Page 29 of Another Lucky Number

‘You OK, honey?’ Cat gives me a little nudge.

‘Yeah, fine.’ I re-focus my attention on her. ‘Is that you on the Wi-Fi?’

‘I am, yes. It wasn’t working at first but I’m connected now.’

Amber returns just as our drinks arrive, and within moments, my unfortunate encounter is forgotten.

‘Cheers, ladies.’ I clink my glass against theirs. ‘To what will probably be a very productive, enlightening – and slightly terrifying – few days.’

‘And to hopefully bagging the job of your dreams.’ Cat rebounds with another clink.

I grin at my friends and take a long refreshing sip of my Rum Punch.

‘I’ve got one.’ Amber thrusts her Bahama Mama into the air, nearly soaking Cat in the process. ‘To Emma being rejected by the sexiest man on earth.’

Cat and I put our cocktails down and look at Amber in bemusement.

‘How is that something to toast?’ I say. ‘I was trying to forget it ever happened.’

‘Look at it this way: if the two of youhadgot it on, you wouldn’t now have the best career opportunity of your life. You’d also be a complete pain in the arse, agonising over whether you’d ruined your chance with James –again. I consider that a win for all of us.’

‘OK, thanks for that, Amber.’ I furrow my brow, feeling slightly wounded. ‘Guess if you strip everything back then that’s the bare-faced truth.’

‘You’re welcome.’ She looks undeservedly smug.

‘So, I guess we should get going with this then?’ I say.

‘Can we start in five minutes?’ Cat pleads. ‘I’mdyingto hear about your Messenger chat with James last night.’

‘Does my schedule allow for that?’ I ask Amber with an angelic face.

‘Go on then.’ She nods. ‘There had better be something interesting in there though. And when I say interesting, I meandirty,’

‘I know exactly what you mean. And I’m afraid, like every other time, you’ll be sorely disappointed.’

She pulls a bored face, sits back and angles her face at the sun.

‘There’s not that much to tell…’ I lean in towards Cat, who pushes her iPad aside. ‘Though he does seem to be hoping I won’t have a holiday fling.’

‘Ooh, that’s interesting,’ she says.

‘He’s also leaving for his own holiday today, and generally we just seem to click– in a way I’ve never experienced with another guy. Certainly not with Dave. I mean, we talk about nothing, but it’s so enthralling. I’m like a giggly teenager. He teases me… in an affectionate way. And he’s really funny. I haven’t laughed so much in ages.’

‘That’s so great. There’s obviously a strong connection between the two of you.’

‘I told you that weeks ago,’ Amber grumbles.

‘I know you did.’ I playfully ruffle her hair and she bats my hand away. ‘You were right. I just wasn’t ready to hear it then.’

‘So, where’s he off to on holiday?’ Cat asks me.

‘All he said was he’s going to the east coast of the US with some friends. So maybe Boston, New York… Philadelphia? I must admit, I’m a little apprehensive about what a group of single guys will get up to when surrounded by hot American women. But he has every right to “shop around” – as I almost did myself. I want to believe that he won’t, especially with him being open in his concern about me doing it, but once he’s there…’ I screw up my face as an unwanted image of James chatting up a gaggle of beautiful, slim, flirty women pops into my head.

‘Whatever goes on, chances are you’ll never know about it,’ says Amber. ‘So, no point in giving it much thought.’

‘That doesn’t help.’

‘Wasn’t meant to. It’s called realism.’

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