Jemima paused. ‘Really?’

‘Yeah, well…’ said Chance, a little flustered, ‘I always notice interesting-looking people – not in a creepy way.’

He laughed, his cheeks flushing red.

‘Well, it’s not like I never come here,’ Jemima said. ‘I write here… from time to time.’

She cringed, hoping that somehow this might course-correct her earlier fib.

‘And instead of writing you got dowsed in coffee. God, I’m so embarrassed,’ Chance winced.

‘It’s okay,’ said Jemima placing a hand on his.

He looked up and she quickly moved it away.

‘I’m just getting some ideas together,’ she said holding up her notebook.

Chance looked at it as though it were a lost passage from the Bible. It intrigued Jemima how people deified the writing process when ninety-five per cent of what she produced was unusable garbage.

‘Can I read some?’ Chance asked.

Can you read stories I’ve borrowed from my friends before I’ve even asked them? Jemima thought. Errr. No.

‘I’m in the middle of a rewrite,’ she said closing her notebook. ‘I’m giving Beverly a backstory.’

Not that she owed him an explanation. Frankly, she owed him an apology. When he’d made suggestions about her book on the flight she had bitten his head off.

‘A backstory is great and do you think this backstory will include… a guy? Just asking,’ Chance said, his hands shooting up in defence.

Jemima smiled. She often forgot that fans loved Beverly as much as she did and wanted the best for her too.

Chance set his coffee cup back on its saucer. ‘In the second book she was pretty down on love but I reckon there’s more to it. My brother, Pete, says, “Cynics are closet romantics who’ve had their hearts broken”.’

The thought lingered like the scent of dying flowers as Jemima and Chance locked eyes.

‘Great, well…’ said Jemima standing, ‘thanks for the coffee but I’ve got to get back to it.’

‘Totally. Listen, sorry again. Can I make it up to you?’ Chance asked, standing too.

‘You already did,’ she replied pointing at their empty cups.

‘I can do better than that. How about dinner?’ he pitched.

Jemima looked into those warm eyes as his face broke into a sun-kissed smile.

‘I need to crack on with this draft,’ she said looking away.

‘No worries.’

Jemima said her hasty goodbyes to Azi and Rania, feeling Chance’s gaze on her. She scurried out of the door, not looking back.

Chapter 12

Meagan

Meagan was feeling pretty pleased with herself. Not only had Simi managed to drag herself to the audition that morning but now she even wanted to meet for a drink. Normally Simi went into a deep post-break-up hibernation so this was proof; Meagan had been right – as always. The audition was just what Simi needed. Meagan’s vibrating phone shook her from her self-congratulations. She stared at the screen, perplexed. It was Todd. They never spoke on the phone.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘Just calling to say, “hey”,’ he replied.

Meagan kissed her teeth, making a mental note never to take a call from him again. What happened to just texting a time and place to meet? Brevity was a turn-on. Phone calls were not.