‘Do you think I can do it?’

Adzo sucked the air through her front teeth. ‘Mate. Come on. You’re amazing at what you do. Antwerp would be lucky to have you.’

‘Thank you.’ I flopped down onto a bench. ‘Isn’t Antwerp something you’d want?’ I asked. ‘Out of the two of us …’ I stopped talking because the truth was suddenly obvious. ‘Oh. You didn’t want it,’ I said. ‘They offered it to you first and you said no.’

‘No!’ she shrieked. ‘Antwerp specifically asked for you. But,’ she continued, ‘San Francisco have specifically asked for me.’

‘No!’ I cried.

‘Yes!’ she said.

‘Oh my goodness, that is so incredible, Adzo. Congratulations! I’m so happy for you!’

‘I feel sad, though,’ she said. ‘Because I think this is the beginning of the end for us, whatever happens.’

‘Damn,’ I said. ‘Yeah.’

‘Yeah.’

Ever since I’d arrived at the company Adzo and I had been thick as thieves. I think my ‘good girl’ tendencies amused her, and I was in awe of this woman of the world and all of her outrageous stories. We complemented each other personally and professionally, often finishing each other’s sentences – or should I say, theories. We had a shorthand together at work, meaning calling ourselves the ‘Dream Team’ really wasn’t hyperbole – where I lacked Adzo filled in the gaps, and where she was less able I was able to pick up the slack. Half the time the only reason I looked forward to work was because of my Work Wifey, which is a horrible, girly, reductionist turn of phrase that wholeheartedly encapsulated the role we played in each other’s lives.

‘Did you say yes, then? To San Francisco?’

‘In theory,’ she said. ‘I’m going to do a recce mission out there next month to see if it fits, and I’ve got questions about the package they’re offering me. But yeah. I mean, it’s San Francisco!’

‘You’re such a good negotiator,’ I said. ‘Chen wants me to go out to Antwerp to see the lay of the land. I haven’t said yes. But I didn’t say no, either. She basically didn’t give me a choice?’

‘Oh my.’ I could tell she was grinning. ‘You’re finally going to get to meet the handsome Jules face to face. When I was out there last year it was like walking around town with a model or something. He’s gorgeous. I cannot fathom how anybody can look that good and be that smart? But—’

‘But he is that good-looking and is that smart,’ I said. ‘The stuff he sends through? His thinking is really inspired.’

‘It’s really hot,’ Adzo agreed.

‘Obviously I’m with Patrick though,’ I said, and it was the first time I’d considered his role in all of this. Patrick. Ah.