Page 123 of The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love

‘Hmmm … not sure I’m going to be able to do that,’ George replies, looking at me like I’m asking the impossible.

I feel my cheeks – both sets – get hot. ‘You want to, um, let go of me?’ For an insane moment I want to recall my words but luckily for my sanity George is stepping back and holding his hands up in mock surrender and I can finally drag in a much-needed breath. ‘Look, this’—I indicate my whole body—‘was supposed to be dressed in full faux fur, okay?’

George’s gaze runs the length of me again so that I feel hot and … hot, as he says, ‘Yet what you have on is definitely not full faux fur.’

‘Thank you, I am aware. I nearly gave a priest a heart attack on the way here.’ Why I’m highlighting the fishnets and black satin with white fur trim I do not know. ‘I was supposed to be the hare from the Guess How Much I Love You books. I mean, I should have known something would go wrong because I have previous with giant rabbits, don’t I?’ I should stop because George was asleep when I told him about peeing on my boss so he can’t have any earthly idea what I’m talking about and the crazier I appear, the less likely he’s going to agree to go to Jasmine’s wedding with me.

I wait for him to catch on but he still looks mystified.

‘You know, the I Love You to the Moon and Back books? For the read-a-thon at the hospital?’

George’s eyes widen. ‘You read to kids dressed like that?’

‘You say it like I had some sort of choice in the matter,’ I say, wrenching open his closet doors and shoving my face inside as some of my anger about Zach spills over. ‘When I agree to do something, I don’t back out. I follow through. Ask Mrs. Lundy. She commended me on my ability to follow through just the other week. I don’t conveniently forget so that it’s too late. Do you have any sort of bag in here?’ My hands fall on something leather and with a tug I extract a holdall. ‘This will be perfect.’

‘Why? Are we robbing a bank?’

‘No, of course not, why would you ask that?’

He stares pointedly at the bag and then at me. ‘You mentioned you were taking me out?’

‘Right.’ I dive back into the wardrobe and exit with a bunch of clothes I shove into his bag. ‘I’m taking you on a cheesy sightseeing tour where cheesy and sightseeing can also be translated as back to my home town to attend my friend Sarah’s sister’s wedding.’

When there’s no response from George, I poke my head back into the closet until the ensuing silence gets too much and I have to look back at him. I lick my lips because he’s going to force me to say it, isn’t he? ‘Full disclosure, it’s an overnighter.’

George nods his head as if it all makes complete sense. ‘Hence the bag.’

‘Yes.’ I shove my head back into the rack of clothes. ‘I’m looking for your suit but I don’t see it.’

‘Which one?’

‘The blue one from the photo by your bed. You look really good in it.’ Wow. So shouldn’t have said that. ‘I mean not that you don’t look good in everything.’ Not making this better. Making this very worse. ‘I mean – you know it’s very clean in here. I should talk to my boss about adding closet curation services. Not that you need it of-’

‘Ashleigh, please come out of there for a moment.’

‘We don’t have time.’

I feel gentle hands on my arms turn me around. ‘You want to tell me what’s going on?’

I blow out a breath. ‘I would have thought it obvious that I’m having kind of a day. I have to get to this wedding. I can’t stress enough how much I have to get to this wedding. I have to be at this wedding and be okay that I’m attending this wedding, which right now feels… I – I can’t have people thinking I’m not okay. I can’t have them worrying. Not today. Oh, also, I knew there was an extra thing to mention… For the purposes of attending this wedding with me I, in fact, also need you to answer to the name of Zach.’

‘You were supposed to go to this wedding with Zach and now you’re … not?’

‘Yes. You have a problem with that?’

‘I have a problem with Zach letting you down?—’

‘Well, don’t worry. He’s not going to be in a position to ever let me down again.’

‘He is still alive, right? Tell me you didn’t go weirdly bunny-boiler on him.’

‘Relax. He’s very much alive and happy at his mother’s. Allegedly.’

‘Allegedly? What does that mean?’

‘It means I neither care if he really goes to his mother’s every single weekend or not. It doesn’t matter. I don’t think it ever did.’

‘So, you’re not all torn up about this?’

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