She looked to Rob, and he gave a double thumbs-up, impressed with her persistence.
“Fine,” Mr.McKenzie mumbled. “But I want proof Adler gets that script in his hands.”
“I’ll send you a photo of him holding it.” She hung up, feeling exhilarated.
“You were incredible,” said Rob. “That was perfect—assertive but professional.”
“No, you were great. I would never have said that if you hadn’t coached me.”
“You knew what to say, you just needed a push.”
Chloe felt a rush of confidence. Why hadn’t she been able to talk to McKenzie like that before? Rob pulled her into his arms and kissed her. It felt nice, warm, celebratory even. But now, something about it didn’t sit right. There was no obvious flaw, no wrong move. Just…a slight dissonance. Like walking into a house and realizing it wasn’t your home. She pulled away, looking up at his face, and he looked back at her adoringly. No, Rob was good for her. He was helping her in so many ways. She knew exactly where she stood with him. Then—unbidden—the memory of John surfaced. The weightlessness of being carried through the water, the feel of his arms around her, the hot sensation that pulsed through her when their eyes met. Even the memory sparked, like a jolt of electricity.
She blinked, shoved it back. This wasn’t helpful. She was here with Rob. John knew that. Whatever this was between her and John, it was a complication she wasn’t ready to name. And it certainly wasn’t something she could act on.
“Shall we go and look at bookshops? Pick up fish and chipsfor the picnic?” Rob suggested, trailing his fingers down her arm. Part of her wanted to do just that, to jump back into the fantasy, but she needed a moment alone.
“You go, I’m going to have this bath, then I need to make a call.”
Rob didn’t look disappointed or ask who she needed to call. He just said, “Sure. Why don’t I buy you the new Kristin Hannah book? I saw it was top of your wish list.”
“Thank you, that’s so sweet,” she said, feeling a warm glow at how attentive and considerate he was. “Could you pick up a watermelon for the picnic too?”
“Sure thing,” he said, then he kissed her and left.
She slipped into the bath, put her phone on the side, and called Akiko on speakerphone.
“Perfect timing—Elodie’s asleep,” Akiko whispered. “Hang on. I’m walking downstairs.” There was a pause, footsteps, then, “So, how’s it going with the male prostitute?”
“He’s not a male prostitute,” Chloe said, rolling her eyes. “He is a professional companion.”
“I know I was joking about it before, but seriously, Chlo, therearedecent men in the world.” Akiko’s voice turned serious. “You don’t need to pay someone to date you.”
“I know, I know. It’s just—he’s nice, he’s kind, I know where I stand. He’s helping me.”
Chloe’s eyes fluttered closed as she sank back in the warm bath. She dipped her head beneath the water, letting it envelop her in a watery cocoon. She loved baths. She often read in one until it turned cold, topping up just enough to finish another chapter. She would never be able to take a bath with Rob. Though to be fair, when you were five feet ten there weren’t many baths you were going to fit in with a six-foot-somethingboyfriend. She surfaced above the water, because she couldn’t hear Kiko properly from beneath it.
“So he’s good at his job. Enjoy him for the weekend and then say goodbye,” Kiko said, then paused. “Do I need to come down there and stage another intervention?”
“No.” Chloe’s mind flashed to that night in London—Akiko shouting through the letter box, heavily pregnant and furious:“I am a hormonal woman who just survived a sweaty, crowded train from Edinburgh—do not think I’m leaving without seeing my best friend.”Peter had finally opened the door, rattled by her persistence. When Kiko wrangled her out to a pub that night, it was the first time she’d been alone with a girlfriend in months.
“It wasn’t your fault. You know that, right?”
“I know.”
“But do you really? That kind of relationship, the emotional manipulation, it can happen to anyone. It wasn’t some failing in you, it wasn’t a weakness.”
“I know,” Chloe said again, her voice catching. For the first time, she actually believed it. There was a shriek in the background.
“Oh no,” said Akiko. “The evil empress arises.”
“I should go anyway,” Chloe said, not wanting Kiko to feel bad. “Send me a photo of my gorgeous goddaughter?”
“Of course,” Akiko said, sounding delighted. “Send me a photo of you, Sean, and John. I’ll Photoshop myself in.”
“Wait,” Chloe said suddenly, thinking of her conversation with John about Kiko.“I don’t have to go, and I don’t mind if we talk while she’s crying and you’re feeding or changing her or whatever. You don’t need to ring off whenever she cries. Do what you need to do, I can just be here.”
There was a moment of silence on the line, and Chloewondered if Kiko had already hung up. Then she heard Elodie shriek and Kiko said, “Thank you,” in a small, shaky voice that didn’t sound like her at all.
