Page 106 of The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love

Not strange – good, I decide.

Great.

Fixed.

Mrs. Lundy catches my raised eyebrow and addresses the room, ‘Everyone, I should have explained, George here is my neighbour. George, I’m afraid you’re going to find the topic tonight mostly about fundraising for the hospital.’

Fundraising?

Hospital fundraising?

Suddenly I’m a boy again and instead of getting to play soccer with friends I’m being wheeled out or dragged to every cardiology unit fundraiser my parents could organise.

Have I been totally played by my new hot friend and my neighbour with tricks aplenty up those kaftan sleeves of hers?

Chapter Thirty-Two

KITCHEN CONVERSATION

Ashleigh

In the kitchen one of Mrs. Lundy’s perfectly whole plates now lies on the floor in three separate pieces.

My heart sinks, or, rather, does a nosedive off my chest wall to land heavily in the pit of my stomach.

‘What happened?’ Carlos asks as he bends down to clear up the mess I’ve made.

I feel awful. This is Carlos and Oz’s big chance at working towards keeping their business alive and here I am already causing them fee deductions. I take the jagged pieces out of Carlos’s hands. ‘I’m sorry. I’ll ask Mrs. Lundy to invoice me so you’re not out of pocket.’

‘Never mind that, I mean, what happened,’ he points in the direction of the kitchen door to the dining room beyond, ‘out there?’

I lick my lips nervously. Feel my heart flopping around in my belly as it tries to find solid ground. ‘It’s George. He’s here. I mean, out there.’ I mimic Carlos’s pointing to the dining room. ‘I thought this was a fundraiser brainstorm. I didn’t expect—’ I break off as Carlos’s eyes narrow. It’s possible I’m babbling. ‘I don’t get why he’s here is all. I mean, he is Mrs. Lundy’s neighbour so maybe… But then, Julia Montford’s not here… Do I pretend I don’t know him do you think?’

‘George?’ Carlos frowns but then, interest piqued, adds, ‘George-of-the-sonnets, George? Let me see him.’

‘Me too,’ says Adeena, who Rhonda added as the other half of Sparkle’s wait-staff team tonight.

Before I know it, Carlos and Adeena have shoved open the kitchen doorway more than a crack and shoved their heads through to get a good gawp.

Oh. My. God. Please let none of the guests notice them. I place the pieces of plate on top of my bag, hoping I’ll be able to fix it at home, and turn around to look at Oz. Considering how big a deal this is for him, he looks calm and in control despite the antics at the kitchen door. I guess I’m not totally surprised now that we’ve eaten this meal about a hundred times while he’s been practising but credit where credit’s due. ‘Thank you for not joining in,’ I tell him.

He shrugs as he picks out some micro-herbs from a small container. ‘One of us has to plate up.’

I walk over to Carlos. ‘Hey,’ I fiercely whisper, pulling on his smart black apron strings, ‘Catering 101 says no spying on guests at the private dinner party function.’

‘Who is George, anyways?’ Adeena asks, moving away from the kitchen door. ‘Is he the smoking hot guy?’

Oz’s hand, complete with tweezers and micro-herbs, hovers mid-air over a piece of perfectly pan-fried halibut as he looks to Carlos for confirmation.

‘Oh, he’s a hottie, all right,’ Carlos confirms quietly. Thoughtfully.

Oz places the herbs and returns the tweezers to the container before wiping his hands down his apron and moving out from behind the counter, presumably to get a look for himself.

‘Traitor,’ I mutter.

I stay right where I am.

I already know what George looks like, don’t I?

---