When Cat returned from Alistair’s office, she was wearing a tired but triumphant smile. She had rolled up the sleeves of her shirt and was carrying the heap of papers under her arm.

“I fucking did it,” she said, in a low voice. “He totally loved it.”

“What did I tell you? He might be an idiot, but he’s got some sense in him. Oh, listen, I think your mobile rang or something.”

“My mobile?”

Wide-eyed, the brunette patted her pocket and then looked around, finally locating the phone. She seemed nervous about having forgotten it in plain sight, and Jay studied her while she flicked her thumb over the keys. Her face remained impassive, but she smiled when she looked back at Jay.

“It’s Sam, looks like she’s got some free time. Do you think it would be okay if I sneaked out for a bit?”

“Yeah, don’t worry, you made Alistair very happy today. Go and celebrate, tell her the great news.”

She nodded and pocketed her phone, grabbed her jacket and purse and hurried out. Jay scratched the stubble on his jawline and stood up to see Cat disappear down the street.

Of course it had happened. Cat and Frankie had been tiptoeing around each other very courteously, hiding the big lie from Sam and everybody else, but here it was. Mystery solved. Frankie’s present had worked its desired effect and the blonde had stayed. And now Cat was telling lies and drinking too much, and Frankie was surely having a rough time, but she wasn’t showing it. It wasn’t going to be pretty. Looks like the bone has some meat on it after all.

He would reach out for her in the darkness and his fingers would almost stroke her hair, but in the end he would not have the courage; he would never be brave enough. To him, she was an unknown species, and to her, he was barely human, a machine – a thing. She would never consider him.

“That’s what I’m talking about. This right here, this is brilliant stuff. Fuck the Romeo and Juliet crap and that Twilight shit. This will be bigger.”

Ed raised two doubtful eyebrows. The man had placed his index finger over the bulgy volume that was his manuscript. The story was the obvious reflection of his life and his relationship with Tess: very necessary, quite frustrating and as improbable as science fiction.