Page 7 of The Match Faker

I’d swapped my fancy coffee shop lattes for supermarket-brand instant coffee and Trudy was right. It didn’t compare.

‘I know it tastes awful, but it’s cheap. I can’t justify paying almost five pounds a day for a coffee. That’s over a hundred pounds a month!’

This week, as well as going through my finances, I definitely needed to focus on marketing to attract more clients.

‘Drinking proper coffee is a gift to myself. And to you. You wouldn’t want to share an office with me if I wasn’t fully caffeinated first. I don’t mind getting them if you’re short. I know business has been a bit slow…’

‘Thanks, but it’s okay.’ I dropped the post on my desk, then sat down. ‘I’ll be fine.’ I wasn’t sure I would, but was trying to stay positive.

Trudy was an agent who represented actors—mostly working in theatre. We’d been friends since we were eleven. We both attended the same school, but it wasn’t until we were around eighteen and went to university together that we became really close.

Since then we’d been bona fide besties. Trudy had started her business a year before me, and when I’d mentioned I needed an office, she’d offered to share so we could split the rent.

My phone pinged and I glanced at the message preview on the screen.

Mum

Will you be bringing someone to our anniversary party? I need to know how much food to make and how many bottles of white rum to ask Uncle Eggbert to bring back from Jamaica for the punch.

I shoved the phone across my desk and groaned.

‘What’s up?’

‘Mum wants to know if I’m bringing “someone” to my parents’ anniversary party, which is months away! Reckons she needs to know how much food to make and how many bottles of rum to ship from Jamaica.’

‘Doesn’t she always make enough food to feed the five thousand?’ Trudy sipped her coffee.

‘Yep. She always sends us home with a pile of leftovers too.’

My parents were from Jamaica and no party was complete without a spread of traditional dishes and a potent rum punch. But she didn’t need my uncle to bring anything over. Everything she needed was right here in London.

‘You reckon she’s fishing?’

‘Definitely. She just wants to know if I’ve found a man yet. My single status is tarnishing the family’s flawless relationship record. No doubt Aunty Doreen will hunt me down again at the party to ask why I’m still alone too.’

I opened the first envelope on the stack of post. As I caught sight of the rent invoice, I sighed.

I knew there’d be an increase, but I wasn’t expecting it to be that much. According to this letter, in three months, my rent would double. With my current income, there was no way I could afford to stay here.

Rental rates in London were all ridiculously high. The offices in my budget were all run-down and in dodgy areas.

It was hard enough getting a new business off the ground, and my competitors’ offices were fancier than mine, so I needed a decent-looking place to reassure clients that I was on the same level.

My stomach churned. I doubted Trudy would be happy about the increase either, so I’d have to cover all the rent myself.

I ripped open the next envelope. Another bill. I knew most people went paperless. It was better for the planet. But after what had happened before when my ex switched everything online, I made sure all my bills came in the post. It was safer that way.

‘Don’t worry. I’ll be there this time. But if Aunty Doreen asks why you’re not coupled up, just tell her you’re getting too much cock to settle down with one man! That’ll shut her up!’ Trudy cackled.

‘I’m not, though…’ I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had sex.

‘She doesn’t know that!’

‘We both know I’m no good at lying. And I’m not doing a great job of running this business either. Maybe I should pack it all in. Go back to banking. Or find another job with a steady salary.’

‘No! You were miserable doing that. We both agreed that when we were thirty, we’d follow our dreams. Give it time. You’re a brilliant matchmaker! Your match rate is amazing and you’ve got two more weddings coming up in the next six months: weddings that you made happen by bringing your clients together. You’re a legend!’

‘You’re my best friend, so you would say that.’

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