Page 80 of The Plot Twist

‘There was an article about it inThe Telegraph.’

Allie rolled her eyes. ‘Of course there was.’

‘Hey, don’t be so dismissive. I came to check you were OK.’

Allie arched her eyebrow at him. ‘Really? You came to check I was OK?’ Dominic nodded, but in a rather hesitant fashion. ‘Now why would you want to come and check I was OK after an article you read? When you couldn’t be bothered to check I was OK after you left here in your new girlfriend’s car?’

Dominic flushed immediately. He opened his mouth a few times as if searching for an explanation, before realising that Allie was not in the mood. ‘She’s not my girlfriend,’ he said mutedly.

‘Not now? Or never was?’ Allie put her hand on her hip. She was enjoying making Dominic squirm but was also discomfited by the fact that it was causing her pain to relive that night. She thought she had buried it all, thought she was over Dominic, had proudly declared herself over him before the relationship had even formally ended. And now she realised, with a pang that that wasn’t quite true, and it wasn’t just her pride which was hurting, she genuinely missed having someone, even Dominic, sharing her life. She swallowed down the lump in her throat and tried to stare him down.

‘Never was,’ he said softly. ‘Allie, I’m sorry. I’ve behaved like an idiot.’

Allie was probably supposed to jump in here and make him feel better, but she remained tight lipped.

‘She’s a colleague, an ex-colleague now, anyway. She had been flirting with me for ages.’

‘And you couldn’t help yourself?’

‘No! Honestly, nothing really happened.’

Allie narrowed her eyes at this statement. ‘Just be honest with me, Dominic.’

‘OK, I had told her we had been having issues. What?’ he said, seeing the look on Allie’s face. ‘Come on, be honest, we hadn’t been happy for ages. I said I was going to come and talk to you, she offered me a lift, and stupidly I said yes. I didn’t actually think she was going to wait outside for me. And yes, when I got in the car she leaned over and kissed me. But that’s as far as it went. And I haven’t seen her since, not outside work, and she’s left now anyway.’ He paused. ‘Allie, I’m sorry. I really wish it hadn’t happened. It was really disrespectful.’

Allie grunted slightly in recognition of both the apology and – begrudgingly – the explanation, which did seem to get Dominic off the hook for being a complete swine. Just half pig then. It was Allie’s turn to shuffle awkwardly. Just because he’d apologised it didn’t mean she wanted him in her flat, but now that he had apologised, and being so terribly British, she really felt she ought to offer him a drink.

‘Do you want a cup of tea?’ she said, in a tone that suggested Dominic would be stupid to say yes. Dominic’s eyes lit up, evidently he hadn’t put on his listening ears that day.

‘That would be great.’ He plonked himself down in one of Allie’s kitchen chairs which seemed to suggest he would be staying for a while. Allie watched him for a moment, wishing she hadn’t offered, before turning to fill the kettle and reminding herself that this was her house, and if she wanted him to leave, she just had to tell him that.

‘So are you OK about the Brinkman’s thing then?’ Dominic asked as he sat, rather too at home in her kitchen, nursing his cup of tea.

‘Yes, it’s good news.’

‘Right, yes, of course.’

Allie rolled her eyes. ‘Oh god, do I want to know whatThe Telegraph’s take on it all is?’

Dominic looked at her over his tea. ‘Want to take a guess?’

‘Has #metoo gone too far? Are innocent publishing executives being taken down by militant feminazis?’

Dominic laughed loudly. ‘That’s about spot on.’

‘Seriously? Why do you read that rubbish?’

‘That was always a problem, wasn’t it?’

‘What do you mean?’ Allie suddenly felt defensive.

‘With us. You hated that I was different to you. Hated the fact I wasn’t creative, had a boring office job.’ Allie bristled, ready to defend herself but Dominic continued. ‘It’s OK, I know. I do have a boring office job. I am essentially boring. Far too boring for you.’

‘Dom, it’s not… I don’t… It wasn’t like that.’

‘No? You know, I never felt good enough for you. I knew you could do so much better. Find someone so much more interesting.’

Allie felt her heart constrict. Dominic was right, shehadalways thought he had a boring job, that he could never understand the creative industries, didn’t care enough about her work. But she hated the fact he’d realised that, hated the fact she had been ‘found out’.

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