Tempting Fate by Jane Green Read Free Book Online

reaches for a cookie and swoons in delight after she takes a bite. ‘Tell me you didn’t bake all these yourself.’
    ‘I did. It was nothing. Gavin helped.’ They all turn to look approvingly at Trish’s date. He is standing outside with the men.
    ‘He’s that handsome and he cooks too? Are you kidding me?’ Claire murmurs. ‘In my next life can I come back and be you?’
    ‘Oh silly,’ trills Trish, looking over at the chopping board. ‘Can I help? I can finish off the salad if you want.’
    Gabby steps forward. ‘Don’t worry, I’m doing it.’ She moves over to the board and picks up the knife, slicing the onion while Trish watches her with a frown on her face.
    ‘Oooh. Careful of your fingers,’ she warns, just as Gabby cuts herself.
    ‘Shit!’ She immediately sticks her finger in her mouth, and Claire spins to open a drawer, pulling out the Neosporin and a Band-Aid.
    Trish picks up the knife and carries on, tucking her fingers into a claw and slicing the onion into perfect, paper-thin rings, at the speed of light.
    ‘Where did you learn to do that?’ Gabby asks.
    ‘I went to cooking school.’ Trish shrugs. ‘It was ages ago, but I picked up some good knife skills.’
    ‘Is there anything you can’t do?’ Claire says. ‘There must be something you’re really, really bad at.’
    Trish stands still, thinking, as Gabby and Claire exchange a secret smile. That she even has to think about it is extraordinary, thinks Gabby. Eventually Trish’s face lights up.
    ‘I’m really bad at maths,’ she says. ‘Like, I don’t get numbers at all. I can never work out tips in restaurants.’
    ‘Thank the Lord!’ whoops Claire. ‘The woman isn’t perfect! So,’ she says, glancing out of the window at the men standing round the barbecue, ‘where did you meet the gorgeous Gavin?’
    ‘ Match.com ,’ Trish says confidently.
    ‘Really? Do you do a lot of dating on match.com ?’ Gabby is surprised she is so open about it.
    ‘It’s become one of the only places. People do occasionally set me up, but out here in the suburbs the singles scene is very small, and you have to cast yournet wider. I used to struggle with people knowing, but the stigma really doesn’t exist any more. Everyone who’s single does it. It’s either that or going to bars, which is pretty horrendous. The last thing I’d want is to meet the kind of man who’s into the bar scene.’
    Claire gives Gabby a knowing look. ‘They’re not all awful …’ She grins as Gabby flushes.
    ‘No?’ Trish turns to Gabby, who shrugs and looks away, as if she has no idea what Claire is implying.
    ‘Oh, come on, Gabs.’ She turns to Trish to explain. ‘Ella organized a girls’ night out last night at the Grey Goose. We were all there, surrounded by middle-aged cheesy men, except for Gabby. She got totally hit on by this rather adorable young guy. I’m telling you, if I wasn’t married I’d have snapped him up. He was delicious!’
    ‘What?’ Elliott appears in the kitchen. ‘Did I hear you just say my wife got hit on by a hot young guy?’ He’s smiling. ‘Gabs! You didn’t tell me that!’
    ‘I didn’t want you to feel threatened,’ she says lightly, mortified that anyone is talking about the evening, instantly feeling guilty, wishing they would just keep quiet and move on, yet thrilled, too, that they are talking about her! Thrilled that she should be the one who was noticed last night, that perhaps Elliott, perhaps all of them, would see her in a new, flattering light.
    ‘Apparently your wife is a MILF.’ Claire laughs. ‘The rest of us were stuck with the lecherous old sleazeballs. You should count yourself lucky you have a wife who’s still got it.’
    Elliott puts his arms round Gabby as he kisses her neck. ‘Oh I do,’ he says. ‘I absolutely do.’
    Alanna appears, sidling quietly up to the counter and attempting to slide a large handful of chocolate-chip cookies into her pocket.
    ‘Alanna!’ Gabby is