Page 109 of Shout Out To My Ex

‘Why was it a rubbish day?’

I shake my head, not wanting to burden him with my failings as a matchmaker.

‘Darling, tell me.’

I’m about to say I’d rather put it out of my mind – at least until I get to the agency tomorrow morning – when he shifts into Tristan-the-perfect-husband mode.

‘How about this? You run a nice hot bath, I’ll put together a little tray for you – something to nibble on, a glass of wine – and while you’re relaxing, I’ll make us a yummy dinner?’

‘I don’t deserve you,’ I say.

‘You absolutely do. Besides, you always look after me when I’ve had a rubbish day.’

‘Except the cooking part.’

‘Yes, no need to pile on and make a day worse,’ he teases.

‘Hey, not nice.’

He grins at me and shoos me off to the bathroom, giving my bum a pat as I go.

An hour later, after I’ve soaked my worries away while nibbling on olives and drinking a glass of Pinot, we sit down to plates of steak and homemade chips –andsteamed broccoli, because (Tristan’s) old habits die hard.

But even though this is one of my favourite meals, my appetite has disappeared. Unable to put work out of my mind any longer, unease flows through me unfettered. In just over twelve hours, I will be facing the music. It won’t be pretty.

‘Work still on your mind?’ Tristan asks as he cuts into his steak. It’s perfect: medium rare – exactly how we both like it.

‘We had to tell the client today – the one who didn’t know I was a matchmaker – that her sister was working with Ever After.’

‘Oh, I see. Is it?—’

‘Yes, it’s as bad as it seems. I’ve never had to do that before. Paloma’s called an early meeting tomorrow to formulate a PR plan, but there’s still the chance Saskia will shut down the case entirely. I’ve put the agency at risk. Well, the case has. If anyone connects my client and the love interest and all the shitthat’s going on in the press to the agency, it’s… I don’t want to catastrophise, but…’

‘It could have dire repercussions,’ he says.

‘Yep. And there’s the impact all this has had on my client.Hercareer is on the line as well – not just mine.’

He reaches for my hand and gives it a squeeze. ‘Sorry, Poppy. I hope Paloma’s solution does the trick.’

‘Me too,’ I say with a sigh. I’m about to cut into my steak when my phone chimes, notifying me of a message.

‘You should go ahead and check that, darling,’ he says. Even though Tristan and I have a ‘no phones at the dinner table’ rule, it ends up being more of a guideline, as we both we need to be reachable after work hours.

I retrieve my phone from the hallstand, dreading what this might be. Seeing the message, I break into a relieved smile. I hold up the phone as I walk back to the dining table. ‘It’s Jass,’ I say. ‘She’s got it in her head to stage an intervention for Shaz.’

‘An intervention?’ he asks, clearly baffled.

‘To move her into Lauren’s place before Lauren gets back from Finland.’

Tristan’s mouth quirks. ‘Jacinda missed her calling – she should have been a matchmaker.’

‘I’vetold her that too. Anyway, it’s Saturday. You and Ravi are the brawn.’

‘Making Jacinda the brains and you the beauty.’

‘Hah! Flattery will get you everywhere, Mr Fellows,’ I say with a coquettish smile.

‘Oh, I hope so, Ms Dean, because after dinner, we progress to phase three.’

---