Page 24 of I Knew You Were Trouble

‘Oh, sod off, Jon, you arse-faced twat,’ I say aloud, which ishugelysatisfying. Then I navigate to the thread with Willem and fire off a message, apologising for being too shattered to meet up. A reply comes moments later:

Disappointing but I understand. See you tomorrow.

Disappointing. How can one word have the power to make my pulse quicken? Again.

7

KATE

‘I feel like I’m going to be sick,’ I murmur to myself.

We’re walking to Willem’s house and the closer we get, the more intensely my stomach roils with nerves. I shouldn’t have had that secondstroopwafel. Or the first.

Margot stops me with a hand on my arm. ‘Actualsick or…?’

‘No, it’s just… Margot, what the hell am I doing?’

‘You are saving another woman from Arseface’s evil clutches,’ she replies earnestly.

‘Right,’ I say, setting off again. I check Google Maps on my phone. Two minutes. In two minutes, I’ll be confronted with Jon’s other fiancée.Gah!

I’ve taken extra care with my appearance today, telling myself that if I look good, I’ll feel good. That’s been about as effective as making tea in a chocolate teapot. An outfit – even a favourite one – only has so much power.

Even so, it can’t hurt that I’ve made an effort. I’m wearing dark-wash jeans, my one-shouldered slouchy top that Margot declared ‘sexy AF’, and heeled boots for an added boost – both literally and metaphorically. My hair behaved itself this morning and beachy waves fall to my mid back, and thanks to exhaustion and a decent bed, I slept well and my skin looks glorious.

If only Ifeltglorious.

We arrive at a terrace house with a dark-green door and I double check the street number, then turn to Margot.

‘Ready?’ I ask.

‘Areyou?’

‘No.’

I turn and knock on the door. Moments later, there’s the sound of heavy footsteps and a muffled, ‘Coming.’

Then Willem opens the door.

Involuntarily, I inhale sharply and behind me, Margot whispers, ‘Fuck me.’

I’d shush her if it wouldn’t be so obvious, but she’s right. In less than a second, I take in Willem’s appearance and OH. MY. GOD. I thought he was handsome the night we met…

He’s wearing faded, low-slung jeans, a well-worn T-shirt that drapes enticingly from his broad shoulders, and his feet are bare. His dark hair is still damp from the shower, his bright-blue eyes are creased at the corners, and (endearingly) he nicked himself shaving, a tiny spot of blood dotting his smooth, strong jawline.

Is it rude to swoon on a near-stranger’s doorstep?

‘Hallo,hallo, come inside.’

He steps aside and I shimmy past him – it’s a very narrow entryway – emerging into a spacious combined lounge–dining–kitchen. At the rear of the room are floor-to-ceiling windows and a glass door that leads out to a small patio and a lush, compact garden with borders of daffodils. At the end of the garden is a free-standing structure that looks like it might be an office.

Willem closes the front door and we all look at each other for a moment before Margot steps closer, her hand extended.

‘Hi, I’m Margot – Kate’s cousin.’

‘Sorry!’ I say, embarrassed to have forgotten my manners. I did tell Willem that Margot was accompanying me, but I should have made the introduction. ‘Margot – Willem, Willem – Margot,’ I say redundantly.

Willem shakes her hand with a smile. I don’t know him very well – actually, barely at all – but he seems tense. Nervous even. Well, that makes two of us. It would make three of us if Margot ever felt uneasy about any situation ever.

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