Niki nabs a plate of taramasalata and hands it to me because she knows it’s my favourite.
‘You look well, my Nella, but how are youreally?’
She forks some stuffed vine leaves onto her plate.
I guess she’s asking about the situation with Rich. I swallow a piece of pitta to give myself a few moments to think about it.
‘I’m okay,’ I say. ‘Most of the time.’
She nods. ‘It’s barely been ten days.’
I don’t need to ask how she knows the exact date because I suspect my mum rang her mum about twenty-seven seconds after she found out.
‘The sun and the sea have done wonders.’
She squeezes my hand. ‘I’m always here if you need me.’
I smile, gratefully. Niki is five years older than me and has been through a lot. She had a cancer scare, and on the day before her appointment with a specialist, her husband of lessthan a year upped and left her, which is a whole other level of douchebaggery. Thankfully, she got the all-clear, but boy, did it show her what sort of person he was.
She tells me about her plans to do a year abroad at an Australian university.
‘Not something I could have done if Petros was still on the scene. Is there something you could do that helps you stretch your wings in a way you might not have thought of before?’
‘A literary agent is interested in an idea for a self-help book, but I’ve got massive imposter syndrome, so I’ve barely written a thing.’ I pause. ‘I feel such a fraud writing a book about cheaters. I was living with one and didn’t even notice. Not a great look for a couples’ counsellor.’
Niki rubs my arm. ‘It’s good to try things that scare you, isn’t it? There are loads of things about Australia that frighten me. They have about ten different species of spiders that can kill you; snakes, too, not to mention the risk of getting trampled by kangaroos.’
I laugh. ‘I get the fear of spiders and snakes, but how many ’roos do you think you’ll come across in the middle of Sydney?’
‘Say they escape from a zoo?’
I laugh properly now. ‘Yeah, you’re right. Fear of a mass break-out of marsupials is a very plausible reason for not going to Australia.’
‘And then I have to make friends – I won’t know anyone!’
‘You’ll have your work colleagues. There are loads of Aussies in London and they’re generally super-friendly and laid-back. Plus, there might be a spare Hemsworth brother knocking about. I mean, that’s probably more likely than some of the other scenarios you’re cooking up.’
She looks dreamily into the distance. ‘I haven’t met an attractive man forages. Know any?’
‘Sorry, no.’
And, just like a jump cut in a movie, it’s at this moment that Mark arrives.
Chapter 30
He saunters in like he’s in slow-mo, his arms swinging in a blue linen shirt with rolled-up sleeves. A light breeze ruffles his hair and his easy, confident swagger turns everyone’s heads. Including Niki’s.
‘Holy Mother Mary,’ she says under her breath.
‘Suddenly feeling religious?’ I tease.
‘A face like that proves Intelligent Design.’
I laugh. ‘Or maybe it proves he got lucky with his genes?’
She shakes her head. ‘Do you guys know him? He keeps looking over.’
‘He’s the Best Man.’
