The Hating Game (22 page)

Deniz rolled her eyes.
‘Sure, sure. That’s what they all say. Sounds like quite the tosser.’

‘
He’s really nice,’ Jess said desperately. ‘He treated Mattie well, you know. She was happy.’

Deniz gave her an odd look. ‘I thought you were her best friend? Why would you want her to get back together with a bloke who cheated on her?’

‘
I thought
they were good together. Really good.’

Deniz rolled her eyes
again and started to close her notebook.

‘
T
hey were going to get married!’ The words shot of Jess’s mouth. She hadn’t meant to let it slip, but she couldn’t let Deniz go away and cast Kyle as the villain.

Deniz’s head snapped up and she opened her notebook again. ‘I’m listening.’

‘
Well, okay
, they weren’t engaged or anything. Kyle hadn’t proposed. But Mattie had the dress.’ Jess slapped a hand over her mouth. She couldn’t believe she’d just said that! Mattie had sworn her to secrecy, saying if anyone found out she’d look like one of those psycho women desperate to get hitched.

‘
Really?’ Deniz looked up with glee. ‘Tell me more.’

Jess bit her lip
again. It was out now. She might as well explain how it all happened and minimise the damage as much as she could.

‘
Well, after Kyle moved in, Mattie and I met up for some shopping, just the two of us. It had been ages – Mattie was usually busy with work and Kyle.’ Jess remembered how much fun they’d had together that afternoon. Mattie had been optimistic about the future with Kyle and the more drinks she’d had, the more she babbled on and on about how much she loved him. Jess had fallen in line with her fantasies and together they constructed an elaborate vision of Mattie and Kyle as the lords of Surrey, living in a mansion with their 2.4 kids and the prerequisite golden retriever. And an army of maids, of course, since Mattie wasn’t exactly domestic.

They’
d stumbled out of the champagne bar at Selfridges, supporting each other down the stairs. Jess had never seen Mattie so sloshed, but whether she was actually drunk or just high on life it was hard to tell.

‘
Let’s go look at wedding dresse
s!’ Jess had said, still caught up in the fantasy they’d created. Even in her inebriated state, she fully expected a firm refusal from Mattie, but to her surprise Mattie just burped and said ‘Great idea!’ and they headed over to the frothy selection of Vera Wang wedding dresses.

The two of them gulped their way thr
ough the department’s champagne supply as Mattie pulled on dress after dress. Jess hadn’t actually thought there could be so many styles. Puffy, sleek, silk, satin . . .

‘
What do you think of this one?’ Mattie breathed as she
pivoted in strapless satin. The bodice was tight and rather plain, but the way it hugged Mattie’s small frame and fell to the floor in a soft flare made her look more feminine than Jess could have imagined. Her normally neat black bob was messy from trying on the dresses and her cheeks were flushed from the drink. Jess thought she’d never looked so beautiful.

‘
It’s gorgeous
.’ Jess could barely get the words through the lump in her throat. Her eyes misted over as she pictured Mattie walking down the aisle towards Kyle, handsome in a dark grey morning suit . . .

‘
Don’t cry!’ Mattie put her arms around Jess in a rare show of affection. ‘This is it! Can you unzip me?’ She turned her back towards Jess.

‘
What do you mean, this is it?’ Jess stared. ’You’re not going to buy it, are you?’

‘
Yup!’ Mattie said. ‘Why not? I like it, we’re here, and it’ll save me time when I am ready to get married.’ She fixed her unsteady eyes on Jess. ‘Just don’t say anything to anyone. I mean it. Least of all Kyle. I don’t want him to think I’m dying to tie the knot or anything.’

‘
I promise,’ Jess had said, holding onto Mattie’s arm as she teetered out of the dress. She couldn’t believe Mattie was buying it now. Wasn’t that bad luck or something? But Mattie was adamant – she’d found it, she loved it and who cared about silly superstition. She plunked down her black Amex and the gown was hers.

Mattie had dropped off the dress at Jess’s flat, telling her there was no way she could risk Kyle finding it. And that was the last they’d ever talked about it. Now with Kyle out of the picture, Jess was afraid to bring it up – she wasn’t going to risk Mattie biting her head off.

Deniz made an impatient noise and Jess realised she was waiting for her to continue. ‘Well, Mattie saw a wedding dress she liked. She tried it on and bought it. Then, of course, she and Kyle broke up.’

Deniz’s eyes glinted. ‘So where’s the dress no
w?’

‘
Oh, just h
anging in my closet,’ Jess said casually.

‘
It’s here? In this flat?’ Deniz scanned the walls as if she was hunting down a lost treasure. ‘Can I see it?’

‘
Sure,’ Jess said hesitantly, wondering why Deniz was so excited. She led the reporter over to the narrow broom closet and unzipped a garment bag, revealing the dress inside.

‘
If you c
ould just step out of the way. . .’

Jess moved to one side and before she knew what was happening, Deniz had taken a camera out of her bag
and snapped a photo of the gown.

‘
What are you going to use that for?’ Jess asked nervously. It was bad enough Jess had let slip about the dress, but if Deniz put a photo of it in the paper, her friendship with Mattie would be over.

‘
Oh, just background research. Don’t worry,’ Deniz said airily. ‘I think I’ve got all I need here. Thanks for your time.’

‘
Wait!’ Jess cried.
‘When will the article come out?’

Deniz looked at her watch. ‘There’s still enough time to file tonight. So it’ll come out in the morning edition. I’ve got to run. Thanks again.’

Jess closed the door and sagged against it.

There was only one thing to do.

She had to call Mattie and tell her what she’d done.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Three
per cent of women prefer to make the first move.

Seven
per cent of women actually do.

MATTIE
AWOKE TO THE ANNOYING ring of her mobile – again. She glanced at the screen then chucked it under the pillow to muffle the sound. Jess, for the millionth time. God, that girl was really persistent. She’d rung all through the night, stopping briefly then starting up at – Mattie looked at the clock and let out an exasperated sigh – five thirty a.m.

She hauled herself out of bed, trying to ignore her aching head. In the mirror, her eyes were
red and bags hung underneath like soggy water balloons. She hadn’t slept properly since
The Hating Game
had begun. No, strike that: since Kyle had left. Funny, she was such a light sleeper that she usually dreaded sharing her bed. But she’d never had problems sleeping with Kyle beside her.

Last night she’d fought with her pillow for half the night, trying to get comfortable and find some position – any position – to keep Kyle out of her head. But try as she might, nothing could banish that look in his eyes when he’d told her he just wanted to explain; the confusion on his face when sh
e said she already knew. What the hell could he be so confused about? Was he just surprised she’d talked to Chloe?

It really didn’t matter, did it? Chloe aside, there was still the whole
stealing-of-her-clients thing. There was nothing to wonder about when it came to Kyle. Mattie just needed to get her subconscious in line and all would be fine.

Thank God for the thick game
show make-up they plaster on me
,
she thought as she pulled on her Juicy tracksuit and headed out to the kitchen. Stomach rumbling, she scanned the shelves, but there was nothing even worth trying to fashion into an edible bite. Her eyes fell on the empty prawn cocktail crisps bag and she licked her lips. She could really go for some saltiness right about now. She’d just nip to the 24-hour off-licence around the corner.

Outside, the streets were de
serted except for a glum street cleaner and a group of what looked to be builders gathering on the corner, thumbing through the tabloids. A few were swigging beer from giant metal cans. One took a long look at her and whistled. Jesus Christ, Mattie thought, if they think this tracksuit is sexy they really
have
had too much to drink.

‘
Hey! D
arlin’!’ the builder called. Mattie’s head swung in his direction. ‘I’ll marry you!’

The men laughed and started trumpeting the wedding march in time to Mattie’s steps as she neared the off-licence. She shook her head. They were clearly mental.

She hunted through the aisles but there were no prawn cocktail crisps to be found anywhere. Desperate now, she walked up to the wizened man behind the counter. He was so busy watching a
Coronation Street
episode from what looked to be the 1970s that he didn’t even notice her.

‘
Excuse me!’ He didn’t turn a head. No chance of hearing her with that bush of hair growing out of his ears, Mattie sniffed. ‘Hello!’ she said again, more loudly. As she waited for her voice to penetrate his furry ears, she glanced at the papers in front of her, absently picking up the
Daily News
. What rubbish did they have in there today?

Oh my God! She squinted and d
rew the paper closer, letting out a strangled gasp. Right there in vivid colour was a giant photo of her, next to a shot of a wedding dress. And not just any wedding dress: the dress she had bought on a drunken whim with Jess!

EXCLUSIVE
! MATTIE’S GAL PAL SPILLS ALL! The ex who destroyed
The Hating Game
star and the wedding dress wasted!

Mattie tore her eyes away
, slapped some change on the counter and dashed out of the shop, paper in hand. Gathering tears made the group of builders on the corner look like shapeless blobs. They started singing again as she passed, the notes ricocheting through her head.

How could Jess do this to her?
How?
She’d sworn Jess to secrecy once she realised how stupid she’d been to buy that bloody dress in the first place. And if there was anyone she trusted, it was Jess. Jess had never let her down, ever. Even when Mattie knew she’d acted, well, like a bit of a bitch, Jess had always supported her.

And Kyle. Oh Jesus, Kyle! Mattie’s face burned as she pictured Kyle reading the paper, discovering she was one of those pathetic panting women who bought a dress before they even had a
proposal.
Would he laugh and shake his head? Or would he just roll his eyes at how silly she was? Mattie sank down onto the sofa and lowered her throbbing head against her palms, pushing at her eyes to stop the tears from falling.

Her mobile rang
. She glanced at the screen – yes, it was the traitor, calling again, probably to beg for forgiveness. Briefly, she considered answering it. Perhaps there was some reasonable explanation? But Mattie hardened her heart. Hidden wedding dresses didn’t just materialise on their own.

Mattie pressed a few buttons and diverted any calls from Jess straight to voice mail. ‘Bye, bye, Jess.’

*

‘
Well
!’ Silver lowered herself into a chair between Nate and Baz’s cubicles. ‘I never thought I’d say this, but you two have actually exceeded my expectations.’

Nate tried to keep the surprised expression off his face. He had
no idea what Silver was talking about, but if she was happy it could only be a good thing.

‘
An exclusive in the
Daily News
.’ Silver nodded, throwing the paper on Nate’s desk. ‘Well done.’

‘
Thanks.’ Baz leaned back in his chair smugly. ‘Deniz and I go way back, so I just rang her up and told her we were planning something big for Mattie and Kyle’s date. She thought it would be good to get some dirt beforehand. Deniz tracked that Jess down, no problem.’ He grinned. ‘Some best friend!’

Nate stared. When had Baz done all that? He hadn’t said a word to Nate about it when he’d ducked out last night, leaving Nate to arrange practically everything for today with the private investigator.

‘
So is everything ready for the date with Kyle?’ Silver asked.

Nate nodded. ‘Yes. All set
.’ He was still feeling a bit, well, strange about today’s plan. But it was a game show after all. Mattie and Kyle
had
willingly signed up to it.

‘
Good.’ Silver ran a hand through her hair. ‘I’ll see you back here, later this afternoon.’ She walked away, her perfume fogging the air behind her.

Nate turned to Baz. ‘You didn’t tell me anything about this
article!’ He pulled the paper closer and quickly scanned it. Jesus Christ, he thought, wincing. Mattie had a wedding dress? She actually wanted to marry Kyle? He felt a bit lightheaded thinking about how she’d respond to the events planned for later.