The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart (39 page)

‘Ten.’

The butterflies are already building in my belly as there’s
less than twenty-four hours to go.

‘OK, well, why don’t I meet you after and I’ll take you away somewhere as a surprise? It might not be Paris, but I’m sure I can think of something.’

‘Would you come to the tower too, for moral support?’

It feels strange that Ben is not going to be there for the end of my list, because he’s been there for practically everything else, and I could really do with
having someone there.

‘Um, OK, yes.’

‘Thanks.’

With Joseph watching I’ll not be able to chicken out. And perhaps there’s something poetic about having him there for the end of the list. I’ll have completed it and he’ll whisk me off into the sunset and we’ll live happily ever after, just like I wanted.

Joseph starts talking about where we could go, but right now I can’t see past the tower.
It’s not only the fear that I’m going to be dangling off a tiny bit of rope hundreds of feet in the air, it’s the fact that the list is coming to an end.

I’m going to get what I want, yet I can’t help feeling that I don’t want the list to be over.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Two hours to go until my list is complete (we’ll gloss over the fact that means I have to throw myself off the tallest building in Portsmouth . . .).

I can’t believe that today’s the day that I’m probably going to die. If not from falling from a massive height when the abseil rope breaks, then from a heart attack at 500 feet. There are so many scenarios and ways that this
abseil could go horribly wrong, and I seem to have made a montage in my mind that showcases the best of them. But at the same time, I know I have to do it.

Rick’s pretty much given me no choice but to go ahead with it. And as much as I hate to admit it – Ben’s right. I need to finish the list. I need to prove to myself that I can do anything I set my mind to.

I shudder at the thought of the
abseil, but have to put it from my mind. There’s something else equally terrifying I’ve got to do first.

I ring the doorbell and hold my breath as I wonder if anyone will answer it.

Sian’s housemate Angela opens the door and I brace myself to be told that Sian’s not there.

‘Hi, Abi, Sian’s in the living room,’ she says breezily, holding the door open.

I hesitate for a moment wondering if it’s
some sort of trick, before I thank Angela and walk into the lounge.

‘Abi,’ says Sian in shock as she pulls herself away from Pete.

Ah, Pete. I hadn’t counted on Sian not being alone. Suddenly I feel that I shouldn’t have come. There’s something about Pete being Ben’s friend that makes me feel awkward.

They’re a picture of domestic bliss. He’s in baggy tracksuit bottoms and an old band T-shirt
and she’s in her bright pink dressing gown with fluffy slippers. Her legs are resting on his as they sit with their hands cradling giant mugs of coffee that smell delicious.

Joseph and I would never be found in such a position. He has a rule that if you’re out of bed then you shower and dress immediately. Dressing gowns are merely a decorative feature hanging on the back of the bathroom door.

‘I’m sorry to interrupt,’ I say, suddenly nervous to be around my best friend.

‘I’m going to grab a shower,’ says Pete diplomatically and he kisses Sian on the head before leaving.

‘So, I thought I better come and see you as I’m on my way to do the abseil and I couldn’t die without at least attempting to make things better.’

‘You’re so melodramatic. No one is going to die. You’re going to get
down that tower just fine. Look at everything else you’ve done over the last couple of months. It’s been incredible.’

The fact that Sian is talking to me gives me the confidence to sit down next to her without fear of being strangled. Her anger appears to have subsided. Clearly Pete has a calming effect on her.

‘Yeah, but for all that other death-defying stuff I’ve done, Ben’s been by my side.’

‘And he’s not coming today?’

‘No,’ I say, shaking my head and wishing it weren’t the case.

‘What happened?’

‘We had a big fight about stuff. I don’t think he was too pleased about Joseph and me getting back together, and then I said some mean stuff . . .’

‘Jeez, you really are trying to drive everyone away, aren’t you? And Pete says that you might’ve lost your job. I was going to come round,
but I was still so cross at you.’

‘I know, there’s a lot to fill you in on. But first, I’m sorry for lying to you. I wish I’d been honest with you from the start. Do you think you’ll ever be able to forgive me?’

‘Well, I guess now that I feel sorry for you being an unemployed bum, I’m going to have to.’

‘Ah, well, I think I’ve been reinstated,’ I say. ‘It’s a pretty long story and I haven’t
got time to tell you now, but I promise I will later.’

Sian raises what I call her journalistic eyebrow. It’s the one that goes nuts when she senses a story.

‘You promise?’

‘I do,’ I say, smiling that I’ve got my friend back, and so easily. I hope that Pete is ‘the one’ and they never break up as she’s much less of a pit bull now she’s with him.

‘Right, well, I better get going to the tower,’
I say in a way that sounds as if I’m being condemned to death at the Tower of London, rather than doing an abseil.

‘Do you want to wait and I’ll get changed and come with you? I don’t like to think of you being on your own.’

‘Actually, Joseph is coming with me,’ I say, wincing. I’ve just won her round, I don’t want to antagonise her.

‘Oh, right. So you are getting back together with him?’

I shrug. ‘I am, but I want it to be on my terms. I’ve changed a lot and I want him to know that.’

Sian nods. ‘Well, I can’t say I’m happy, but at least that’s something. I just hope this time that it’s not all rose-tinted glasses. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I had a big talk with Pete about it and he told me to stay out of it, that I don’t know what goes on in private. So, if you think
Joseph is so special and he’s worth doing this whole list for, then I won’t make it any harder for you.’

I lean over to hug her. That’s the nicest thing she could have possibly said to me at the moment, and the most surprising.

‘I’ll let you know how I get on,’ I say, standing up.

‘Do, but you’ll be fine. You know you’re stronger than you think you are.’

‘Thanks, Sian.’

I get up and realise
that I’m delaying the inevitable. The next building I enter will be the Tower of Terror. Imposing da-da-da music echoes round my brain and my stomach lurches.

Looking up at the tower from the bottom is terrifying – it’s far more imposing than the Eiffel Tower. It looks like it reaches all the way into the sky with no end in sight. It’s making my head spin and I feel dizzy. I don’t know if I’m
even going to be able to go up to the platform, let alone abseil off it.

‘Ah, I was beginning to think you might have changed your mind,’ says Rick as I walk into the lobby.

‘If only,’ I say wistfully, wondering whether it’s too late to go back to my freelance business idea. ‘So did you manage to get any more evidence?’

‘I did. I’ve pretty much got the proof I need now, thanks to IT tracing
who fiddled with the design files.’

My shoulders drop a little with relief. I’ve not been going crazy after all, and Rick’s got proof.

‘And you’re still not going to tell me who it is?’

‘Not until I’m a hundred per cent sure, which means waiting for the final part of my plan to fall into place.’

I still suspect Linz. I look over at her in her tight leggings and her Design Works T-shirt that
looks like it’s been surgically stretched over her chest. She looks so smug as she laughs with Giles, but she’ll be laughing on the other side of her face when it comes out that people know what she’s done.

Whilst I’m scanning the room, I try and see if I can spot Joseph, but he doesn’t seem to be here yet. I guess I am a bit early. Instead, I spot Fran and walk over to talk to her.

‘Abi,’ she
says wrinkling her face in surprise. ‘You’re the last person I expected to see here. Can I just say that I was really sorry to hear about your suspension; it’s not the same without you.’

‘Thanks, Fran.’

‘It was just so sudden – one minute you were there, and the next – poof – you were gone!’

‘Yeah, but I think I’ll be back pretty soon,’ I say lowering my voice. I know I shouldn’t be saying
anything, but Rick did just say he had proof of who set me up, which means I think it can be less of a secret. And besides, I know that Fran isn’t Linz’s biggest fan.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, between you and me, I didn’t mess up on the museum account. Someone sent a fake order and changed all my files.’

‘They did what?’ she says.

I can see the look of surprise on her face. It’s not something
I’d have believed if it hadn’t happened to me either.

‘I know, it’s shocking, right? But anyway, Rick has it all under control.’

‘He does?’

‘Yes. He won’t tell me who, but he says he’s got evidence of who did it.’

‘Really?’ she says, her eyes widening.

‘Uh-huh. IT got involved and they’ve been able to identify who modified the design files. Some sort of digital thumbprint. Very CSI if you
ask me. I think Rick’s waiting until Monday to have it out with this person, which is a bit mean as they’re here today and they’ve got to do this abseil.’

The colour seems to drain from her face, clearly because I’ve reminded her about her descent down this awful tower. I’m surprised that I’m still standing upright at the mere mention of it, but here I am. My legs might be jelly-like but they
haven’t bolted for the door yet.

‘Don’t worry about the abseil,’ I say. ‘I’m terrified too – we can do it together.’

‘I’m not worried about the stupid abseil,’ she says, snapping. I’m taken aback as she is usually so calm and mild mannered. ‘I’m more concerned about the fact that I’m going to get fired.’

She shakes her head and when I lock eyes with her I see that they’re almost glowing red
with rage.

‘It was meant to be her that took the blame and got fired, not you,’ she says, pointing a finger at Linz, who is stroking Rick’s arm.

I don’t have time to think how inappropriate it is that Linz is touching the boss as the pieces of the puzzle are starting to fall into place.

‘You? You’re the one that set me up? You’re the one that deleted my files and messed up my museum project?’

‘Yes,’ she says, sighing. ‘Only I thought I’d covered my tracks. It was meant to be Linz that took the fall, not you. I thought that everyone would assume it was her before you even got to the suspension stage.’

‘But why?’

I can’t process this quickly enough. Nice, quiet Fran is actually quite vindictive. I knew she was a little strange after the fake-baby thing, but talk about always being
the person you’d least expect.

‘Why do you think? Look at her,’ she says, pointing again at Linz.

I watch as she tips her head back and laughs, pawing at Rick’s stomach as if to show her appreciation of whatever the joke is.

‘She’s been here five minutes and she’s already muscled her way onto two of my accounts. She’s got Rick wrapped around her little finger, and I wouldn’t be surprised if
it was only a matter of time before I got edged out and she got my job.’

‘But that’s crazy!’

‘Is it? Have you ever known Rick invest so much time in another member of staff? He’s been having extra meetings with her, taking her to the pub in the evenings, I even heard they went to Goodwood Races together.’

‘That’s no reason to sabotage your own career.’

‘Well, I didn’t expect it to backfire.
I didn’t think Rick would look that closely. I thought that he’d be so disappointed that Linz had lied to him that she wouldn’t get past her three months’ probation and then everything would go back to normal.’

I stare at her and wonder if the fear of the abseil has made me go mad and that I am, in fact, hallucinating this far-fetched chain of events.

Before I can double-check my facts, Rick
has walked over to us.

‘Fran.’

‘Rick,’ she says, no hint of happiness in her voice. ‘I know you know, and you can stuff your job. I’ve had enough of working for someone like you.’

Oh, no, she didn’t.

‘That’s fine, Fran. You can come in on Monday to collect your things.’

She turns on her heels and walks away.

‘I don’t believe it,’ I say, shaking my head. ‘I never imagined it would be her.
I assumed it was Linz.’

I instantly feel guilty as in my head I’d already acted as judge, jury and executioner condemning her for what she’d done.

‘I knew it couldn’t be Linz,’ says Rick. ‘I’m going to have to tell people in the office because it’s going to come out anyway, but Linz and I have started dating. We’ve decided that it’s probably best if she doesn’t work for us as it would be a conflict
of interest, and I think she’s going to go to another agency.’

I feel knocked over with the revelations. I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes.

‘Unfortunately for Fran, she happened to go onto your finance login and do the order at the exact same time we were having our first kiss in the meeting room. It was a pretty iron-clad alibi for Linz. I know I could have told you that sooner
but I was embarrassed by how it looked.’

I wonder if he means because she’s an employee or the fact he’s old enough to be her dad.

‘This is unreal,’ I say, finally.

‘I know. It doesn’t seem very real to me either, and I know that people are going to be disapproving about the age gap, but you know what? She makes me happy. I mean, doesn’t she have the most infectious smile?’

It’s certainly
infectious in the way chickenpox is, leaving you feeling all uncomfortable and itchy. I simply nod. He’s happy and Linz is leaving the company, meaning I won’t have to see that perky, ponytail-bobbing whippersnapper look so bloody cheerful all the time, which makes me happy.

I have to admit I feel the teeniest bit guilty that I’ve been so scathing of her as she’s clearly done nothing wrong. Well,
except shagging the boss. A mental image flashes through my mind of Rick getting down and dirty and I shudder. That’s all sorts of wrong.