Page 46 of I Knew You Were Trouble

My phone chimes with an incoming message – a shame because there was a lot more to that fantasy – and I reach for my phone, hopeful that it’s Willem checking in.

But it’s not from Willem. It’s from Arseface:

Hello beautiful. This is your daily reminder that I miss you. So sorry I’ve had to stay in Stockholm longer than expected. I promise to bring you some lingonberry jam. xxx

‘Yeah, you do that, Jon,’ I say, disgusted by the three kisses as much as the lie. And I don’t want any more lingonberry bloody jam! Bloody psychopath. Or is he more of a sociopath? I should ask Poppy about that too.

As I do every morning, I reply:

See you soon. *smiley face*

He never seems to twig that I haveliterallyreplied with the exact same words for over a week now. Or maybe he has and he either doesn’t care or he thinks I’m so grief-stricken at not having seen him for two weeks that I can’t think of anything else to say.

Moron.

* * *

When I arrive at the Ever After Agency, I’m greeted by their receptionist, Anita, a woman who possesses a magical quality that instantly sets me at ease. She must be like this with everyone, but with her warm smile and self-deprecating chitchat, it’s like reconnecting with an old friend.

After I decline a beverage, she leads me to the meeting room where Poppy and her colleagues are waiting – two women who couldn’t be more distinct from each other.

One is dressed and coiffed immaculately and is of indeterminate age, her face so smooth, she either has a plastic surgeon on the payroll or an ageing portrait in her attic. The other looks like a seventy-year-old goth – head-to-toe black leather, cropped jet-black hair, and sharp, observant eyes lined heavily with black liner.

‘Hi, Kate, come on in,’ says Poppy when I hesitate in the doorway.

I enter and take the seat on her left.

‘This is Ursula Frayne,’ she says, introducing the first woman. ‘She’s the senior matchmaker at the agency.’

‘Hello, Kate. I hope you don’t mind me sitting in on your meeting, but I have a vested interest in your case.’

‘No, no, of course not,’ I say, my curiosity piqued.What does she mean by ‘vested interest’?I wonder. ‘Nice to meet you,’ I add politely.

‘And this is Marie Maillot, the agency’s investigator,’ Poppy says.

Investigator?I hope that means what I think it means. Why else would they bring her in?

‘Hello,’ I say with a smile.

Marie’s mouth purses into a tight knot and she nods at me curtly. Right, so not much of a talker.

‘Cutting to the chase…’ says Poppy, capturing my attention. ‘We’ve considered your request, and we’ve decided to help you.’

For a moment, I’m too shocked to speak, then her words sink in. They’re going to help me!

‘Oh,thankyou, Poppy,’ I say, flooded with relief. Like I said to Willem, I’ve come to realise how much I need this. I need Jon to pay for what he’s done so I can move on.

‘Don’t thank me just yet. There’s a lot that needs to happen before we put a plan into action.’

‘Of course,’ I reply, sobered by Poppy’s cautionary tone. ‘And before we get started, there’s something you should know – pertinent information that recently came to light and may impact how we proceed.’

I may be in the midst of a messy personal situation, but nothing beats project-manager speak to give me a boost of confidence and make it sound like I’ve got a handle on the situation, even if I don’t.

‘Oh?’ asks Poppy.

‘Yes, after I spoke to you on Saturday, Jon cancelled on Adriana. He was supposed to meet her parents this Wednesday, but he spouted some lie about a trade conference in New York. Meanwhile, he’s been tellingmehe’s in Stockholm. We suspect there may be a third fiancée.’

Poppy’s eyes widen in surprise.

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