Page 127 of Shout Out To My Ex

‘That won’t be necessary,’ Paloma replies. ‘My investigator has been particularly thorough.’

‘Your investigat?—’

‘Yes, and fair warning, we are launching a counter campaign. You may want to warn Ms Whitehead and Mr Trudeau. Good day.’ She reaches across her desk and ends the call. ‘Right,’ she says with a broad smile, ‘let’s get to work.’

‘Wait,’ I say. ‘Are you okay?’ I ask Leo.

He nods, expelling a heavy sigh. ‘Yeah… yeah, I am. But, just one question,’ he says to Paloma.

She lifts her brows inquisitively.

‘You’re notreallymy publicist, are you?’

‘I absolutely am – that is, until you can find someone who won’t compromise your best interestsandof the calibre you’ll require – you willbothrequire – once we sort out this current situation.’

Leo and I share a glance and I suspect he’s thinking the same as me.

‘Paloma,’ I say, broaching the subject with caution, ‘it’s just that?—’

‘Oh, forgive me,’ she says, that winsome smile making another appearance. It’s clear that on some level, she’s enjoying this. ‘Before the agency, I was head of European campaigns for Four Corners PR.’

Wowser – only one of the top PR agencies in the world.

‘Oh, wow. That’s awesome,’ says Leo.

Paloma chuckles at that and so does Poppy. ‘Shall we?’ she asks, indicating for us to vacate her office.

As we move next door to the conference room, I take Leo aside.

‘Are you sure you’re all right?’

‘About Aunt Serena?’

‘Yes.’

He rubs a hand along his jawline. ‘It’s a lot, and I’m going to have to talk to my mom…’

‘Yeah, of course.’

‘You’ve got to figure out stuff with Cassie, too. She kept quite a bit from you.’

‘Cass and I will be okay – we’re sisters. Sisters can forgive almost anything.’

‘I’m glad.’ His eyes twinkle as he dips his head for a quick kiss. ‘Because, if she hadn’t done all this, we wouldn’t be together.’

‘And there’s that. Youraunty, however…’

Anger clouds his expression. ‘I don’t know if I can think of her like that any more – as my aunt. I wonder how my mom will take it. Not well, is my guess.’ He stares past me, his scowl deepening.

‘Look,’ I say, hoping I can be helpfulwhen I feel so helpless, ‘we just need to get through this “counter campaign”, whatever it may be, then you can take the time you need to process everything.’

He abandons his thoughts and fixes me with a piercing look. ‘I’m really glad you’re here. Not just ’cause you’re you and I love you, but it’s been rough and it’s probably going to get rougher for a while, and yes, I have my mom and Brandy, but with you… It’s just… I wouldn’t want anyone else by my side through all this.’

A thousand doubts and just as many niggling questions are swept away in an instant. I may have acknowledged I love him, but now I know, without a single doubt, that I would never let him navigate something like this on his own.

And although I have my sister, like Leo has his family, I feel the exact same way about him. He’s myperson. Only the words don’t come, as I’m engulfed by emotion. Instead, I stand on my tiptoes and wrap my arms around his neck and whisper, ‘Me too.’

Poppy

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