Page 14 of The House Swap

Tom didn’t argue. She suspected it was because he was too worried about James. ‘Thank you, Poppy.’

‘How long do you think you’ll be in London?’

‘I honestly don’t know. It depends on James. I can’t think that far ahead right now.’

That was understandable.

‘Of course not. Just go be with your friend.’

‘I’m going to make this up to you,’ Tom said quietly. ‘When you’re back. Or maybe I can get home before you leave, if things improve. We’ll make it happen, Pops. I promise.’

Poppy swallowed the lump in her throat. ‘I know we will.’

After they said goodbye, she sat on the edge of the bed, her half-packed suitcase next to her, a little numb with shock.

She didn’t know James personally but felt she did through her conversations with Tom. And knowing how different her plans were now, that she was travelling to a country she’d never been to before and that Tom wouldn’t be waiting for her, was a little bit scary.

It would be okay, though. She was happy she was still going; it just wasn’t quite what she had imagined.

Needing to share the news with someone else, she called Keira.

Her friend answered on the second ring, already mid-conversation about something else, and Poppy heard Greg’s voice in the background.

She waited patiently until she had Keira’s full attention, then told her everything.

‘Oh no,’ she said when Poppy had finished. ‘That’s crappy timing.’

‘It’s not Tom’s fault.’

‘I know it’s not his fault. It is a bit shit, though.’ There was a pause. ‘Are you still going?’

‘Yes. Tom says I can still stay in his villa.’

‘Right, that’s good,’ Keira said, and Poppy could hear her friend’s brain switching through the gears. ‘I’ll call my boss. See if I can get some time off.’

‘You don’t need to do that.’

‘I know I don’t need to, but you’re my best mate, Poppy. You were supposed to have Tom there for the first week. Now you haven’t.’

‘I’ll be fine,’ Poppy assured her, more confidently than she felt.

‘I’m sure you will. But it will be better if I can go with you.’

‘Go where?’ Greg piped up in the background, sounding unimpressed.

Keira didn’t answer him.

‘I’ll be okay by myself. But thank you for offering,’ Poppy said.

The silence that followed suggested Keira was unconvinced, but she didn’t push further. ‘Well, the offer is there. If you change your mind before you go to bed, just say the word.’

After they hung up, Poppy went back to her packing, telling herself everything was going to be fine. In fact, better than fine. She had two weeks in a beautiful villa in Crete.

And Tom hadn’t completely ruled out making it back before she left.

She held on to that thought as she zipped up her case and turned off the light.

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