Page 133 of Shout Out To My Ex

‘Look,’ says Jacinda, coming to stand beside me. Out of the corner of my eye, Tristan and Ravi exchange shrugs, rightly staying out of this.

‘This is mostly my doing,’ Jass continues, ‘so if you’re going to blame anyone, send your fury in my direction.’

I’d say it was generous of Jacinda to take the fall for the rest of us, but this idiotic ideawashers. I was just the idiot that went along with it. I suppose that makes our husbands idiots once removed.

Shaz leans against the dining table and crosses her arms, a weary breath escaping. I’ve known her long enough to recognise the signs: she’s calming downandshe’s forgiven us. Or she’s close to it – the forgiving part.

‘You want to know the funny thing?’ she asks us, brows raised and mouth flattening into a line.

It’s rhetorical but Ravi pipes up anyway. ‘Tell us.’

‘Alfie and I gave notice on Monday.’

‘What? On the flat?’ I ask.

‘No, at NASA. We’ve both resigned from the space programme.’

I rush to my bestie and throw my arms around her neck. ‘I am so happy for you!’

‘And you let us stew like that, giving us a right dressing down,’ says Jass with a wry laugh.

‘Well, my news doesn’t change how I feel about you showing up like this. What were you planning on doing if I said no? Kidnapping me?’

‘You did say no, and kidnapping was never on the table,’ Jacinda says, telling porkies.

‘Good to know, because you’d make terrible kidnappers. You were about as subtle as a neon sign in a dark alley – despitePoppy’s outfit. What were you going for, anyway?’ she asks me. ‘Trinity fromThe Matrix?’

‘I said the cast ofOcean’s Eight,’ Jacinda chimes in.

‘Hmm.’ They (rudely) appraise my all-black outfit with twin tilted heads and narrowed eyes.

‘Right,’ I say, redirecting the conversation away from what I’m wearing. ‘We should chuff off and let you get back tonotpacking up your flat.’

‘Ha-ha. Thanks for the boxes, by the way. And the bubble wrap. Oh, and these,’ she says, picking up the tape dispensers and holding them up like guns. ‘Can I assume from tonight’s errant behaviour that you’ll be on hand when Idomove?’ she asks us.

‘Shaz, I love you, you know I do,’ Jass replies, ‘but no one our age wants to help their mates move – that’s for twenty-somethings. Besides, you’re a grown woman with a good job – hire a bloody removalist.’

‘So, what do you call all this then?’ she asks, flinging her arms out.

‘A gesture,’ Jacinda replies. ‘So you didn’t cock things up with Lauren.’

Shaz rolls her eyes and shakes her head at the same time, but I doubt there’s a universe in which Jacinda Sharma admits she was wrong.

‘All right, time to go,’ Jacinda says, corralling our husbands out the door.

I hug Shaz again. ‘I really am thrilled for you. You know how much I love an HEA.’ I step back and regard my bestie, trying hard not to get all mushy. ‘They’re even better when it’s someone I love.’

So much for not getting mushy, I think as I blink back tears.

‘Thanks, Pop, and yes, I am vaguely aware of your addiction to happily ever afters.’

‘It’s not an add?—’

‘I’m joking, you dork,’ she interjects with a chuckle and, just like that, I’m forgiven.

‘Oh, and don’t tell the others,’ I add quickly, ‘but I’m happy to help with the move.’

‘You don’t have to – although, you do love wrapping things in bubble wrap – alot.’

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