Page 113 of Someone Like You

‘Right, back into the fray.’ He presses his lips softly to Jacinda’s head, then disappears into the crowd. They’re so much more affectionate now they’re expecting a child.

‘Have you heard from Shaz and Lauren?’ Jacinda asks. ‘I’ve sent a couple of messages but she’s only “hearted” them.’

‘Same. But from the pics on Insta, the trip looks like it’s going well.’

Shaz and Lauren are in Melbourne over the holidays for Lauren’s meet-the-family Christmas. She was incredibly nervous about it until I told her that when I lived in Melbourne and Shaz and I became besties, her family practically adopted me. Any holiday that I didn’t go home to Tassie for, they included me in their celebrations. Shaz’s mum, Cheryl, even calls me her second daughter. They are going toloveLauren – like we all do. I don’t even mind if she takes my spot and I’m bumped down to number three.

‘Agreed!’ says Jacinda. ‘Though, I’m so bloody jealous of all those blue-sky, poolside, drinking-chilled-white-wine-on-the-veranda photos. And not just because I can’t have wine at the mo.’

I laugh despite feeling a pang of homesickness for Australia. I love Christmas in England – London especially with all the stunning Christmas decorations and window displays – but I still miss hot Christmases, including the food. The merethoughtof fruit platters and prawns and fat slices of cold ham and six types of salad can get me salivating.

‘How about you?’ asks Jacinda. ‘Today your last day at work?’

‘At the office, yes, but my case is still active – well, sort of.’

‘This the one with Freya’s friend?’

‘Yep.’

‘So, why is it only sort-of active?’

‘Cone of silence?’ I ask.

Unlike Shaz and Lauren, Jacinda and Ravi haven’t met Raff and Gaby, but they know Freya and I need to maintain a modicum of client confidentiality here.

‘Ofcourse!’ she says, her dark-brown eyes dancing with curiosity. Or is that mischief? ‘I live for gossip about your cases – I’d never jeopardise that.’

I fill her in, her mouth stretching into a huge ‘O’ as the update progresses.

‘Blimey. Poor Gaby. So, any update?’

‘Actually, no, and I’m not sure if no news is good news or the opposite. And considering that good news for Gaby might mean something else entirely for the case…’ I trail off, my mind fixating on how Gaby sought my permission to act on her feelings.

I catch myself staring at the sticky surface of the table, realising that even if Gaby isn’t myactualclient, her HEA is just as important to me as Raff’s.

And therein lies the matchmaker’s conundrum. Does this mean that if Gaby and Raff don’t end up together – and, really, at this point it could go either way – I’m committing to finding Gaby a match?

I shake my head. This is too much to ponder in a crowded bar.

‘Pop…’

I lift my gaze and smile at Jass. ‘Sorry, just… in my head – about Gaby.’

‘Well, send her a message,’ says Jass. ‘You might be imagining the worst.’ She leans closer and says, ‘We all do it.’ She gives me a knowing smile.

‘Yeah, you’re right. On both counts.’

She sits back, giving me a self-satisfied look that says, ‘Well, obvs!’

I take out my phone and send a casual hey-what’s-up? message to Gaby, then slip it back into my handbag.

‘Now, back to you,’ I say. ‘Are you and Ravi telling your family when you see them?’

‘Technically, we’re supposed to wait a few more weeks – just to, you know, make sure everything’s all right – but honestly, I can barely stop myself from shouting about it, even to strangers.’

‘Well, you did announce it to them,’ I say, pointing at the group of men behind us.

‘True,’ she says with a laugh. ‘I’ve told Rav I’ll do my best, but we’ll see how long that lasts. Guaranteed it’ll be, “Hello, Mum. Hello, Dad. I’m pregnant.”’

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