‘Sounds perfect,’ I joke.
‘Are you being unrealistic on purpose?’ she asks, being serious for a moment. ‘Because if no one can live up to your fantasy, then you never actually have to let anyone in.’
‘No, not at all,’ I insist. ‘I just… I want it to be special. Is that so wrong?’
JJ’s expression softens.
‘No,’ she says. ‘It’s not wrong. It’s very you. Mildly irritating for me, but very you.’
I can’t help but laugh.
‘Okay,’ she says, drumming her long nails on the table. ‘Challenge accepted. One more date. I will find you a man who feels like he would’ve been played by noughties Matthew McConaughey.’
‘I’ll take any decade McConaughey, if he’s free,’ I assure her.
‘Wouldn’t we all,’ she says with a sigh. ‘But, okay, I feel like I know what I’m doing now. We have a baseline – no murderers – and we can go from there.’
‘The only way is up,’ I reply.
Truly.
‘So it’s on?’ she checks.
‘One more shot,’ I insist. ‘One date. But if it’s a stinker then I never have to listen to you again, deal?’
‘I mean, you still have to listen to me professionally, I’m your actual agent,’ she reminds me. ‘But, romantically, sure, if I strike out, I’ll back off.’
I wonder if she means that.
I know I’m putting in a big order. I also know that I didn’t actually ask JJ for help. The thing is though, I know I’m lucky, to have someone who cares. Andy never sets me up with any of his friends (he says it would be too weird – and too awkward if it didn’t work out) but JJ is adamant she’s going to get me my happy ever after. Or my ‘happy ending’ as she calls it. I’m pretty sure we’re talking about the same thing.
7
‘Good morning,’ Andy says brightly.
‘Morning?’ I reply. I pull my phone away from my ear to check the time. ‘It’s just after midnight here.’
‘Which is in fact technically morning,’ he replies. ‘It’s almost lunchtime here.’
The time difference between London and Sydney is making it feel so much harder for us to catch up.
‘So, how’s life without me?’ he asks. ‘You sound like you’re having fun…’
‘Interesting – but too much for my liking, and I’m not sure about fun,’ I reply. ‘How’s corporate lawyering down under?’
I attempt the accent when I ask the question. I fail.
‘Good,’ he says with a laugh. ‘Hectic though.’
‘I don’t think we’ve ever spoken so little since the day we met,’ I point out.
I feel a little flutter in my chest as I say the words. I’ll be so glad when he’s back, when everything is back to normal.
‘No, I think you’re right,’ he replies. ‘Well, fill your boots, because they’ll be calling me in for another meeting soon. What’s new?’
‘Well, JJ is a woman on a mission,’ I tell him with a sigh.
‘To get you a book deal?’
