV.
Ever since that audition day wed been together; through the stressful last term of school, into sixth-form college and sharing the first five years of our twenties. Things had become increasingly serious, the single drawer of essentials that Justin had in my cosy bedroom at the house Issy and I shared on Cardigan Close had, over time, turned into a whole chest of drawers. Justin had practically been a fixture or fitting himself; as much a part of the furniture as the sofa that took up half the lounge, or the comfy armchair in the corner of my bedroom which I refuse to get rid of despite the threadbare material on the armrests (much to my housemate Issys chagrin).
He was my other half, the love of my life, and thats why Id steeled myself up to pop the vital question. I couldnt envisage a future in which we werent together.
Justin and Monique.
Monique and Justin.
We were meant to be. I knew it.
As wed left the house that evening, hurrying out onto the cobblestoned street and into the dome-roofed Hackney cab that took us to the city centre, I remember thinking it would be a night to remember for all the right reasons. But I was wrong. Boy, was I wrong.
We had tickets to see a show at City Hall, a touring production of Wicked. I knew nothing about it other than it was linked with The Wizard of Oz, but Id fallen head over heels in love with the song Defying Gravity and was desperate to see it performed live. Justin hadnt been as keen, but then he only ever came to the theatre because he knew I loved it. Dramatic numbers werent really his bag, but that night, in particular, he seemed out of sorts, tetchy almost. Id stupidly put it down to him being tired after a long week at work, that and the fact hed rather be watching the darts on the telly with a pint in his hand. Just as I was nuts over musicals, he was obsessed with sport. It didnt matter if it was the Golf Masters or the Cricket World Cup, if it was a major sporting event Justin would be glued to the screen, willing on his chosen team.
Id convinced myself hed come round as the night went on. After all, Id got a plan to stick to. Wed walk through town, the Sheffield Christmas lights strung out along Barkers Pool hanging underwhelmingly over our heads as we made our way towards the enormous (yet sparsely lit) Christmas tree in front of the imposing Victorian town hall. From there wed stroll arm in arm to the Peace Gardens, a popular meeting point in the centre of town, where wed giggle fondly as we reminisced about how far wed come since sharing our first kiss there one balmy Saturday afternoon, back when we were fifteen and free from care.
In my mind itd been wonderfully romantic, like something from a black-and-white film. The fountains and cascades would be on and the fairy lights wrapped around the spindly trees would make a stunning and dreamy backdrop for my proposal. In my mind it was going to be magical. In my mind it was going to be perfect.
In reality, the evening itself had been nice enough. Therein lay the warning, I suppose. Nice enough isnt magical. Nice enough isnt perfect.
Wed gone for drinks at one of the upmarket bars in town, Justin opting for his usual beer whilst Id splashed out on a Manhattan. Id used the excuse that it was to celebrate reaching the end of term without collapsing in a heap with the other teaching assistants amidst the rush of Christmas parties and visits from Santa (who was actually Mr Thomas, the headmistresss husband), when really the alcohol was Dutch courage, pure and simple. Id been turning the question over in my mind; it had taken all my efforts not to blurt it out before heading to the show.
Wicked had been brilliant, a glorious spectacle of a musical, and the cast had us captivated as they belted out the amazing show tunes. The wannabe performer in me wished I wasnt sitting in the plush gold velour seat how I longed to be up on that stage, the glaring white spotlight shining on me just as it had on a much smaller scale in that school hall during Guys and Dolls! Musicals have the power to transport me to another world, whisking me away from my mundane life. But as soon as the house lights came up in the auditorium a nervous niggle had started gnawing away at me. No matter how hard Id tried to push it to the back of my mind, I hadnt been able to shake it off.