Page 54 of Someone Like You

‘So how do we bottlethatRaff? How do we get the affable, chatty Raff to meet potential number three?’

‘This is Julia, right? The artist?’ she asks.

‘Yes.’

‘Can you bring up her profile?’

I go back to the table and pick up my tablet, then navigate to Julia’s profile. ‘What am I looking for?’

Ursula holds out her hand and I give her the tablet, then go to the other side of the table so I can read over her shoulder.

She scrolls the screen, stopping intermittently to read, then taps the screen three times with a scarlet fingernail. ‘There. Look.’

‘She’s on London’s “Forty Under Forty to Watch” list,’ I say.

‘One of my clients was on the list in 2018. They always have a meet and greet – a cocktail party – the first week of December. It’s late notice, but if we could snaggle Rafferty an invite…’

‘Ursula! That’s brilliant. I could kiss you!’

‘Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. That invitation might be hard to come by.’

‘But we must knowsomeoneat Forty Under Forty, surely? Let’s raise it at the staff meeting and see.’

‘Good idea. Paloma’s bound to know someone.’

‘Good news,’ I tell Gaby when I call her after work. ‘You and Raff are going to the “Forty Under Forty to Watch” cocktail party on Wednesday night.’

It took a dozen phone calls and most of the day, but we did it. We brought Ursula’s inspired idea to fruition.

‘Wait, what? But I’ve got drinks with the people at MouMou that night.’ MouMou is an established luxury handbag label – they must be one of her clients.

‘Can you make an appearance and duck out early? Or send someone in your place?’

She’s quiet for a moment, then sighs. ‘Obviously, this is about Raff – matching him, I mean – but…’ Her words trail off, reminding me of Freya. ‘Poppy, you do this for a living, but I’mreallynot cut out for this kind of thing – especially after the spa day. Can’t Freya go with him?’

Her hesitation is warranted, I’ll admit – this case has put a lot of pressure on her – but is it also evidence of Gaby wanting Raff for herself?

‘I’ll ask Freya,’ I reply.

‘Thanks,’ she says, her relief obvious. ‘And how are you planning to get Raff to show up?’

‘He’s going to receive a personal invitation from the director herself. She’s an old school friend of Paloma’s – you know, our head of client relations.’

Gaby chuckles. ‘We really are in entirely different spheres, aren’t we?’

‘Says the woman who hobnobs with designers,’ I quip.

‘That’swork.’

‘So is this.’

‘And it’s nothobnobbing,’ she continues, ignoring what I’ve said. ‘It’s putting on my one designer cocktail dress and making small talk all night – and at a MouMou party, that will be with wannabee influencers and C-list celebrities. The only benefit is that the booze will be top shelf – oh, and their goodie bags are the apex predator of goodie bags.’

‘Yeah, doesn’t really sound like my scene,’ I say. ‘Even with the goodie bags. But do you know whatdoessound fun? A fancy cocktail party for London’s forty most fabulous people under forty!’

‘Nice try, Poppy. Ask Freya – she can go with him. That’s if Raff agrees to go.’

‘Okay,’ I say, letting her off the hook – for now. ‘I’ll let you know how it goes.’

---