Page 35 of Shout Out To My Ex

‘There’s no card,’ says Poppy. ‘Did you see who gave them to you?’

‘Um, yes, actually,’ I reply, my stomach clenching.

‘Well?’ asks Cassie with a laugh.

‘It was Leo,’ I reply.

Her eyes blink in disbelief. ‘Oh. Well, that’s?—’

‘Sorry, who’s Leo?’ asks Poppy.

Oh god, she’s not going to write about me and Leo now, is she?

‘Off the record?’ I ask her. She nods. Sheseemssincere – I really hope I can trust her. ‘He’s my ex. A complete bastard, who I had no contact with for a decade and who’s suddenly back in my life. Oh, and he goes byLorenzonow,’ I add with an eye roll. ‘Here.’ I thrust the flowers at her. ‘You can have these.’

‘Oh, I…’ She glances at Cassie and there’s something in the look they exchange that unsettles me.

‘Elle?’ Zara calls above the hubbub. Saved by the assistant designer.

‘Duty calls,’ I say, then I rush over to help Zara pack up the collection.

11

POPPY

Cassie and I watch Elle scarper away, then our heads come together. ‘Did you tell him to bring flowers?’ I ask right as she says, ‘Were the flowers your idea?’ We spring apart, our eyes wide.

Cassie looks over to where Elle and Zara are (literally) knee-deep in garments and custom-made packing boxes. ‘It’s okay,’ I say, ‘she’s otherwise occupied. I don’t think she’ll figure out we’re working together.’

Cassie looks at me. ‘Well, at least our plan to get him here succeeded,’ she says. I had an invitation couriered over to his hotel yesterday. ‘But how did he know about peonies?’

‘Sorry?’ I ask.

‘They’re her favourite flower. How did he know that? Or do you think it was just blind luck?’

‘Oh, well, they were together for a long time. He must have remembered.’

‘You’re probably right. Still,’ she says, a small smile alighting on her face, ‘it’s a good sign, don’t you think?’

‘That he showed up with her favourite flowers? Yes. That it pissed her off? Not so much. Do you still think we can get her to his show tomorrow?’

‘I’ll make sure of it,’ Cassie replies. ‘Even if I have to tie her up and stuff her in the boot of the cab.’ I laugh but she doesn’t, suddenly serious again. ‘This has to work, Poppy. At the very least, she needs to have it out with him so she can move on with her life.’

‘That’s the worst-case scenario, okay?’

She nods, her lips drawn into a tight line.

‘Listen, I’ve worked with dozens of clients over the years and in a former life, I was a psychologist. Her reaction to these’ – I hold up the flowers – ‘that wasmilesaway from indifference, which is a positive sign.Andhe showed up. That counts for something too. Actually, it counts for a lot. So, let’s proceed as if we’re “Team Reunion”, rather than just “Team Closure”, okay?’

Cassie brightens up a bit and smiles again. ‘Sounds good.’

‘Cass!’ Elle is waving her sister over.

‘Will you join us for a celebratory drink?’ Cassie asks me.

‘If it won’t feel like I’m intruding.’

‘No,’ she replies as if I’m being silly. ‘Just bring your notepad and pretend it’s all part of the article.’

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