Page 62 of Someone Like You

I’m guessing she won’t be pleased.

I guessed right. I’ve dropped my bombshell and Poppy’s gone quiet on the other end of the call. Never a good sign when someone is completely silent after you tell them something important. I start pacing the small meeting room.

‘Poppy?’

‘Sorry – I was processing what you said. Does Raff know?’

‘How I feel? Ah, no. No, I barely worked up the courage to tell you, let alone bare my soul to Raff the day after he meets his dream girl.’

‘Okay. So, when do you plan on telling Freya?’

Argh! I was hopingshe’dbreak it to Freya.

‘I don’t… I don’t know how,’ I reply.

‘Gaby, she’s your bestie. You have to tell her – and as soon you can. She’ll understand.’

‘That’s just it. I don’t know that she will. What if she’s pissed at me? It’s shitty timing.’

‘The timing’s… yeah, it’s not great.’

Understatement of the year.

‘But consider this…’ she continues. ‘If last night hadn’t happened, maybe you never would’ve realised how you feel about Raff.’

‘Are you saying some things happen for a reason?’

‘Something like that.’

‘Because I don’t really believe in fate or thatque sera seracrap. My dad does – he’s a total romantic – but I didn’t get that gene.’

‘Gaby, you’re waffling,’ she says, calling me out.

‘Yeah, I know. What ifyoutold her?’

‘I already tried, but she didn’t believe me. Bugger. Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.’

‘What do you mean you already tried?’ I ask.

She sighs heavily. ‘You remember the screening?’

‘Yeah, of course.’

‘Well, I suspected something back then – Ursula did too.’

‘Wait,’ I say with a wry laugh. ‘You’re saying you knew before I did? But how? Am I that readable? Oh shit – do you thinkRaffknows?’ I screech.

‘I said wesuspected. Based on how oblivious Raff can be about this sort of thing, I doubt he knows. And Freya discounted the possibility entirely.’

This is all too much. The screening was weeks ago. That means people have been talking about me and how I feel about Raff forweeksnow. Well, mysuspectedfeelings.

‘Ugh,’ I groan.

‘Gaby, I need you to take a breath.’

‘Easy for you to say. This ishumiliating.’

‘I can understand how it must feel that way. Look, I’m going to have to discuss this with my colleagues and determine what happens next. Actually, it might be best if you hold off on telling Freya for now.’

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