Page 14 of The Plot Twist

‘The latter,’ Allie admitted in a small voice.

‘Al!’ admonished Jess. ‘You said you were going to talk to her!’

‘I was!’ protested Allie, ‘but then she made me meet this terrifying new publisher who I think wants to cancel my contract.’

‘Riiight. And do you think not delivering a new book is going to make it more or less likely that he wants to cancel? Hmm?’

‘More,’ admitted Allie in the tone of a scolded child. ‘But I do have to go in for a meeting sometime soon so I promise I’ll talk to Verity then.’

‘And is this promise more or less likely to be kept than the promise you made me that you’d talk to Verity last night?’

‘Jess,’ moaned Allie, ‘you’re making me feel bad.’

‘Good. I’m only looking out for you. So how was the rest of the party?’

‘Well, I met a hot waiter and a washed-up crime writer.’

‘OK,’ said Jess. ‘Which one shall we start with then?’

Allie screwed up one eye and regarded her friend. ‘Hot waiter?’

Jess raised her glass. ‘Exactly what I was thinking.’

‘But there’s not much to say. I mean he was gorgeous and friendly but it’s not like I’ll ever see him again and, anyway, he’s probably got a girlfriend.’

‘Yep, and you have a boyfriend,’ Jess reminded her.

‘Oh yeah, about that…’ Allie continued. ‘Dominic dumped me last night.’

‘What?’ Jess’s face creased in concern, her forehead wrinkling in exactly the sort of way that would make her ask Allie if she ought to get Botox. ‘He dumped you?’ Allie nodded. ‘Last night?’

Allie nodded again. ‘He was waiting for me when I got home from the party and yeah, he just ended it.’

‘Oh, Al, I’m sorry. Are you OK?’ Jess put her arm around Allie and squeezed her.

‘Yeah, I’m fine.’ Allie rubbed her face and quickly stopped, not wanting to end up with mascara and bronzer smeared everywhere. ‘Honestly, Jess, I’m surprisingly fine,’ Allie said. ‘I mean it’s not like I wouldn’t have dumped him, too. I just hadn’t got around to it yet.’

Jess narrowed her eyes. Allie knew how Jess felt about Dominic. But no matter any of that, she hoped Jess would understand it was never pleasant to be dumped, to find out you’re surplus to requirements.

‘Actually, what really sucked was when he left.’

‘Why?’

‘I went to look out the window and saw him getting into the car of his new girlfriend.’

‘What?’ Jess exploded.

‘She drives a better car than I do, so maybe that’s why he dumped me.’

‘Allie,’ Jess said sagely, ‘you don’t drive.’

‘Exactly.’

‘Surely he can’t be that stupid. Maybe it was his Uber?’

Allie raised her eyebrow and looked at Jess. ‘Tell me honestly if you’ve ever kissed an Uber driver on the lips as you got into the front seat of their car.’

Jess looked up at the ceiling and flushed slightly. ‘Actually, there was this one time…’

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