Yet.
‘Good. Don’t. Rob Kendrick isnogood for you. You are better than that.’
In her heart, Hannah knew her friend was right. She wanted to follow her advice – she truly did. What did they say the definition of insanity was again? Making the same bad decision over again and expecting different results.
She took a deep breath and steeled herself. ‘I know you’re right. About everything. I promise I’m not going to do anything stupid.’
‘Good,’ Zoe answered. ‘Because if you do, I’m gonna … ’
‘You’re going to dowhat? Fly all the way over here and slap some sense in me?’
‘If I have to.’
Hannah laughed. ‘Well, if that’s what it takes to get a visit … ’ she teased, which earned her a guffaw in return.
‘All right, all right. I guess I should be relieved things aren’t so bad that I need to step foot into that cesspit. Guess where I’m heading now?’
‘No idea.’
‘I’ll give you a clue. Huevos Rancheros à la Polo.’
Hannah’s mouth actually watered like one of Pavlov’s dogs. ‘The Pink Palace? Ihateyou.’ What she wouldn’t give just then to be in the Beverly Hills Hotel with her friend eating breakfast in the sunshine at their favourite Polo Lounge poolside table. She could visualise the blue skies and palm trees already.
‘I’ll get an extra portion in your honour. Especially since I’m not paying. Speaking of … ’ she continued, ‘I’ve been following all the recent coverage on McKenzie. It’s good.’
‘Yeah, and a podcast he just recorded is excellent. He’d never admit it, but he is a natural at this stuff. You can tell when he’s enjoying himself – he was this morning – and that will show through to the audience. I’m looking forward to it airing.’ She paused for a moment. ‘Although, I think I might owe him a bit of an apology.’
‘Why’s that?’
‘Well, I was feeling a bit … out of sorts after the Rob thing last night and I was late and irritable. I snapped at him a few times. Started to take some of it out on him, which wasn’t fair. I mean, he’s been really good to work with lately. Going along with my ideas, showing up on time, not falling down drunk, even seems to be occasionally enjoying himself. There are still some teething problems and a few hiccups too. But, he seemed to get that I was in a bad mood today and my mind was elsewhere … and was actually really sweet to me … ’
Hannah’s voice trailed off, remembering Ward’s kind eyes and genuine concern in Soho earlier, and her stomach did that flip-floppy thing again. After the podcast recording, he’d even suggested they grab a coffee if she needed an ear and only for the fact that she had another client appointment lined up, she was sorely tempted. But knew deep down that it was way too dangerous.
‘I’m not going to have to have a “Come to Jesus” talk with you about this guy now too, am I?’ Zoe drawled.
Her friend’s tone very quickly brought Hannah back to earth.
‘What? Feck, no. What are you even talking about?’ she argued, sounding indignant at the very suggestion, but also secretly glad that her friend wasn’t in the office with her. She was blushing.
‘You sounded awfully … dreamy there for a sec.’
‘That’s ridiculous,’ she retorted quickly, squaring her shoulders.‘It’s not like that atall. I was just saying, he was being … normal, which makes a nice change. That’s it.’
‘I mean I don’t blame you. The man ishot. But … ’
‘Don’t go there, I know. Anyway, I’d better get back to it; enjoy your Beverly Hills breakfast and know that I’m not in theleastbit jealous.’
Hannah’s phone was pinging even as she spoke.
‘Liar. Catch you later.’
I had no idea you felt that way.
Hannah’s first reaction upon reading a new text that had just come in from Rob was complete confusion. What did he mean?
Until she scrolled up and spied the wall of words preceding it and her hand flew to her mouth in horror.Oh my god!
Suddenly the room began to spin as Hannah realized that the boozy in-depth confessional she’d written last night – instead of still sitting innocently in draft on her laptop – had somehow ended up in her and Rob’s message string!
