She got into bed with Max and wrapped herself around his limbs. He emitted an astonishing amount of body heat. She breathed in his smell and, for the first time in as long as she could remember, fell into a warm, heavy, sober slumber.

22

Now

A few days later, Chloe woke up with a sense of purpose and realized that today was going to be the day.

She had been telling herself that she hadn’t acted yet because she was thinking about what to do next. Because she was planning. But she knew it wasn’t true. The truth was, she liked turning the plan over in her head. She liked the feeling that it was going to happen soon, but not quite yet. When she lay awake at night she had taken to planning it, trying on different scenarios, working out different outcomes. Again, she told herself she was just being careful. Thorough. Thoughtful. But it wasn’t just that. She was allowing herself dozens of different types of revenge.

But Rav would be home in a couple of days. So it had to be soon. Or rather, it had to be now.

She pressed Max’s name on her phone display. He didn’t pick up. So she pressed it again. Once again, nothing. How predictable that his claims of wanting her back in his life only lasted until he got her knickers off. She googled his company and found his office number.

‘Max Trentino’s office,’ said an efficient voice at the end of the line.

‘Could I speak with Max, please?’

‘May I ask who is calling?’

‘It’s Verity, his fiancée.’

‘Of course. Thank you for holding.’

The line went muffled for a moment and then Max’s voice sounded, distant, as if he were on speaker phone. ‘Hello, trouble. Sorry I was so late last night. Did you miss me?’

‘It’s Chloe.’

The silence told Chloe everything she needed to know.

‘Hi, hi. Sorry I didn’t pick up before. I’m about to go into this huge meeting and I really can’t afford to fuck it up. Everything all right?’

‘Meet me for lunch.’

Max sighed. ‘Oh, Coco, I’m so sorry. Look, I should have been far clearer the other night. I should have made you realize that it was only going to be a one-off thing. You love Rav, I love Verity – it was just two old friends having a bit of fun. Putting out an old flame. Finishing what we almost started. You get that, right?’

‘I think you should meet me for lunch.’

Max went quiet for a moment. ‘I’ve got a very busy day.’

‘You’re really, really, going to regret it if you don’t.’

‘Fine.’ The warmth was gone from Max’s voice, stripped back to the tone she’d heard him use with bar staff back in the day. ‘I’ve got half an hour.’