Page 36 of Someone Like You

‘Hear, hear to that,’ I say. I clink my glass against his and take a sip, savouring the tangy pepperiness.

A moment later, Tristan reaches over and runs his hand along my thigh. ‘Now, tell me about your not-so-good day.’

‘I don’t really want to go into the details, but there’s been a complication in my case – the one with Freya’s friend.’

‘I’m sorry to hear that, darling,’ he says, peering at me intently. He doesn’t say anything more – no solutionising or mansplaining, just unadulterated empathy – another reason I love him as much as I do.

‘Thanks. I’ve got Ursula I can lean on and I’m sure we’ll figure something out, but…’ I shrug.

‘You’ve had better days,’ he says.

‘Yep.’

Out of the corner of my eye, I spy Saffron sniffing about the grazing board.

‘Saffron Dean Fellows! You get away from that cheese immediately, if not sooner!’ I bellow.

Saffron freezes, her paw suspended in air above the brie, and to her credit, she slowly places it on the floor. Tristan’s laughter fills the room, and I start laughing with him, the mental and emotional toll of my not-so-good day ebbing away.

10

GABY

‘She promised she’d keep me updated,’ says Freya, making another circuit of my apartment. When she gets like this, she can’t keep still. ‘I mean, ostensibly,I’mthe client. I’m the one who asked Poppy to take the case. But then she and Ursula have a meeting with Saskia and Paloma, and does she tell me what it was about? No! I’m left completely in the dark.’

‘Frey…’ She doesn’t seem to hear me. ‘Freya,pleasecome and sit.’

She finally loses steam and joins me on the sofa, grabbing my only throw pillow – a gift from her – and placing it on her lap. ‘I feel so…excluded,’ she says softly.

I should have seen this coming. Actually, Ididsee this coming. Freya was always going to feel territorial about this case. I’m surprised we got this far before she flipped out.

‘Hey,’ I say. She stares fixedly at the coffee table. ‘You know how you told me to tell you when you’re being a drama queen?’

I nudge her with my toe, and she finally lifts her gaze to meet mine.

‘I rescind my previous request,’ she says gruffly.

Okay, time for the big guns – tough love it is.

‘Well, I’m reinstating your previous request and you’re being a drama queen. You need to chill.’

She scowls at me.

‘That’s not you chilling. That’s the opposite of chill. Seriously, Frey – youknowthis isn’t your case. And it’s unreasonable to expect Poppy to inform you of every little detail as they occur.’

‘But she said she would!’

‘I seriously doubt th?—’

I’m cut off by someone buzzing my apartment.

‘Oh, shit,’ I mutter.

‘Are you expecting someone?’

‘It’s Raff,’ I say, getting up and crossing to the wall console.

‘What?Why?’

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