Page 91 of Going Solo

Fiona was shaking her phone like she wanted to snap its neck.

“But he signed NDAs,” Cole said. “Legally, surely, he doesn’t have a leg to stand on.”

Fiona pressed her hand to her forehead. “They’re notourNDAs, Cole. They were Totally Records’ NDAs.”

“He still signed them.”

Fiona threw out her hands in exasperation. “Catch up, Cole! Felicity Quant can release Jasper from those NDAs at any time. Who the fuck do you think is behind this book? Jasper doesn’t have the brains or the contacts to pull off a stunt like this. This is all Felicity.”

Cole looked worried, realisation dawning. “Do we know what he’s going to say?”

“Whatcouldhe say?” Fiona said. “I’ve organised a crisis comms strategy meeting for nine o’clock. Angie, Carmel, Winslow are all on their way. We need to go through every single claim Jasper could possibly make.”

“Everything?”

“Absolutely every last thing. We can’t afford any surprises. We have to work out an initial public response, and we need to work out a legal response. Then we need to work out the long-term comms strategy. This is a fucking mess.”

Cole looked shocked. I couldn’t imagine how he felt. Not only had his ex written a tell-all book, but now he had to tell his sister everything they got up to when they were together? I wouldn’t tell Elsa one-tenth of what Cole and I had got up to, and the most perverted thing we’d done was get a bit handsy in the cabin of his old man’s tractor. Fiona wrapped her arm around Cole’s shoulder and rested her forehead against his.

“We’re going to fix this, OK?” she said, almost whispering it into his ear. “I promise.” She kissed the top of his head. “Do you need to do the mantra?” she whispered. “Come on, let’s do Summer’s mantra. I can handle what comes my way.”

Cole mumbled the words.

She stroked his hair. “Happiness is always available to me.”

Cole muttered something.

“No, say it for me. It doesn’t work if you don’t say it.”

“Happiness is always available to me,” Cole murmured.

Fiona closed her eyes and spoke into the mess of Cole’s hair. “I am unaffected by the judgement of others.”

Cole parroted the words.

“The best is yet to come,” Fiona said.

“The best is yet to come,” he repeated.

Fiona kissed him on the head and went back to pacing. I’d never seen Cole’s demons up close like this before. He was always so happy, so glib. Seeing him like this scared me. I put my arm around him. He rested his head against mine. Something deep inside me, something primal and male, made me want tofixthis for him.

“I need an advanced copy of that book,” Fiona said. “Do we know anyone in publishing?”

Cole shook his head. Suddenly, I realised I might literally be able to help.

“So, I don’t know if this is useful, but my best friend’s boyfriend’s best friend works for the BBC’sCompass Point, and he used to work atThe Bulletin, so he probably still has contacts there. And my best friend’s boyfriend’s best friend’s boyfriend’s family actually ownsThe Sentinel, if that’s any use?”

Fiona stared at me, slack-jawed.

“The fucking gays, man,” she said. “They run the whole world. How you people have been so oppressed for so long is nothing short of baffling.”

“Do you want me to try to get a copy of the book?” I asked.

Fiona threw her phone into her bag and slumped into the chair.

“Toby, the only thing I’ve ever wanted in my life more than a copy of that book is Felicity Quant’s head on a pike by Southwark Bridge. Well, that and Kevin Jonas. If you can get me that book, I’ll seriously owe you one.”

There was a moment of silence, while I took on board the seriousness of the situation.

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