Page 73 of I Knew You Were Trouble

‘It’d be a dead giveaway that something’s up. It’s been weeks since I’ve seen him and any time he’s “unexpectedly” shown up before, I’ve dropped everything. Oh… I’ve just realised how that sounds, how it makesmesound.’

‘Don’t be so hard on yourself.’

‘You don’t understand, Poppy. I’ve always prided myself on being independent. It’s one of the traits Jon said he was drawn to, my independence, but now I’m realising I was essentially at his beck and call.’

‘His deception was comprehensive and multi-layered, Kate. You can’t be blamed for being blinkered by it. You don’t think any less of Adriana because it happened to her, do you?’

‘No, definitely not. I don’t know her very well, but she seems like she has her head on straight.’

‘Exactly, so why not afford yourself that same level of compassion?’

‘Okay, I take your point.’

‘Don’t worry – lots of people are harder on themselves than on others. I do that sometimes,’ she adds, and I wonder if it’s only to make me feel better.

‘Thanks for understanding,’ I reply.

‘Course, no worries. Now, what are we going to do about Dunn?’

Something comes to mind but I’m reluctant to ask – it’s big.

‘Uh, Poppy… Do you think maybeyoucould have lunch with Jon today?’

‘Me?’

‘Never mind – it’s way too much to ask.’

‘It is a lot, but the main problem is that Jon thinks Penny’s already back in Melbourne.’

‘Oh, that’s right. I forgot.’

‘Yeah. I’ve been messaging him since Friday about how bad the jetlag is.’

I snigger. ‘Is it terrible that there’s some satisfaction in that?’

‘In me lying to him?’ she asks.

‘Yes.’

Now she laughs. ‘Not at all. And if you consider the extent of our plan – particularly that you’re having to fly back to Verona next week – then lying in a few text messages is no biggie.’

‘Hmm… fair.’

‘Now, getting back to today’s problem…’ she says. ‘What if you’re not in London right now? Your parents live in the Midlands, right?’

‘Yes, they live in Rugby,’ I reply.

‘So, you’re visiting your parents and you’re so,sosorry, but you can’t meet for lunch today.’

‘That’s good, I like it. But what about tomorrow? He’ll know I need to be back in London for work. What if he suggests lunch – or worse,dinner?’

‘Does Elev8te have clients outside of London? What ifyou’reon a work trip for once?’

‘Ofcourse. How did I not think of that? It’s as if any time I’m in Jon’s orbit – even peripherally – I lose ten per cent of my intelligence.’

‘That’s you being hard on yourself again. We all have blind spots when it comes to the people close to us.’

‘Thanks, Poppy. And I think this will work. I’ll tell him I’m at my parents today and that I’m working from the Birmingham office for the rest of the week.’

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