Page 85 of Love Is…?

“Mostly. Grace had something shitty happen to her. Social media crap. I can fill you—” She blinked at the staircase, staredunseeingly at each step leading down to the lounge and kitchen, as a thought whirred to life. “I’ve got an idea!” she gasped out.

“About…?”

Tessa flapped her hand. “About Grace’s situation. Can I call you back?”

“Absolutely,” Jayde said.

“If I don’t manage to, I’ll see you at my place about seven tomorrow night?”

Again, Jayde’s smile rippled out of the phone, and Tessa couldn’t help feeling it touch her heart.

“Seven o’clock. Tomorrow. Your place. Got it.”

Tessa laughed at Jayde’s serious tone. “I am not that bossy.”

There was a moment, then Jayde whispered, “You are. It’s very attractive.”

Tessa blushed, then a shudder, complete with goosebumps up her arms, ricocheted about her body. It was a relief that Jayde hadn’t been put off by the disappearing act. In fact, here she was whispering and complimenting and flirting, with the promise of conversations. Swoon.

“I… You… Okay. Tomorrow. Now go away and write wonderful things.”

Jayde’s chuckle was intoxicating. “Bye, Tess.” And with that, she hung up, leaving Tessa to stare at the screen, a smile of relief and joy lifting the corners of her mouth. Tessa turned away from the railing, and made her way back to Grace’s room, arriving just in time to hear Grace despair that the poem was one of her best and now it had been wasted.

“Maybe I could write a revenge poem. Or lyrics, even. Taylor style.” Grace darted her eyes from her mum to Sam and then to Tessa, who had resumed her position against the doorframe.

Tessa squished up her cheek. “Yeah, nah. Not a good idea.”

Sam and Abby nodded in agreement, and Grace sagged into her mum again. “I feel like there’s nothing I can do except bethe laughing stock of the school, the boys’ grammar school, the world. And here I go being dramatic. But this whole mess is worthy of drama.”

Grace’s hair, still damp from the shower, hung limply about her head, and Abby tucked a few strands behind her daughter’s ear. “You’re not being dramatic, sweetheart. You’re reacting like anyone would.”

Abby turned to face Sam. “Any thoughts on a next step?”

Sam stared down at the plush carpet, then she blew out a breath. “Not one, which sucks because I’m usually good with solutions.”

Tessa raised her hand slightly and wiggled her fingers, the movement catching the attention of the other three occupants in the room.

“I have an idea.”

Chapter

Seventeen

“So, basically,”Tessa said, buzzing with excitement. “Grace is going to be the founder—the queen of PoetryTok—because hordes of her fans will appoint her as such. They’ll follow her account and shitheads like Michael will be howled down.” Tessa squeezed Jayde’s hand, which hadn’t left hers since Jayde had walked into the apartment thirty minutes prior.

There had been soft kissing in the doorway.

And stroking of faces over the threshold.

And whispers of, “Hi,” and, “I’ve missed you,” and, “Sorry,” and, “Please stop saying sorry,” and, “God, you’re sexy.”

Eventually Angel had announced loudly that Jayde and Tessa would be responsible for explaining to the fire department why there was a huge scorch mark on the carpet near the front door.

So now, here Tessa was, sitting next to Jayde on the couch, holding her hand, their shoulders touching, and Angel parked on the armchair across from them. The hand-holding, touching of forearms, shoulder nudges. Tessa relished it all.Angel looked at both of them and shook her head.

“PoetryTok,” Jayde said through a laugh.

“Yep. BookTok’s a thing so why not poetry?” Tessa shrugged. “I think it’s going to work. Grace will create her account, postan introductory TikTok—apparently I’m being old by calling it a video—read one of her favourite poems, with that poem enlarged in all its glory on the screen behind her. It’ll look amazing. She’s decided to read the love poem she gave to Michael because it’sherlove poem, not Michael’s.”

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