As for my career, the last six months have seen it explode. I’ve hosted interviews with A-list celebrities and been hired by some of the biggest publishing houses in the UK. I’ve hosted book events or author discussion groups. I’m living my dream life, and I have more money than I ever thought possible. I own more special edition books than ever before. I’m freer than I’ve ever been.
My lease on the Brixton flat is coming to an end soon, and I’ll be able to afford somewhere a little more spacious. Perhaps even a tiny bit more central, although the Victoria line is my best friend and it transports me wherever I need to go.
But none of that makes up for losing Rafe. No amount of success can heal a broken heart.
“What do you say, Diana? They’ll pay you extremely well,” Melanie says.
I drag my attention back to her, inspecting her face. The tightness of her lips. Has Rafe kissed that mouth? “Sorry, you lost me for a moment. What did you say?”
“The author discussion. It’s Abigail Enright. The author of—”
“Taming the Beast. Yes, I know.” My stomach does a little jump at being able to mention my favourite romance book.
“Well,” Melanie continues, “One of the editors at the publishing house was going to host it, but she’s had to pull outfor personal reasons. And they wondered, because of your vocal support for the book, if you wanted to do it?”
I nearly leap from my seat. “Yes. Yes, please.” I press my hands together. “I’d love to.”
“Perfect. Abigail never does book events, so we’re incredibly lucky that she’s agreed to do this one. The place will be packed. Tickets are completely sold out. There will be a discussion panel, which you will adjudicate. Some of the cast of the upcoming movie will be there too. Erica Lefroy. I know you’re acquainted with her.”
“I wouldn’t say acquainted,” I say cautiously.
“No bad blood between you, is there?”
I put a hand on my heart. “Gosh, no. I mean, not on my part. I can’t see why there would be. Seb was always—”
“I don’t need the history, Diana. I just need to know you can pull this off.”
“I can.”
“Excellent.” She pauses, looking at me seriously. “You know, what you’ve achieved in the few months is incredible. I won’t deny I’ve played my part in it, but you have a grit and determination I don’t often see in youngsters. You have a bright future ahead.” She nods gently as if to herself. “Rafe was absolutely right.”
Her words seal me to my chair. “Rafe?”
She lets out a little laugh. “Oh, yes. Sorry. Rafe Bastion. You know who I mean?” I nod weakly. “He sang your praises. Said he saw something in you. Something unusual.”
I frown, heart racing. “Unusual?”
Melanie unleashes her cawing laugh again. “In a good way. He urged me to take you on. In fact, you’re the reason we moved here.” She gestures around her swanky Soho office. “You were the bargaining chip for the sale of Castow Management.”
“I don’t understand.”
She clasps her hands, primly sets them on the desk, and gives me a serious look. “Really, Diana. Don’t you read the business pages?”
I shake my head. “Nope.”
Melanie rises from her seat, and I do the same, allowing her to show me out. “He doubled the price he was willing to pay on the condition I took you on. Best business deal I ever made.”
I blink at her as she opens the door, her hand resting on my lower back to give me a gentle shove out, seeing as my feet have decided to stop functioning.
But I can’t leave without answers, because finally, after months of meetings, months ofwondering, she’s thrown Rafe’s name into the mix. “Are you and he…”
Her thin lips quirk, a hint of amusement in her gaze. My cheeks grow hot. “No, Diana. We aren’t. Rafe is a colleague. A friend.”
“Oh. I thought—”
“No.” She moves her hand from my back to my shoulder, and her expression takes on an almost maternal aspect; a softening that communicates a kindness I never expect from her. “Rafe’s a good man, but there’s always been someone else in his heart.”
I walk out of Melanie’s office in a daze, my feet delivering me through the building and out onto the street while my mind remains on autopilot. I’m halfway down Carnaby Street when my phone buzzes in my bag, and I pull it out to see a message from Lizzie.
