Page 68 of Someone Like You

‘Poor you,’ she says, her voice muffled by my hair.

She steps back and regards me thoughtfully, then takes my hand and leads me over to the sofa. She sits, tugging on my hand, and I plonk down beside her wordlessly, as this feels very much like an out-of-body experience.

Seriously, what is happening right now?

‘Tell me everything.’

‘Tell you— Wait, I’m confused. Aren’t you pissed at me?’

‘No,’ she replies, clearly puzzled. ‘Why would I be?’

‘Oh, I don’t know,’ I say, getting up and pacing because I’m so antsy, I can’t sit still. ‘Maybe because you’ve had me running all over frigging London playing wing-woman for Raff and now he’s met Julia and is already swept up in that whole thing, which isexactly what you wanted, but then I have this sudden realisation that hey, Raff might be the guy for me, and the timing couldn’t possibly be worse and… and…’

Drained, I fall into my Lounge Pug.

‘But why would I be angry at you for how youfeel?’ she asks.

‘Because you had this elaborate plan and now I’ve gone and fucked it up.’

‘You haven’t…messedit up,’ she says, sidestepping the profanity.

‘Really? Because if you’ll recall, I’ve had a front-row seat to this shitshow. I know how much work has gone into matching Raff and?—’

‘Gaby…’ She lifts her hand, palm towards me, and I stop talking.

Probably a good thing because I’ve worked myself into such a lather, I’ve buried myself in the Lounge Pug. I may have to spend the rest of my life here.

I climb out awkwardly and return to the sofa. ‘Sorry.’ I point to myself. ‘Drama queen.’

‘Well, at least it’s you this time – it gets exhausting carrying the mantel all by myself,’ she says, teasing me with a gentle smile.

‘Frey, seriously though, now what?’

Freya takes a deep breath, which doesn’t set me at ease at all. In fact, it does the opposite. ‘Just tell me,’ I say.

‘Oh, Gaby, I wish I could just wave a magic wand and get you your happily ever after.’

I laugh – it’s a dry, raspy sound. ‘But life doesn’t work that way.’

‘No.’

‘So, what’s going to happen with Raff – with Raff and Julia, I mean?’ I ask, hating the sound of her name now she’s essentially my rival.

‘We need to see where things go,’ she says softly.

I don’t know what I expected. But it wasn’t this and the words land with full force, despite Freya’s gentle tone.

‘I’m so sorry,’ she says, grasping my hand and sliding closer. ‘I shouldn’t have disregarded Poppy’s suspicions. But you and Raff – I thought it was laughable and…’ Her voices fades away.

Laughable.

But isn’t it? And not only the concept of me falling for Raff, but the timing. If Alanis Morissette got wind of this shitshow, she could add a whole verse to that irony song of hers.

But none of this is Freya’s fault. ‘This isn’t on you,’ I tell her.

‘I do this for a living, Gaby. How could I miss the signs?’

‘What signs? Until two days ago, I thought of Raff like my dorky younger brother. I’ve never thought of himromantically. If youhadbelieved Poppy and confronted me, I would have laughed it off.’

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