Page 55 of Always Be My Pumpkin

‘Thanks, Gemma, I’ll be glad to get on the panel at all.’ I hold up crossed fingers.

‘Okay, I’m going to stop you right there.’ She comes to a halt next to Gertrude’s cosy crime display. ‘You deserve this promotion. You were a huge help to me when I was drawing up our five-year plan. You managed some very impressive projects while you were working in that community centre in London. And just look at this place.’ She waves a hand around the room.

‘Oh, well, Gertrude—’

‘Gertrude is wonderful.’ Gemma nods. ‘But this is mostly down to you. She told me so herself. And she told me what a great job you’ve done with the festival programme. Encouraging everyone to work together, supporting them to manage their own projects. That’s leadership.’ She fixes me with a look of steel. ‘Now, you go into that interview on Thursday morning and tell them how great you are. You need to believe in yourself, Gracie, and make sure you fight for what you deserve.’

Sarah’s waiting for me in the Corner Bar Wednesday lunchtime, and I go over my latest plan with her. It’s basically work, interview, promotion (hopefully), and move in with Mam when she gets home this weekend.

‘I understand the work part.’ She takes a sip of her coffee. ‘But I thought you loved staying at Hazel Cottage. It’s so cute, so you.’ She gives me a leery grin. ‘And there’s the added bonus of multiple orgasms. You won’t get those back at your mam’s.’

I almost choke on my soup, and I’m still dabbing potato and leek from my chin when Olivia strides past our table. I breathe a sigh of relief when she keeps walking, head high, and seemingly oblivious to my spattered state. But then she turns and beams straight at Sarah, and completely ignores me, of course.

‘Sarah, darling.’

What the hell? When did my Sarah become Olivia’s darling?

‘I was hoping to run into you,’ she goes on, fake smile still plastered across her face. ‘Jamie and I found the perfect apartment in Sydney, only ten minutes from the beach. And it has two bedrooms.’ She tilts her head, pointedly ignoring me. ‘So, of course, you and Scott will be more than welcome once we’re settled. We can’t wait to have you stay.’

Then she turns and makes for a table in the far corner, where I see Jamie waiting. I curse myself for looking, but he ignores me too as he pulls out a chair for Olivia and plants an affectionate kiss on her cheek. As if she was the one he wanted all along.

Sarah buries her head in her hands and growls into her palms.

‘So, Jamie got his visa then.’ I arch my brows. ‘And Olivia’s going too. Wow, she moved fast.’

Sarah lifts her head, jaw clenched. ‘She applied ages ago, as soon as Jamie mentioned he was thinking about it.’

‘She never gave up, did she?’ I almost glance at their table but pull myself back just in time.

‘No.’ Sarah grimaces. ‘And she got what she wanted in the end.’

I shrug. ‘If she wants him that badly, she’s welcome to him.’

It’s not a choice I would make though. No matter how much I wanted someone. Not if I thought they loved someone else more. I give myself a mental shake. I need to stop thinking about Flynn. Thinking about Flynn is not part of my plan from now on.

‘So, you’re going to stay with them, in Sydney,’ I say cheerfully.

Sarah swallows her mouthful of sandwich. ‘We’re considering it, just for a holiday. I was going to tell you.’ She sniffs. ‘Only Miss Prissy-face got there first.’

‘Well, I think it’s a great idea, especially if you’ll have free accommodation.’ I stir my tea and take a gulp. ‘And it’ll give you a chance to get a feel for the place, before you make a decision about anything more permanent.’

‘It’s just a holiday, I promise.’ Sarah sets her mug down so fast she spills coffee across the table, and I dab at it with my napkin.

‘You don’t need to promise me anything. If you and Scott decide you want to give Australia a go, then you absolutely should.’

She winces. ‘We haven’t agreed to stay with them if we do go. I know plenty of people from college who’ve moved to Sydney. We have other options.’

‘Of course you’ll stay with them.’ I keep my tone light and carefree. ‘Your own room, ten minutes from the beach. Jamie’s happy to crash at your place for as long as he needs. Why shouldn’t you crash at theirs?’

‘You don’t mind that it’ll be theirs?’

‘Not at all. If anything, I’m glad,’ I tell her honestly. ‘If Jamie’s with Olivia now, then he’ll leave me alone. At least it means he gets it. That we’re done.’

Sarah’s shoulders loosen on a sigh. ‘I don’t think there was ever anybody else,’ she says gently. ‘I know it’s not great, Jamie did still cheat on you. But I honestly think it was only ever with Olivia. And I don’t think anything happened between them before London.’

She watches me carefully as she goes on, like she’s gauging how much to say in case she hurts me. ‘I used to think Jamie was good for you, and he was always so into you. But the way he’s acted this past year, and the things he’s been saying about Flynn since he moved back. Even Scott’s told him to cop on once or twice.’

She tilts her head from side to side, like she’s questioning herself, questioning her judgement. And Sarah never does that. ‘I didn’t realise how jealous he was, how obsessed. I’m sorry, I wish I’d seen that before.’