Page 81 of The Plot Twist

‘I never thought you weren’t good enough for me,’ she said quietly, ‘but yes, we were,are, so different. I don’t think we ever really got each other, did we?’

Dominic shook his head a little sadly. ‘But things are OK, are they? At Brinkman’s? You’re going to be OK, aren’t you?’

‘Yeah, I am. I mean, I need to finish this book, but they’ve brought Verity back in…’ She saw the look on his face. ‘Oh right, yes, you wouldn’t have known. That guy, Jake, the one in the article, he got rid of Verity. But it’s OK,’ she said quickly, seeing panic etched on Dominic’s face. ‘They fired him and gave Verity her job back. So, I’ve got my editor again.’

‘Well, that’s good. I know how much she means to you.’

Allie bit back a smile remembering the time she had introduced Verity and Dominic at one of her book launches. It had been like introducing people from different planets, with each of them falling over themselves to be nice to the other alien because they knew how important they were to Allie.

‘Yup. She really does mean a lot. This whole thing has made me realise how important some people are to me.’ Allie was talking into her cup of tea and so didn’t see the look of hope that had sprung up on Dominic’s face. Because if she had, she might have thought twice about mentioning Verity’s drinks celebration, or indeed where and when that celebration was happening.

ChapterTwenty-Five

‘Let me get this straight.’

Allie braced herself for whatever Jess was about to throw at her; she knew this tone, she had previous experience of being on the end of it.

‘You told your ex, Dominic – Disappointing Dominic – the man who, after breaking up with you, left your flat in the car of his new girlfriend, the exact time and place of a party you are going to?’

‘Yes and?’ Allie was failing to grasp what Jess was getting at.

‘Don’t you think he’ll have taken that as an invitation to turn up?’

‘No!’ exclaimed Allie in absolute disbelief. ‘Of course not, why would he?’

‘Because,’ sighed Jess, ‘he came round to your flat because he wanted to see you, because he’s hoping you’ll take him back.’

‘No!’ interjected Allie again.

‘And then you tell him exactly where he can find you on Friday night?’ Jess continued, ignoring Allie’s protestations. ‘What were you thinking, Allie? He just told you he’d split up with his new girlfriend, an open invite to see if you were still interested!’

‘Not his girlfriend,’ interjected Allie.

‘Not the point,’ sing songed Jess in return. She was really not impressed with Allie, and given the circumstances, and the way in which Jess had just presented her with the evidence, Allie was beginning to understand why.

‘I have one question … why?’ There was a muffled exchange on the end of the phone while Jess pointed out one or more flaws in the house that she and Tom were viewing that day. ‘No, not there.’ Jess sounded exasperated and Allie kind of hoped that, much as she loved Tom, it was him testing Jess’s patience that day and not her. ‘It’s not going to fit there, is it?’ There was a pause. ‘Over there, yes, it could definitely fit in that space.’

‘Going well, is it?’ Allie asked.

Jess harrumphed in response. ‘It’s a nice house, good location. Just trying to work out if we’ll fit my wardrobe in any of the bedrooms.’

Allie said nothing. The size of Jess’s wardrobe had been the sticking point to every single flat and house move of the last decade. Sometimes it was nice that nothing changed, and sometimes Allie wished that Tom had the guts just to tell Jess that her antique wardrobe would have to find a new home.

‘Anyway, beside the point.Pleasetell me why you told Dominic about this party?’

‘Oh, I don’t know. He turned up all contrite, and I was feeling vulnerable and didn’t think it through. You don’t actually think he’s going to turn up, do you?’

‘I think there’s a good chance…’

Allie thought this over. ‘I guess it would be nice not to go to the party on my own.’

‘No!’ It was Jess’s turn to protest. ‘Do not even go there. If you want a date, you could ask me.’

‘No, I can’t. You’re leaving me, remember? Moving out of London,’ Allie said sulkily.

‘Al,’ Jess said in a warning tone, ‘not fair. I haven’t moved yet and anyway I’m not leaving you.’

‘Whatever,’ Allie muttered.

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