Page 25 of Someone Like You

I look away, feeling as if I’m intruding on an intimate moment.

‘Blimey, that’s good, Tris,’ says Jacinda. ‘You sure there’s no booze in that?’

‘A total virgin,’ he replies.

‘Unlike my wife.’

Tristan and I exchange a look, then crack up.

‘Ravi!’ Jacinda pretends to be outraged but she soon starts sniggering with the rest of us.

A baby in the family… How lovely.

I look across at my husband, feeling sudden and intense longing. We talked about having children before we got married – and both of us want at least one child – but since that first discussion, we haven’t really discussed it again. And I’m thirty-seven now.

Maybe it’s time to revisit the topic.

Maybe it’s time to have a baby.

7

GABY

Here’s something I never thought I’d be doing: checking out every woman who comes within five feet of us while we’re out at brunch. Issheone of Poppy’s clandestine matches? How abouther?

‘Gabs?’ says Freya, poking me.

‘What? Sorry, I uh…’ She and Raff are watching me. ‘What were you saying?’ I ask.

Raff frowns and he and Freya exchange a look. ‘I’m just popping to the loo,’ says Raff, standing. He drops his napkin onto the table and makes his way to the back of Fortunella Café, one of our favourite haunts.

‘You’re behaving very oddly,’ says Freya when he’s out of earshot.

‘I know, I’m sorry – but I’m distracted.’

‘Yes, clearly. But by what?’

I lean in closer and whisper, ‘By pretty much every woman in here.’

She sits back in her chair and regards me curiously. ‘Something you want to tell me?’ she asks. ‘Are you attracted to women now?’

‘What? No, I mean because of Raff… His, you know…’ I’m doing a Freya again and not finishing my sentences.

‘Oh!’ she exclaims, and several people nearby look our way. I shush her and she starts giggling. ‘Poppy hasn’t evenstartedyet.’

‘Really?’ This surprises me, but maybe matchmaking moves a lot slower than I realised.

‘Well, shehas,’ Freya continues, now sounding frustrated, ‘but it’s early days. She and Ursula are still vetting potential matches. It’ll be some time before… you know…’

‘Ursula?’ I ask. ‘Why is she working with Poppy? I thoughtyouwould be.’

‘Yes, so did I,’ she replies, obviously disappointed.

‘So, what happened? I mean, I know Poppy has to take the lead but surely?—’

Freya shoots a panicked look across the table. ‘Later. Raff’s coming back,’ she whispers, looking past me to the rear of the café.

‘Sorry I took so long – there was a queue. Right,’ he says, taking a seat, ‘where was I?’

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