Page 42 of The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love

‘Do you know if they send the same person each week? It’s just that with Davey…’

‘Let me check with the company. If they do, I really recommend Ashleigh.’

‘Ashleigh. Yes. That’s who Hildy was talking about, I think.’ She waves the phone at me. ‘I neglected to write that part down. I don’t know why I’m telling you all this. Probably lack of adult company to chat with.’

‘Well, I personally live for talking about dinosaurs and violins. Can I ask you something?’

‘Of course.’

‘Can you tell me how you progressed from calling Mrs. Lundy, Mrs. Lundy, to being able to call her Hildy? I can’t seem to get the hang of it.’

Julia smiles knowingly and says, ‘Doesn’t she correct you though?’

‘Every time.’

‘It’s confidence. She invited me to one of her tea parties and after that first one, something sort of clicked and I was able to do it.’

‘Tea parties?’

‘Like an old-school afternoon tea. Glamourous. Lots of delicate china. Tiny food.’

‘Why would you want the food to be tiny?’

‘I guess it makes it easier to eat while you network. That’s what they are really. Networking events.’

‘Oh. Right. Now you describe it, I think I remember Anya being invited to one.’ I try to remember if she told me about it afterwards, but I’m coming up with nothing so perhaps she didn’t attend.

‘Anya?’ Julia asks.

‘My girlfriend,’ I explain. ‘It wasn’t long after I’d moved in. Mrs. Lundy saw her in the corridor – come to think of it, I don’t know why I wasn’t invited.’

‘Well, not to be un-PC but you’re the wrong gender.’

‘Wow, who knew Mrs. Lundy was sexist?’

‘I think it’s more that she has a mission to redress the balance a little.’

‘Everyone deserves a piece of the pie,’ I murmur.

Julia takes my plate and hers to the sink and runs the faucet over them. ‘Never mind a piece of the pie, do you know how hard it is to even get a seat at the table? That’s what Hildy’s networking tea parties give you. The confidence to take your seat at the table. It’s why I just now went for a promotion I didn’t think I’d be able to get and got it. It’s why as soon as I get these two into bed tonight, I’m celebrating with more of this cake and a long bubble bath. Sorry TMI.’

To be honest I’m not listening. All I’m thinking is… A piece of the pie… Perfect Pies… A seat at the table…

I think I may just have stumbled onto a big idea.

A really big, really good, fabulous idea.

Electricity is pulsing through my veins.

Sirens are going off in my ears.

Actually no, that’s the alarm on my watch.

I register that Davey is now standing politely beside me, waiting for me to leave.

Talk about good timing because I need to be back in my apartment working on this brand-new pitch for tomorrow. This is how we bring Perfect Pies into the present. Not by focusing on a nostalgia piece. But by… Yes, I’m picturing a party now. Or a conference. Some sort of company event that’s thanking everyone for their hard work and raising profits and all of them get a piece of the pie. Maybe it’s a not-for-profit and there’s pie for everyone … or the seats aren’t necessarily at a table … or it’s a glass-top table and … there’s something here.

I know it.

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