FREYA
Six evenings after the TV interview, I’m on my way into London’s Savoy hotel, to meet Jake and Sonja in the bar here. I wasn’t that keen to come – I really didn’t want to see Jake again and I really don’t want to join in with whatever challenge Sonja’s talking about – but she promised me the autograph for Maud if I did come. So here I am. Once I have the autograph, I will politely decline the challenge and leave.
I think Jake was quite obstructive when it came to finding a date for this meeting; it’s nine o’clock on a Tuesday evening, a time when I would definitely rather be watching a box set or meeting a friend locally. But here we are.
They’ve both already arrived before me, I see when I enter the bar. Jake’s looking drop-dead, suck-your-breath-in-on-sight-of-him gorgeous in dark jeans and a navy crew-neck jumper, and Sonja’s a vision in a fluffy long lilac dress, which she pulls off amazingly.
Sonja hugs me at arm’s length (I’m guessing she doesn’t want to crease the dress) and aims dramatic air kisses in my direction.
Jake nods, says, ‘Hello,’ and does not get up from his stool to greet me.
‘Bubbles to celebrate the beginning of the challenge,’ Sonja says. ‘Champagne.’ She peers at the wine list. ‘God, that’s expensive. TV production budgets aren’t what they were. We’ll have the house prosecco.’
Soon we’re all sipping prosecco. I do love prosecco. Jake, however, looks as though he’s wishing his was a beer.
‘I hope you both had lovely weekends,’ Sonja says, before carrying straight on with: ‘So. The challenge. Exciting!’
I decide that I need to get the autograph before I decline to join in with whatever the challenge might be, and open my bag to take out Maud’s autograph book.
‘Later.’ Sonja waves her hand dismissively in the direction of the book. ‘Now. Credit where credit is due. It was Mandy, our producer, who came up with the fantastic idea of the challenge. Just so that you know that everyone on the show is behind it.’
Oh-kay. Iknowthat I will not want to do this challenge. I glance at Jake and see that he’s glancing at me too and looking very frowny.
‘So basically—’ Sonja takes a long slug of her prosecco ‘—the challenge is like a wager. You bet each other that you’ll win, prove the other wrong. You have three months. And, obviously, report back, come back on the show. We’re announcing it on the show tomorrow, exactly a week after you came on.’
‘What?’ Jake asks.
Sonja’s beaming. ‘You have to prove to Freya that thereisromance for her. And she has to prove to you that…’ She looks at both of us and then continues, ‘Well, not to be too harsh, but that romance is just a fairy tale.’
Jake shakes his head, like he’s stunned. ‘Why would we do that?’
He’s right (for once). Whywouldwe do that? I did not enjoy going on TV last week. It’s one thing doing a nice quick chat about one of my books; it’s entirely another talking about myviews on things, and myself. I do not want to be interviewed on air by Sonja again.
Although… my editor and agent have both told me that appearing on the show was a good thing. It caused a big spike in sales, which currently isn’t showing any sign of tailing off. I can hear both their voices in my ear now:No publicity is bad publicity.
Hmmm.
‘I’ll give you the autograph after you’ve agreed,’ Sonja tells me.
I gasp.
‘Yes.’ She nods, very seriously, like she’s making an acceptable point. ‘That’show much we believe in this.’
As in, she believes in itsomuch she’ll stoop to blackmail? Lovely.
‘Ridiculous,’ says Jake, very decisively.
As though he has the right to reply on my behalf as well as his own, speak for me as well as himself. Arrogant. Annoying. Irritating.
‘Are you worried about losing?’ I hear myself asking, widening my eyes in fake innocence as I speak. If nothing else, I wouldloveto prove Jake wrong.
‘Certainly not,’ he says.
There’s a long pause, into which Sonja, to my confusion, says, ‘Laura Darke.’
There’s another long pause, and then Jake – looking as though he’s just agreed to have teeth extracted without an anaesthetic – says, ‘Fine. I’m in. Under duress.’
‘Great. It’ll be fun!’ Sonja’s beaming and it wouldn’t surprise me if she clapped her hands in glee any minute now. ‘How exciting! We’ve thought of prizes too for the winner.’
