Page 156 of How To Not Need You

Tilly hugs the balloon to her chest. “Ben made it for me.”

“I gathered that.”

“He can make giraffes too.”

Ben shakes his head. “Dogs.”

Tilly's entire face changes. “YOU SAID IT WAS A GIRAFFE.”

“Long-necked dog.”

“BEN!”

I start laughing. “This is the best thing I've seen all day.”

“Your girlfriend asked you to put your helmet back on,” Ben says with a cheeky grin.

My laughter stops.

Liv points at him. “I like him.”

“You liked him five minutes ago.”

“I like him more now.”

Wren walks past with Popcorn on her shoulder.

“Asshole!” The macaw announces yet again.

Ben gestures towards him. “See? Even the bird likes me.” Wren keeps walking.

“That's not what he said.”

“Tone is open to interpretation.” Popcorn twists his head around.

“You wish!” He shouts.

Alright, I like that bird, I think I will let his creepiness slide.

“Less open now,” Liv says. Ben gives the bird the finger below table height.

“I saw that,” Wren calls without turning around.

“How?”

“I have eyes, Ben.”

Liv is still laughing when I notice Natalie. She's behind her stall, but she's stopped halfway through putting cupcakes into a box.

I follow her line of sight. There's a bloke standing beside Wren's donation table with a cardboard box in his arms. It takes me a second to place him. Jarod. The guy that was kissing Rebecca.

“That's the affair partner.” Liv says beside me.

“Yeah.”

We've all been dragged into the investigation at this point. Mostly because Luca has absolutely no concept of confidentiality and apparently a whiteboard covered in photos, dates and arrows now qualifies as Rewrite Club decor.

Natalie knows exactly who Jarod is. Jarod, judging by the smile he's giving Wren while he hands over the box, has no idea who Natalie is.