‘Simi!’ said Jemima.

‘I know, I know. Okay, here I go.’

Simi pushed her chair back, sights locked on the target.

‘And remember, Sim, it’s all about psychology with men,’ said Meagan. ‘They’re a wolf pack.’

‘But at Jem’s you said they were monkeys,’ Simi replied, her nose wrinkled in confusion.

‘Both,’ Meagan confirmed. ‘You train them like a monkey and they hunt like a wolf.’

‘And they have good memories, like elephants?’ Simi said helpfully.

Meagan rolled her eyes. This was like an arse kicking contest between two one-legged idiots.

‘Just go,’ she said shoving Simi towards the bespectacled skateboarder.

Meagan watched her leave before turning back to Jemima. ‘So, spill the tea. What’s new?’

‘Oh, you know, writing and more writing,’ Jemima said stirring the dregs of her melting gelato.

‘I dunno how you do it,’ said Meagan. ‘Days, weeks and months on the same project. I’d go mad. Comedy’s quick. In and out. Done.’

‘Well, generally speaking, I love it. It’s just, at the moment I’ve hit a bit of a brick wall.’

‘Writer’s block or something?’ asked Meagan.

Jemima took a spoonful of her melting ice cream. ‘It’s this whole romance thing my editor was going on about.’

‘Oh yeah. You want me to do something about her?’ said Meagan who was still waiting for the nod from Simi to take care of Oscar’s red-haired harlot.

She’d even brought her Super Soaker to work just in case.

‘No, Meagan. Jeez, you’re like a bloody mob boss. She just wants more romance in the book and I’m finding it hard to write, that’s all,’ said Jemima.

Meagan looked at her friend, the demands of her job clearly weighing on her.

‘You know why you’re finding it hard, babes? Coz you haven’t had any romance since Rapa Nui,’ Meagan said, her attention caught by Simi who was in a lively exchange about skateboards with Jemima’s potential date.

‘Don’t call him that,’ said Jemima.

‘I’m sorry but Miles is the spit of those Easter Island statues. His head is massive. Completely disproportionate to his body,’ said Meagan.

‘It’s not just about Miles,’ Jemima snapped.

Meagan stopped. ‘Well what is it?’ she said side-stepping Jemima’s irritation.

‘Sorry,’ Jemima said, shifting in her seat. ‘It’s just, I’ve got less than a month to finish this book and… I’ve been searching for a solution. The thing is, I… I was wondering how you would feel about me using—’

Just then a loud crash reverberated around the gelateria. Meagan and Jemima turned to see Simi face down in the lap of a middle-aged couple as a skateboard trundled to a halt by the shop entrance. Simi tried to detangle herself, only to get more wrapped up in the folds of the woman’s dress. After finally working herself free, she picked up the skateboard and wordlessly returned it to its owner before dashing back to Meagan and Jemima. The sound of teenage laughter echoed around them.

‘We have to leave!’ Simi said, barely containing her abject embarrassment.