Page 19 of I Knew You Were Trouble

Paloma and Ursula clearly take this as a small victory and exchange a glance.

‘Until then,’ she says firmly, ‘Poppy’s right. Kate isn’t currently her client, so we do nothing. Understood?’

It’s highly unlike Saskia the Swan to caution her team this way – especially her partner and the agency’s most senior agent. This may be why we reply, ‘Yes, Saskia,’ in unison like we’re in nursery school.

We file out of Saskia’s office, and Ursula and Paloma go straight to Paloma’s office, talking animatedly in hushed tones. It’s obvious they’re already conspiring, despite Saskia’s warning not to. I escape to my desk and sit heavily on the chair.

The main reason I called that meeting was to share the weight of Kate’s bizarre situation and get a sense check, but it was even more successful than I’d hoped. My course of action has been endorsed by my bosses, we’re not closing the door on Kate’s case entirely – maybe Iwillhave the chance to get Kate an HEA, after all – and I have two unlikely allies should Kate need assistance with more stringent measures.

God, I really hope it doesn’t come to that. ‘Poppy Dean, Love Vigilante’ doesnothave a nice ring to it.

6

KATE

‘Kate, have you got a sec before you head out?’

It’s Friday afternoon and I’m halfway out the door, but when Mina Choi asks for a second of your time, you smile brightly and say, ‘Of course.’

I roll my case back into my office, setting my handbag on top, and follow Mina into hers, where floor-to-ceiling windows look out over Tottenham Court Road. She takes a seat behind her desk, and I sit opposite her.

‘I won’t hold you up – you’re obviously off somewhere for the weekend,’ she says.

‘Uh, yes.’

‘Mini break with Jon?’ she asks, a reasonable question that instantly sets me on edge.

‘Uh, girls’ trip – to Amsterdam,’ I reply – not a lie, but not the whole truth.

‘Sounds fun. Look, I just wanted to check… is everything all right?’ she asks with a slight head tilt. ‘You’ve seemed a little off your game this week.’

Oh god. It’s far worse than I thought. After Monday’s fake migraine, I’ve been determined not to let the situation with Jon impact my work performance any further. I’ve obviously failed. Or perhaps it’s Mina’s uncanny ability to read people, something that has served her well at the helm of Elev8te but has now landed me in the hotseat.

Her dark-brown eyes study me thoughtfully as she awaits my answer.

Tell the truth or spin a lie?I wonder. Mina and I have an excellent professional relationship, but we’re not friends. I don’t want to jeopardise her faith in my abilities; will explaining my situation impact how she views me?

Sod it.I inhale deeply and take the plunge. ‘Jon and I are no longer engaged,’ I say – again, not an outright lie but also not the full picture.

Her eyes fly to my left hand, which is markedly missing an engagement ring. I hold it up and wriggle my fingers.

‘Not having it cleaned – but I didn’t want to break the news just yet.’

‘Oh, Kate, I am so sorry to hear that,’ she says sympathetically.

I shrug. ‘Thank you. And I apologise if my work hasn’t been up to snuff this week. I promise I’ll?—’

‘Kate,’ she says, interrupting. ‘Please – no apologies. Honestly, you operating at eighty per cent is far better than most people at a hundred. That’s not why I asked you in here. I was simply concerned, that’s all.’

‘Oh, well, thank you,’ I say.

Surprisingly, it’s cathartic telling Mina my engagement is off – and here I was worried that it would diminish her faith in me. I’m glad I was truthful. Well,partlytruthful.

‘Ofcourse! We walk the walk around here,’ she says, referring to Elev8te’s key ethos that employee wellbeing comes first. ‘Now,’ she says, with her trademark grin. I can only guess from that glint in her eye what’s coming. ‘I know you’ll have planned to be back here first thing Monday morning…’

‘Because Monday is a workday,’ I state matter-of-factly.

‘Not for you, it isn’t.’

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