Page 84 of The Lucky Escape

‘Don’t we all?’ Luke laughed. ‘What’s the saying? We’re all mortal until the second glass of wine and the first kiss.’

‘Shut up!’ I said, something about his comment landing heavy in my stomach.

40

Jules drove me to my hotel after lunch, issuing instructions to nap, freshen up, and then to meet him in the lobby at 6 p.m. In my room I texted Freddie with some photos I’d taken. She didn’t know I was travelling with a view to move, just that I was away for work. She texted back:I can’t wait until I get to go on business trips to fancy places! Cool!I sent back a GIF of a woman in a powersuit doing a big thumbs up, and told her I loved her.

Can we do something fun this weekend?she sent, a few minutes later.

Of course we can, Frou. Anything in mind?

She sent back:Bowling maybe? Or the trampoline place?Then burgers.I miss u!

Hearing Freddie tell me she missed me was like a knife to the heart. She’d never really said that before. She always made it clear when she wanted to see me, but she’d never saidI miss youuntil I was in Australia.

You don’t have to miss me,I texted back.I see you all the time.

I wished you lived with us,she said.Mia lived with her sister and said she was annoying but it was also really cool. And Sofie’s big sister lives with her 2!!

I didn’t know where her outpouring had come from. I instantly listed all the ways I’d been a bad big sister lately in my mind.Has something happened?I asked, in case I’d missed something. Ihadbeen absent, I supposed, what with all my travel and the upheaval of everything. When she didn’t reply right away I tried FaceTiming her, but she told me she was in double maths and texting under the table.

I just want to do more fun stuff,she said.G2G!She’d had to teach me months ago what that meant – got to go.

Okay, Froogle. We’ll have fun this weekend! I promise!I used exclamation points but my senses felt dulled. I wasn’t even doing a good job of seeing her often enough when we lived in the same city – would it really work out if I moved countries?

I looked around my hotel room despondently. It was small and compact, a world away from the luxurious suites of my last trip abroad. I didn’t need fancy things, but I sure had loved the taste of extravagance we’d had in Australia. It had been extra special because of Patrick, though. There was no denying that.

It’s pretty here,I texted him.You’d love it.

I saw it come up with ‘read: 14:22’, but I didn’t get a response.

Hello from Antwerp,I sent to Adzo.Turns out wherever you go, you’re still who you are,I said.I’m currently experiencing one thousand different emotions.She immediately called me.

‘I didn’t mean to sound the alarm,’ I said, instead of ‘hello’. ‘I didn’t need you to call – not if you’re busy.’

She chuckled down the line. ‘Talking voice to voice isquicker than texting,’ she replied. ‘Chill. Where are you? At the office?’

I took off my clothes as I explained I was back at the hotel and that yes, Jules really was that gorgeous. As I grabbed some complimentary water from the fridge she giggled.

‘Yeah,’ she said. ‘When I was last in New York they were even talking about him. His reputation precedes him.’

‘Oh God,’ I said. ‘Is he a shagger?’

‘Oh, two hundred per cent,’ Adzo said. ‘A divorcé who looks like that? He gets his end away with somebody different on every single trip.’

‘What?’ I gasped. ‘Even—’

‘Yeah,’ she said. ‘Fine. You caught me. We hooked up when I was there. Can you blame me?’

In my pants and vest top I crawled between the crisp hotel sheets. ‘No,’ I admitted. ‘I can’t. But I do feel silly now. I felt like he was flirting with me, a bit? Maybe?’

‘Probably!’

‘Hmmm,’ I said, wondering if I should cancel the evening. The risk of spending time with a playboy didn’t feel appealing. I wondered if I’d have more fun on my own.

‘Jules aside, though, what are you thinking?’ Adzo asked.

I stared at the ceiling. ‘One minute I think it’s the best place ever,’ I said, ‘and the next I think there’s no way I’ll leave London. It’s going to suck without you there, but do I really want to be apart from Freddie? My uni girls?’

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