This was what happened when you allowed others to distract you.

As she typed with one hand, she pushed the other into the sleeve of her jacket, chasing it around her seat. AJ reached over and helped her into it as she continued to tap away at her phone, barely noticing. She switched typing hand as he fed her hand into the other sleeve, the only sound the ticky-tak of her texting and the staff vacuuming in the background.

Can we talk.

A text from Todd. More distractions. Unless it read, ‘I’m hard. Get over here’ it was pointless.

I’m on a date.

She pinged back at him.

That should put the kibosh on his love lunacy. To put a final nail in the coffin Meagan grabbed AJ and took a selfie. Ideally, she would have preferred him not to look like a Pitbull licking a stinging nettle but the photo would still do the trick. Todd needed to know she only wanted one thing from him, good old fashioned, ancient Roman screwing. Nothing more. Nothing less. The photo swooshed off and she got up to leave.

‘So that’s it?’ said AJ.

‘Sorry, babe, I’ve gotta help my friend find her knickers,’ Meagan said before heading for the exit, emailing and texting as she went.

Chapter 29

Jemima

‘Jeeeeeehm, it’s Eeeeeeeeve,’ said Eve.

Jemima listened to the rumble of Eve’s exhaled vape mist down the phone and braced herself. Yesterday she’d sent over a draft and since then her phone’s every ping, pop and whoosh had given her palpitations. After filth fest, Jemima needed this draft to win so big it obliterated that fateful mistake from Eve’s memory. If Hudson Hicks jettisoned her due to her penchant for writing pornography it would not be good. If she got a reputation for being ‘trouble’, even the Ordnance Survey people wouldn’t want her. This call was make-or-break. Jemima just wished she wasn’t standing outside Highbury and Islington tube station to take it. The station staff were trained for emergencies but an author’s dreams being crushed was probably outside their remit.

‘So…’ said Eve, ‘have only had a skimeroo but – love, love, loooove where this draft is going.’

‘Oh my god, that’s great,’ said Jemima as relief flooded her.

‘Yaaaaaah. It’s reeeaaally good. It’s pacy, sexy and Beverly is quite funny now,’ said Eve.

Jemima knew why. The part of Beverly that could magic up sarcastic clapbacks was pure Meagan.

‘That is great news,’ said Jemima, flushed at the thought of the finish line edging closer.

Completing was starting to feel doable. All she needed were a few more nuggets to round out Beverly’s backstory and the rest could come from previous drafts. She silently punched the air.

‘One thing though,’ said Eve, ‘I do feel like Beverly needs one last juicy, dark secret.’

‘How do you mean?’ asked Jemima as the finish line drew away from her.

‘Well, I love the traits you’ve given her. It’s reeeaaahlly well done coz it’s in keeping with the faaaahst two books but now I feel like we need to know why she’s like this. Where did it all begin? You know what it’s like. Once you break open a draft it begs more questions! I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Anyhoo, gotta fly. Great waaahhhk!’