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over to her flat’s front door. They talked in hushed tones as Siobhan slept on in Laurie’s bed.
    ‘I had a really good night,’ Jay said, smiling. ‘A really, really good night.’
    Laurie gasped as Mr Ripley jumped on to her lap, bringing her back to reality with a bump. ‘What is with this cat?’ she said, stroking his back. ‘Is there anywhere he isn’t?’
    ‘He’s just being friendly,’ Siobhan said. ‘I don’t think he means to creep up.’
    ‘Anyway,’ Siobhan went on, ‘Danny might be right, Laurie. You have been stressed out lately – work, then all this stuff with Jay. Maybe a break isn’t such a bad idea. I can think of worse things, can’t you?’ Siobhan let the question linger. Slowly, she took a Nina Simone record out of its sleeve and put it on her vintage record player.
    Laurie raised an eyebrow. ‘Do you know me?’
    ‘OK, I see what you mean.’
    ‘I hate relaxing, love my work – Siobhan, that’s who I am. Simple as that.’
    ‘I’ve a short memory, you’re right. After all, you must be the only person ever to stay at a spa and spend the weekend scanning her iPhone and pacing around, insisting there must be something better to do than have massages and let piranhas nibble at your feet.’
    Laurie smiled. That particular spa break hadn’t been a friendship high point.
    ‘What about an activity holiday, though?’ Siobhan said, her eyes drifting to the window as she thought, ‘you know – maybe not a yoga retreat, but painting in Cornwall, bird-watching in—’
    ‘OK, stop right there,’ Laurie said, raising a hand. ‘You know you are planning your own holiday, don’t you? Those all sound like my idea of hell. Bird-watching. Are you kidding me?’
    ‘I’ve always thought those trips sounded fun.’
    ‘My point exactly,’ Laurie said. ‘Maybe you’re right about making the most of this break though. I’m gutted about what’s happened, but I really don’t want to be sitting around in my flat watching Judge Judy .
    ‘Argh … this is so frustrating,’ Laurie said, covering her face with her hands. ‘I’ve slogged my guts out this year proving I’m good enough for this new role and now I’ve messed up and Danny’s lost all faith in me.’
    ‘It doesn’t sound like that to me,’ Siobhan said, draping her towel around her shoulders to catch any final drips from her hair. ‘Danny’s supporting you by letting you take time off – don’t knock it. He clearly believes in you, Laurie, he just wants you back to your best.’
    ‘Oh I don’t know,’ she said glumly. Perhaps it wasn’t Danny, but Laurie herself who had lost faith in her abilities – she just couldn’t picture returning to Seamless and doing her job well. ‘Let’s talk about something else. Distract me,’ she said. ‘How was your day?’
    ‘Not bad actually.’ Siobhan said, looking up at Laurie with a cheeky glint in her eye. ‘Went for a drink after work with Mr Ferguson. Ed.’
    ‘P.E. teacher Ed?’ Laurie said. She watched her friend’s face light up as she nodded. ‘Are you interested?’
    Siobhan settled her small glass of wine on an art deco side table. ‘I might be,’ she said. ‘I didn’t want to date anyone at work, but I have to say I’m tempted. I’ve been in the desert so long though, I might need a private P.E. class to remind me how it all works.’ She let out a little snort as she laughed.
    Laurie laughed too, in spite of herself – their parallel love droughts had gone on for over a year, and they’d shared every step. They’d both kissed enough frogs in their twenties – and in their mid-thirties were looking for something more – but the quality and quantity of available men seemed to have dropped through the floor. While the hot city summer had been full of good times, free festivals and Notting Hill Carnival, it had been resolutely flingless. Laurie had thought things were changing, when she got together with Jay … but by the end of September, as