Page 12 of Someone Like You

‘Poppy?’

‘What, sorry?’ I say, my attention snapping back to the flat.

‘You were off with the fairies,’ says Shaz.

‘Yeah, sorry – already noodling on the case.’

‘Everything okay?’ she asks.

‘Can I ask you guys something?’ They both reply yes. ‘If you were single and your best friend was a matchmaker?—’

‘My best friend is a matchmaker.’

‘Yes, thank you, Captain Obvious – I’m trying to set up a hypothetical here.’

Tristan joins us and tops up our wine glasses.

‘Thanks, babe. Right, so hypothetical… And, Tris, you answer as well. So, you’re single and your best friend is a matchmaker and they tell you they want to match you and you say, “Go ahead, as long as I don’t know it’s happening,” but yourotherbest friend thinks you’re only saying that to shut down the conversation, andtheytry and convince the matchmaker to leave it, but the matchmaker is adamant that you meant it when you said to go ahead and?—’

‘Can you go back to the part where my best friend’s amatchmaker?’ asks Shaz, and I can’t tell if she’s being obstreperous or if she’s genuinely confused.

‘I’m with Shaz, darling. I’m completely lost,’ says Tristan.

‘I think I get it,’ says Lauren. ‘Raff told Freya to go ahead with the matchmaking, but Gaby’s convinced he didn’t mean it.’

‘Yes –that,’ I reply.

I’m typically more discreet about my cases, only discussing them with my friends after anonymising the details. But everyone here knows everyone I’m talking about – or at least knows of them – so I may as well get their take on things.

‘Why don’t you ask him?’ asks Tristan.

‘No, we’re not doing that.’

‘Why not? You know him. Couldn’t you reach out and say, “Hello, do you actually want to be matchmade, or were you just humouring Freya?”’

‘Is that the right word? Matchmade?’ asks Lauren. ‘It sounds strange, doesn’t it?’ she says to Shaz.

‘First: yes, that is technically correct, but we just say “matched”, and second…’ I say, turning to Tristan, ‘I’m not asking him outright – because, well…reasons– but you have given me an idea. Maybe I can get Greta to interview Raff forNouveau Life.’

Greta is a former client and the managing editor ofNouveau Life, the online magazine where I posed as an advice columnist during her case. The writing gig didn’t pan out – they had to pull the column before it was published and even if they hadn’t, it turns out I’m a terrible writer – but Greta and I have stayed close.

‘Love it,’ Shaz declares. ‘Then you can find out what he really wants without asking him explicitly.’

‘Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking.’

‘Will she go for it, do you think?’ Tristan asks.

‘I can’t see why not. Raff’s recently won a major competition show – theChristmasedition, which would be a perfect fit for theDecember issue. Plus, thousands of people up and down Britain think he’s hot, so he brings a ready-made readership. She’s also convinced she owes me a favour.’

She doesn’t – it was my job to help Greta achieve her HEA, but she brings it up every time I see her.

‘Ooh, I’m too excited now. I’m going to give her a call,’ I say, slipping off my stool. ‘How long till dinner?’ I ask Tristan.

‘Ten or fifteen minutes.’

‘Perfect.’

I head into the study/guest room – or if you ask Saffron,herroom – to call Greta.

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