I shook my head as I scrolled through the chat, feeling exasperated that we were getting no closer to the truth.
Ella:Hopefully she won’t have an office at all when we get to the bottom of this shit x
Katy:Or a home!!
I felt my face drop.Wow, that was a bit harsh, Katy. But I suppose Britneywasinvolved in blackmailing the life out of the poor girl. Maybe it was deserved, just a little.
‘I’ll have a black coffee, please. Thank you.’
I glanced up as I heard a soft Scottish accent cut through the crowd and smiled at its familiarity. I had gotten so used to hearing New Yorkers speak in that rat-a-tat self-assured way of theirs; it felt homey and welcoming to catch a glimmer of Scotland. I wondered when I’d be heading back home and what the weather would be like when I got there. God, I missed my own bed. My own well-ordered space away from Zola and Katy and their constant mess.
‘Ella?’ the Scottish accent called out, and I sat up, peering through the crowd. It did sound very familiar.
‘No way! Ella, is that you?’ the voice said again.
I stood up, my eyes scanning the lunchtime rush queue, then landing on a tall, jaw-droppingly handsome man.
It was him – it was Philip.
My face fell, my heart dropped and my legs gave way, causing me to drop back down heavily onto the padded seat beneath me with a thud. What the fuck?
‘Wow! I thought that was you!’
He sounded excited, like the last time he’d seen me he hadn’t dumped me or left me with a two-hundred-quid bill for steak and champagne. Before I knew it, he was rushing over to me, his coffee sloshing over the rim of his mug.
‘How are you?’ He put his drink down on my table and held his arms out for a hug. I remained rigid, completely gobsmacked. Still, his smart navy jacket clung to me as he bent down. I could smell him; that deep, musky, fanny-tingling aftershave that I loved so much, now it was making my stomach turn.
‘I’m fine .?.?. yeah, fine. I’m surprised to see you,’ I admitted, still pulsing with shock.
‘Just flew in. A few meetings. How’s it been?’ He slid into the booth beside me like we were old friends and this was a beautiful impromptu encounter. Like nothing was wrong. Like we hadn’t not long split up and never spoken since.
‘Yeah .?.?. erm .?.?. yeah .?.?. it’s going well,’ I stammered.
He sipped his coffee, then said, ‘I considered calling, but .?.?.’
‘But you were busy.’ I managed a somewhat sarcastic laugh through my pounding heart. ‘Saw it in the papers.’
Philip seemed slightly uncomfortable at that, gently tugging his shirt at the collar for more room. ‘And you’ve been a busy girl, I heard.’ He raised a brow.
Fuck. I could feel my pulse soar, my Apple watch vibrating –Warning: heart rate excessively high. I pulled at my top, trying to disguise my impending heart attack.How the fuck does he know what I’ve been up to?
‘Yeah, big shot. Actually, landing that deal with Jimmy Link? Impressive work, Ella!’ He took another sip of his coffee and looked up towards me. His face, his eyes, his lips – everything was so perfect. I’d built him up in my head to be a complete wanker, yet somehow, right now, he seemed as charming and attractive as ever. ‘What’s he like then?’ Philip asked.
‘Who?’ I asked, still reeling from shock.
‘Jimmy!’ he said. ‘Who else? And how are the girls settling in?’ He had so many questions that my head felt like it was on the waltzers.
Suddenly, my phone began ringing and I jumped up. ‘Oh, sorry, this is a vendor .?.?. I .?.?. I have to take it. You know how it is, duty calls.’
I felt a punch in the gut using his catchphrase – the one with which he’d continuously disrupt our date nights. I pointed towards the coffee shop’s door and headed outside, legs trembling, hands sweating, walking out of sight of the large glass windows. I felt my body arch over, hoping to feel better, but nausea took over me. What the fuck was happening? Why was he acting like nothing had happened?
When my phone stopped ringing, I picked it back up and called Zola.
‘Hey, you OK? We’re just at lunch,’ she replied casually. Meanwhile, I felt like my arsehole had been ripped out, run over by a yellow cab, then volleyed straight into the Hudson.
‘Zola,’ I hissed, ‘Philip is here!’ I fought to stay calm as people passed me in the street. ‘He’s here in the fucking coffee shop!’
‘What? What are you on about, girl?’ she replied, and I heard how there was now a combination of awkward laughter and panic echoing through her voice.
