Page 105 of The One That I Want

Wann lernen wir endlich Harrison kennen?

Oh god, now she wants to know when they’re meeting Harrison. Fuck! How did I forget the enormous lie I told my family? And why did I tell it in the first place?

‘Because you’ve been living on an emotional rollercoaster for the past month, and can barely tell your arse from your elbow,’ I mutter to myself.

I shove my phone back in my handbag and accelerate my pace – I need a cocktail andnow.

I show the message to Tiggy the moment she arrives at the Gin Palace, making her bellow with laughter.

‘I don’t even need to read German to find that funny,’ she says.

‘Oi, you’re not being helpful. And technically,youtold them I was seeing Harrison.’

‘Don’t put this on me. You were all flustered and flailing about,’ she says, flapping her hand to demonstrate. ‘And what other name was I supposed to give?’

It’s a fair question. Giving the name of a real person, one who I’d been matched with, was probably better than making someone up entirely.

‘No, you’re right.’

‘So, what are you going to tell her?’

‘That it didn’t work out?’

‘And how will you explain Ewan?’

‘What do you mean,explainEwan?’

‘Hi, Mum, hi, Dad, meet the bloke I haven’t told you about yet because I lied about dating a bloke called Harrison.’

Shit, she’s right about that too!

‘Gah!’

‘You need to tell hersomething– you know how she gets when you don’t reply right away. She’ll have the coppers knocking down your door for a welfare check if you don’t message back soon.’

I puff out my cheeks and type a reply to my mum, hating myself for perpetuating the lie:

Will let you know. Xxxxx

Tiggy glances at my near-empty glass and signals for the bartender to bring me another drink, but I wave him off with, ‘I’m okay for now, thanks.’

‘You invite me out for a drink and you literally meantonedrink?’ she asks.

I cover a yawn with my hand; the weight of the day – and last night’s sleeplessness – has caught up with me.

‘I’ll try not to be insulted by the yawn,’ she says dryly.

‘I’m sorry for being rubbish company. I can rally,’ I say, vigorously patting my cheeks to perk myself up. ‘Tell me about your day.’

Tiggy rolls her eyes.

‘Please? I’m all ears, I promise.’

She runs through her typical digest of clients who’ve changed their minds mid-project and concludes with, ‘And I’m seeing Apple again later.’

‘Apple?Oh, the one from the threesome!’

‘Could you say that louder, please? I don’t think the people on the Strand heard you.’

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