Page 38 of I Knew You Were Trouble

‘Ican? Just let it go, will you.’

She sits up and crosses her legs. ‘You must be forgetting who you’re talking to. I amnotabout to ignore that you’re attracted to Willem.’

‘Did you miss the part where I told him off?’

‘Oh, no, I very much remember that part. It was like season two ofBridgerton. You two have more chemistry than Kate and Anthony.’

I stop refolding my clothes and fix Margot with a piercing look.

‘Oh, don’t be all’ – she flaps her hand about – ‘Kate-ish. Adriana saw it too. Why do you think she suggested that I join her and her friends tonight?’

‘Suggested?’

‘Allright– why do you think she heartily agreed when I asked if I could come? Doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re into Willem and he’s into you.’

I stare at her for a long moment, then cave. ‘It’s physical attraction, pure and simple,’ I say feebly. ‘Willem is objectively a very handsome man.’

‘He’s fucking gorgeous. Any woman who doesn’t think he’s hot is either related to him, a lesbian, or dead.’ I drop my head into my hand, swinging it from side to side. ‘Tell me I’m wrong,’ she continues. ‘Oh right, you can’t because I’m not.’

‘Margot.’ I sigh, lifting my head and meeting her gaze again.

‘Kate,’ she counters. ‘There’s something electric between you two. It’s obvious.’

‘Not to me.’

‘Then you’re lying to yourself,’ she says gently.

It seems that the tough-love portion of this evening’s programming has come to an end, but this gentler approach from Margot is much harder to handle. Because she’s not wrong. I am lying to myself. I know it and she knows it. And she knows I know it.

‘Shit,’ I say, perching on the edge of the bed and staring at the floor. ‘Now what?’

Margot reaches over and pats my arm. ‘Oh, lovely. Now you get in the shower, then make yourself gorgeous.’

When I look up, she’s smiling at me encouragingly and I fall about laughing, releasing all the pent-up pressure of the day.

‘You’re such a muppet,’ I tease.

‘Call me what you like. But do as you’re told and get in the shower.’ She climbs off the bed. ‘And shave your legs – you know, just in case…’ She waggles her eyebrows.

‘Oh, for god’s sake.’

‘And tomorrow morning, I want to heareverything.’

‘Get out!’

She leaves, her cackling laughter following her down the hallway, and I go into the bathroom to shower –andshave my legs.

Just in case.

10

KATE

Willem said he’d pick me up at the houseboat, so I’m waiting outside. There’s not much traffic on the road but as each car approaches, I tense with nerves.

I’m nervous. To see Willem.

Because despite assuring Margot that this isn’t a date, her words have stuck – that he and I have chemistry (or rather,frisson) – and they’ve been on replay in my mind for the past hour.

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