‘No thanks,’ I say honestly. I picture it and can’t think of anything worse.
‘How’s the house working out? Still in the honeymoon period with your fellow residents?’
‘Pretty much. Everyone’s pretty easy-going so it’s no stress.’
‘And what’s the deal with Emma?’
Gah, I wish I’d never mentioned it to her. Every time I speak to Mel she winds me up about my ‘house romance’.
‘Nothing. I need to knock it on the head properly. I’ve got way too much on to be getting caught up in relationship stuff.’
‘I knew it,’ she crows. ‘You are so not the friends with benefits sort. You’ve always been way too straight.’
‘I am not,’ I protest, but I know she’s right.
‘You so are. That’s how you ended up with Alice. If you hadn’t taken an uncharacteristic left turn and given up your job you’d be well on the way to domestic bliss in Surrey.’
‘Shut up,’ I say, laughing.
‘Got to go,’ Mel says suddenly. ‘I can see them heading into the meeting room. Message me and let me know what happens with the whole Emma thing. She might go psycho on you and screw up your domestic bliss.’
I put the phone down on the table in front of me and close my eyes. I think Mel’s reading way too much into this.
I hope she is, anyway.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Jess
3rd June
‘You know when you don’t notice something’s missing until you realise it’s not there?’
There’s a long pause while Gen takes in what I’ve just said.
‘Right,’ she says, slowly. ‘You’re going to have to run that by me again.’
‘Sorry,’ I say, tucking my phone between chin and shoulder as I rip open the post that’s addressed to me. Junk mail, junk mail, credit card bill … ‘I mean—’ I pause for a second, making sure there’s nobody else home, but the house is silent, and there’s none of the usual detritus in the hall that tells me my housemates are back from work ‘—I think something’s going on with Emma and Alex.’
There’s a moment where Gen processes what I’ve just said. ‘What, like they’ve been secretly shagging for six months?’
‘No,’ I say. ‘Not just that, I mean like there’s a bit of a weird atmosphere. I think maybe he’s already broken things off with her. He walked into the kitchen the other day and she walked out.’
‘Maybe she’d finished in there and he was just walking in?’ Gen asked.
‘No, it’s more than that. Maybe she’s really upset with him, even though he said it was her idea for them to be casual.’
I shove the letters in the recycling bin. Then I bend over and fish out the credit card bill. Tempting as it would be to leave it there, I don’t think it would do my credit rating any good.
‘And the thing is – apart from that I haven’t seen Emma around for ages.’
‘Hmmm,’ said Gen. ‘But you don’t see thingy – what’s his name? The chef guy much either. And you don’t think there’s something going on with him.’
‘He works split shifts. It’s different.’
‘You’re very interested in what’s going on with Alex for someone who’s not interested in what’s going on with Alex,’ she says, in that very familiar, arch, Gen-like tone.
‘I am not. I just happen to work in publishing, so I’m particularly interested in stories.’
‘Yeah, whatever,’ she says, and I can picture her smiling.
There’s a clatter of keys in the lock and I look up. It’s Becky, home uncharacteristically early from work.
‘Better go,’ I say to Gen. ‘I’ll message you later, okay?’
‘Don’t forget. I want updates on this non-existent drama.’
Moments later, with a dramatic sigh, Becky drops her bags on the floor and collapses on the stairs. ‘God I’m so tired,’ she says as she lays her head down for a second. ‘There’s no way I can make it up two flights. I’m just going to have to sleep here – ugh.’
‘What is it?’ I ask.
She lifts her head up again, making a disgusted face. ‘We really need to sort out some sort of cleaning rota. These stairs are covered in fluff and random stuff.’
‘I’ll hoover them in a bit. Coffee?’ I point to the kitchen. ‘D’you want me to put the kettle on?’
She shakes her head. ‘I’m trying to give up caffeine.’
‘Are you insane? You work about twenty-three hours a day. You can’t survive without caffeine.’
‘How’s the celery juice looking?’
‘Beyond disgusting. I’ll make you a peppermint tea.’ I leave her lying there looking like a deflated jellyfish on the bottom stair and head into the kitchen to