‘Thanks, guys.’ Tired of having all the attention on me, I changed the subject. ‘How are things with you, anyway? PR on the up?’
‘Same, same,’ Kat said. ‘Work is up the wall, and my sex life is woeful. I’ve been on three terrible dates with an actuary, and I’ve got a coffee in with a hot-bod builder tomorrow.’
‘I thought you’d been through all the builders on Tinder?’ Abi said.
‘He’s new. Separated,’ she said with a wink. ‘Oh, God, sorry, Sara – me and my big mouth.’
‘What? Don’t be sorry. It gives me hope there’ll be men on the market when I get round to dating again,’ I said. ‘As long as Mark isn’t on there.’
Kat and Abi exchanged a look.
‘Er… and what was that?’ I asked.
Kat took a breath, and my heart sank at her worried eyes. ‘I wasn’t sure you’d want to know.’
I rolled my eyes. ‘Tell me everythingimmediately.’
‘I haven’t seen him on there, myself,’ she said. ‘But my sister has.’
I laughed in shock. ‘What? She can’t have done. When?’
‘Yesterday.’ Kat held up a photo of Mark inside a Tinder frame, handsome and grinning behind the wheel of his boat. I felt sick.
‘Mark, 35, Real Estate,’ Abi read aloud. ‘Is he American these days?’
‘He’d like to think so. Too many episodes ofSelling Sunset.’
I zoomed in on his profile. ‘Six-foot-one? Hmm. Maybe in heels.’ I sighed. He looked so handsome, so full of life. Show me a girl who wouldn’t swipe right for those dimples. ‘Relationship status: separated. Has children: no. Wants children: no.’ My heart raced as I swiped through the screenshots and Kat topped up my wine.
‘At least he’s being honest this time,’ Abi said. ‘Three years too late.’
‘Do you think he was lying to me, at the start?’ I asked, feeling miserable. ‘That he never wanted kids?’
‘Either that or he was going along with it because he loved you so much,’ Kat said.
‘I’m such an idiot.’ I handed back her phone. ‘He’s already moved on and I’m avoiding unpacking in case he has a change of heart. What’s wrong with me?’
‘Absolutely nothing,’ Kat said, twisting the end of her blonde ponytail. ‘You are the cat’s cahoonas, baby.’
‘Obviously not.’ I closed my eyes to hold back the tears, but they found a way out anyway.
‘Babes! Don’t cry!’ Kat said, grabbing my hand. ‘You’re smart and fun and cool. And you’ll meet someone a thousand times better than Markthe estate agent.’
‘You will,’ Abi agreed. ‘A handsome hunk who’ll give you everything you want.’
‘I can’t believe he’s already out there, advertising himself to the world.’
‘False advertising,’ Kat quipped. ‘That photo is at least five years old.’
I could feel the wine softening my resolve and reached for some bread. ‘It just feels so fast. I’m still in the denial stage. Or is it grief? I’m certainly not in the over-it stage, yet. Is that bad?’ I buttered a wedge of baguette and covered it in salami.
‘Not at all! Take it at your own pace. You don’tneedto be at any stage, any time, ever.’
‘Of course I do! If he’s out on dates, then I should be too. On the hunt for a Magic-Mike type to throw in his face.’
Kat laughed. ‘Let me know when you find one – I’m in the market for one of those, myself.’
‘The classic rebound shag.’ Abi nodded wisely.
