Shout Out To My Ex: (The Ever After Agency Book 2)

A week after the Nouveau photoshoot, Cassie makes an appointment with me and Nasrin at the agency.

Most of her updates have come via text message or phone call, including Elle’s admission that she’s falling for Leo again – a huge win for us – so I can only imagine what kind of update an in-person meeting warrants.

But when I greet Cassie at reception, she doesn’t seem stressed or upset, so maybe this is good news.

‘Come on through,’ I say, leading the way into a meeting room. Nasrin is already seated at the table and looks up from her tablet when we enter.

‘Hiya, Cassie.’

‘Hello. Look, I’ll get straight to the point,’ she says, taking a seat. I sit opposite her. ‘I’ve been doing a little digging.’

‘Into?’ asks Nas.

‘Leo. Now I know you’ve got Marie and she’s made some brilliant finds – that video of Franzia being a diva, for one – oh, and his publicist’s list! But this is more about what’s going on with him.’

‘How do you mean?’ Nasrin asks.

‘Well, after Elle met up with Leo last month – that first meeting at the restaurant – she told me he was dressed head-to-toe in denim, like Ken from the Barbie film. And, Poppy, you saw what Leo wore for his show.’

Nasrin looks to me.

‘Think a stripper dressed as a cowboy.’

‘Bang on,’ Cassie says with a chuckle. ‘He was definitely giving “cowboy stripper” vibes. And if you search for him on Google— Actually,’ she says, pointing to Nasrin’s tablet. ‘Do you mind? It might be easier to explain with that.’

Nas hands over the tablet, then looks at me and mouths, ‘What the…?’

I shrug. I’m as much in the dark as she is.

Cassie makes fast work of her search and holds up the tablet. On the screen are a dozen or so photos of Leo at various events, and in each photo, Leo’s outfit is… well, out there.

‘So, in these photos, he’s “Lorenzo”,’ she says, ‘up-and-coming shoe designer and new darling of the fashion world. And now that he’s become engaged to one of the world’s most famous women… Look what happens when I add “Franzia” to the search.’

She shows us the results and the screen is filled with photos of Leo and Franzia, and in most of them, Leo’s hand is raised to block his face from the camera.

‘Okay,’ says Nas, ‘but where are you⁠—’

‘Where am I going with this?’

‘Yeah.’

‘This’ – Cassie takes out her phone and taps on it, then holds it up – ‘is Leo working with Elle at Bliss Designs. I took it when he wasn’t looking.’ She scrolls to show us two more slightly blurry photos.

‘See what he’s wearing? Jeans, T-shirt – the basics. Elle calls it his “Californication” look, like in that American TV show.’

‘And that’s what he was wearing on the Eurostar,’ I say, thinking I might finally understand Cassie’s point.

‘Exactly, he was dressed like a normal person.’

‘So, he’s in disguise,’ I say. ‘When he’s dressed as Leo, it’s to disguise his public persona.’

‘And because of his relationship with Franzia – whatever that really is – the paps are clamouring over themselves to get his photo,’ says Nasrin.

‘Exactly,’ says Cassie.

‘So, to escape all that, he’s hiding in plain sight,’ I add.

Cassie grins. ‘Yes! I’m so glad you came to the same conclusion.’

I let this information sink in. Is it further proof that the engagement is a sham? Or would Leo shy away from the paparazzi regardless? He didn’t seem entirely at ease with all the notoriety, but then I’ve barely spent any time with him.

‘There’s something else,’ says Cassie mysteriously, and Nas and I lean in. ‘After Elle finally agreed to collaborate with Leo, he was very quick to invite himself to Bliss to work. I mean, he’s Lorenzo, with this beautiful shop in Soho and a workroom above it, yet he’s insistent about coming to us every time?’

‘That’s a little strange,’ I offer. ‘It could be that he’s trying to make amends to Elle – be respectful of her process… her space…’

‘Except that he made up a story about the workroom being under construction,’ she replies.

‘Wait, how do you know it’s a story?’ asks Nas.

‘Because I went there today while he was at Bliss, and I snuck upstairs to have a look.’

‘You did what?’ asks Nasrin.

‘I needed to know if I was imagining it, or if he was actually being cagey.’

‘And?’ I ask.

‘Fully kitted out.’

I sit back, tapping my nails on the table while I think. ‘So, he doesn’t want Elle there. Why?’

‘Maybe he’s trying to compartmentalise,’ Nasrin suggests.

‘Yeah, that tracks,’ I reply, meeting her eye. I look to Cassie. ‘So, it could be that he’s deliberately keeping his two worlds apart. Lorenzo of the Soho shop-cum-design-house is engaged to Franzia, and Leo is collaborating with his first love in East London.’

‘Where he’s rented a flat,’ Cassie adds.

‘Oh, that’s right. He’s moved into your ’hood,’ I say.

‘Yes and, Poppy, you should see them together. They’re firing, just zinging off each other…’ She mimes this with her hands. ‘He did leave rather abruptly one day while the rest of us were at lunch. Elle was fairly rattled by that, but all good since then from what I can tell. So, what do you think? Is this something? All Leo’s sneaking about?’

Cassie looks to me, her eyes filled with hope.

‘It’s perhaps a little misguided, his behaviour, but all things considered, I’d say this is a positive, yes.’

Her eyes glint with delight as she looks between us.

‘That said,’ I add, aiming to temper her excitement, ‘we still don’t know for sure that the engagement is fake. It’s likely that it is, but until we have proof, or Leo tells Elle that it is, then we proceed with caution, okay?’

This is a reminder to myself as much as Cassie, as I’m having to report on the status of the Lorenzo–Franzia engagement every morning. I suspect Saskia is close to pulling the pin on this case if Marie doesn’t deliver soon – or, as I’ve just said, Leo confesses to Elle.

Cassie nods. ‘I understand.’

Only, having seen the typically restrained Cassie in this new light, I’m not certain she does.

I’m on the Tube on my way home, reading and listening to music (as usual), when Shaz calls.

‘Hey, Shaz, what’s up?’

‘Lauren’s going to Finland,’ she says, skipping niceties.

‘Okay.’ I wait for additional information but I’m met with silence – something’s up, besides the obvious. ‘So, why’s she going to Finland?’ I prompt.

‘For work.’

‘And…?’ This is like pulling teeth, but I suspect I know what’s going on.

‘She’s going for a month, Pop.’

‘Oh, well a month apart is doable. Hey, you could go visit her! You’ve never been to Finland.’ More silence. ‘Shaz? What’s really going on?’

‘She wants me to move in.’

‘I know that.’

‘As in, now, before she goes away – or at least before she gets back. She says she loves me and can’t imagine a future without me and wants us to share a home like a proper couple.’

It’s unclear whether Shaz needs Poppy the friend or Poppy the psych, so I wait.

‘I love her, Pop, but… I’m not sure I’m ready – actually, I know I’m not. What should I do? I don’t want to lose her.’

Right, so she needs both Poppys.

‘When does she leave for Finland?’

‘Next Wednesday.’

Yikes, that’s soon, but I don’t say that to Shaz. ‘Are you genuinely afraid she’ll end your relationship if you don’t move in right away?’

‘I don’t know – probably not, but there’s already this undercurrent, you know, like this great unspoken thing between us, only now it’s spoken – more than once – and I’m feeling all this pressure…’

Poppy the psych comes to the forefront. ‘Let’s take a step back – timing aside, because next week is, well, only a week away…’ She chuckles at that, which I take as a good sign – hopefully, she’ll be receptive to my next question. ‘What’s really holding you back; what’s at the root of the fear?’

‘You’re not going to believe this, but that question came up with one of my patients today,’ she says.

‘I do believe it and good, because it means you know why I’m asking.’

She sucks in an audible breath and expels it noisily. ‘Essentially, I’m terrified that if we live together, she’ll see the real me and she won’t love me any more.’

‘Astutely put.’

‘You say that like you knew all along why I’ve been hedging.’

‘I’m your best friend. Of course I’ve known all along – and so have you.’

‘But I needed to admit it.’

‘Yep.’

‘Great. So, now what?’

‘Now you tell Lauren you need more time and why.’

‘But what if⁠—’

‘Nope. No what ifs. This is what it means to be with someone who genuinely loves you – you have to be honest and you have to be your whole self.’

She chuckles again. ‘You should be a professional matchmaker or something.’

‘Now, there’s an idea. I’ll look into it.’

‘Thanks, Pop. I owe you.’

‘Don’t thank me yet – I may be completely wrong.’ Oops – I realise as soon as I’ve spoken what I’ve done.

‘What? What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘Nothing! Sorry, just joking. Talk to Lauren. It’s the right thing to do.’

She groans. ‘Well, if it isn’t, I’ll blame you.’

‘Hey, what happened to “I owe you”?’

‘You did a one-eighty!’

‘Fair. Anyway, keep me posted. Oh, hey, should we have a send-off this weekend? You two, us, Ravi, and Jass?’

‘If Lauren and I are still together, then sure.’

‘Ha-ha, very funny.’

‘Byeee.’

As soon as the call ends, I message Jacinda:

Lauren off to Finland next week for a month – send-off this weekend?

She replies almost immediately:

Booked solid. Monday at ours?

Done. Will bring wine.

How’s the other thing?

Shaz moving in?

Yes

Complicated

I don’t want to say more, as this is Shaz’s news to share with Jacinda – and only if she wants to.

May need to stage an intervention

Bahahaha

Am serious

God, I certainly don’t want to commit to anything as drastic as that, especially over text message. And what would an intervention entail exactly? I don’t get a chance to ask because her next message says:

Talk later x

I’ve known Jacinda almost as long as I’ve known Tristan and I adore her, but I suspect that when she has her mind set on something, like meddling in Shaz’s love life, she’ll be difficult to dissuade. Though, that did play to my advantage when Tristan and I had fallen for each other, but I’d pushed him away because of the professional implications. It was Jacinda who talked him into making a grand gesture, which was showing up at the agency to propose to me.

Maybe she’s onto something with this intervention thing.