Page 58 of The Plot Twist

‘Right. Why?’ Jess asked incredulously.

‘I went walking with Martin, we ended up here.’

There was a pause. ‘Did you tell him? About Will?’

‘No.’ Allie didn’t even try to prevaricate.

‘Allie!’

‘Alright,’ Allie was irritated, ‘I didn’t call you so you could judge me. I called to see if you were out tonight.’

‘No, not tonight. Having a quiet one.’

‘Uff, when do you ever have a quiet one?’

‘I do! Just not very often.’

‘Does it have to be tonight?’ Allie whined. ‘I want to talk to you!’

‘We are talking.’

‘Not on the phone! Face to face. Preferably over a drink.’

Allie could hear Jess sigh. ‘Not tonight, Allie, OK? I’m home, I’m not coming back out. If you want to talk we can talk now.’

Allie was silent. ‘What about later on in the week?’

‘I’m free Friday?’

‘OK!’ Allie latched on deliriously. ‘Friday’s good! I’m meeting Martin for a catch-up but can be free whenever you get off work.’

‘Allie?’ Jess asked in a dangerous tone. ‘You are planning on telling him on Friday, aren’t you?’

‘Well, yes, I mean, no, I mean, maybe? I think I should tell Will first, don’t you think?’ Allie’s voice was pleading. She was desperate for Jess to agree, desperate to be let off the hook for just a few more days before her world came tumbling apart.

Jess exhaled. ‘Maybe you’re right.’

Allie experienced what she could only describe as absolute delight to have had her decision verified, only for a caveat to be firmly put in place.

‘But that just means you should tell WillbeforeFriday. Then you can tell Martin afterwards.’

‘But he’s away,’ wheedled Allie. ‘And as I said before, I think I should do it face to face.’

‘Ideally, yes. But we don’t find ourselves in ideal circumstances, do we? So now I think you need to make the best of a bad situation.’

Allie scowled. Jess was not playing ball. Maybe it was better that she wasn’t free this evening. It was easier to ignore her when they weren’t opposite each other, only separated by a bottle of chilled sauvignon.

‘OK, whatever. I’ll tell him.’

‘Good. I’ll message you about Friday.’

Allie put the phone down and stomped off in the direction of Green Park Tube station, trying not to feel too guilty about the fact she had just lied to her best friend. She would tell Will, of course she would. She just hadn’t been completely clear with Jess aboutwhenexactly she planned to do this, because she wasn’t really sure herself.

ChapterSeventeen

Verity picked up her phone for what felt to Allie like the millionth time and then slammed it face down on the table between them.

‘She isn’t coming,’ she said defiantly.

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