Page 55 of I Knew You Were Trouble

It also occurs to me how fortunate I am that Jon and I hadn’t set a date yet. This whole situation would be infinitely worse if I were having to cancel wedding plans and a honeymoon! But then again, that’s probably because Jon planned to string me along indefinitely while he collected fiancées like charms on a bracelet.

‘Because you’ve earned it, Kate,’ Mina says, and my focus returns to our conversation. ‘Andbecause…’ She looks over her shoulder, then gets up and closes the door. She returns to the chair and sits, her eyes boring into mine. ‘It happened to me.’

There’s a beat of silence as I unpack the meaning of her words – or attempt to.

‘Sorry,whathappened to you?’

‘I had a broken engagement. About fifteen years ago. Actually, it wasn’t just a broken engagement. He left me at the altar.’

‘Oh my god. I’m so sorry.’

‘Yes, well, it was an awful time – a blessing in disguise in the end, of course. Because a year later, I met Jeff.’ She and Jeff recently celebrated their twelfth wedding anniversary.

She smiles and I return it, even though I’m finding this conversation extremely uncomfortable. Does Minapityme? It’s a horrifying thought.

‘Still, it’s horrible that happened to you, Mina,’ I say evenly. ‘I can only imagine how difficult it must have been, but my situation with Jon… It’s nothing quite that, er…dramatic.’

Now that is an out-and-out lie. Multiple fiancées in different cities undoubtably trumps a runaway groom, but I’m not about to reveal the real reason I’m not with Jon. I’m not even planning on telling my parents.

‘Of course, I understand,’ she says, ‘but in case you find yourself out of sorts while you get over him – and it doesn’t matter if it’s a week from now or a month or even a year – please come to me. That time is yours, Kate, whenever you want to take it. You’ve been paramount to Elev8te’s success and whatever I can do to help… just say the word.’

Her timing is uncanny – perhaps I could use some of the gifted days to go to Verona – but when she punctuates her offer with an empathetic smile, tears prick my eyes. I’m instantly mortified – I have never cried at work and I am not going to start now.

But I can’t ignore the way Mina’s words have permeated the professional boundaries we’ve established. She’s seeing me as a woman, not an employee, and her empathy and kindness mean the world to me – despite the discomfort they bring.

‘Thank you, Mina. I really appreciate that and I promise I’ll come to you if and when the time comes.’

‘Brilliant,’ she says, beaming at me. ‘Well, I’ll leave you to it.’

She departs and I’m still sifting through our conversation when Margot strides into my office. With the early start, an intensely busy morning, and Mina’s bizarre visit, I’d forgotten we arranged to have lunch together.

‘Hiya,’ she says, coming around to my side of the desk to hug me.

‘Hiya.’ I pat her on the back with one hand.

She straightens and looks down at me. ‘Well, come on, chop chop. I have to be back by one-thirty and I want to hear everything.’

I regard Margot with affection as I collect my handbag from my desk drawer and slip on my jacket. There are countless times when she drives me bonkers, but there are many more when her cheery presence is enough to clear my mind of troubled thoughts, like now.

And it doesn’t matter that I’ve already updated her on the latest by text message. I know exactly how lunch will go. Margot will ask countless questions – How was it when you found out about Lucia? Do you really think Poppy can snare Jon? How did Willem look when you called him? – and I will do my best to remember every nuance and detail and report it accurately. Anything less and she won’t be satisfied.

‘So, sushi, soup, or that new sandwich shop on the corner?’ I ask as we leave the office.

‘Not sushi. Remember last time?’ She grimaces.

‘Oh right,’ I say with a laugh. We’d stopped at services on one of our mini breaks and Margot thought it was a good idea to have discounted, nearly out-of-date sushi for lunch. The results were not pretty and it’s a minor miracle that the hire car came out of that trip unscathed.

She hooks her arm through mine as we head towards the lobby, then leans closer. ‘Now, you may not have shagged him in Amsterdam, butpleasetell me you’re going to shag him in Verona?’

‘Margot!’ I chide in a loud whisper.

‘Oh, come on,’ she says quietly as we wait for the lift. ‘He doesn’tneedto go with you – and he knows that – yet he’s insisting.’

‘So?’

‘He fancies you, Kate. Frisson, remember?’

‘He doesn’t—’ I stop myself, because a small part of me thinks she’s right. ‘Anyway, it’s irrelevant,’ I continue, lowering my voice further. ‘Sleeping with someone new is the last thing on my mind.’

---