Page 147 of The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love

‘About anything you want to.’ I settle back to listen to stories about his grandparents and how his grandfather gave him the watch he wears and what it means to him before George circles back to the wedding.

He looks so happy and relaxed. I can tell it’s been good for him to be back home with his family for a few days.

Home.

I’ve been trying not to think of his being back with his family as him being home. It’s nicer to think of his feeling that here is home now.

Here where I am.

At least keeping so busy has helped me avoid spiralling into What Ifs but now I need to use his gorgeous face to help keep me present.

‘It’s good to see you looking so happy,’ I tell him.

‘I am. Today’s been the best day, really. I can’t believe I was dreading it and now it’s all over bar the clearing up and I’ve enjoyed every second seeing my brother get himself hitched to the love of his life.’

‘Look at us, killing it at weddings when a few weeks ago we would have done anything to avoid them. By the time my cousin Tina’s wedding rolls around everyone will see us as the personification of #WeddingGuestGoals.’ As I notice the jolt of surprise flash across George’s face, I cannot believe what I’ve said. ‘Wow.’ I try a laugh. Really not sure it worked so start babbling. ‘I would never want to assume – or you to think that I expected – that I’m looking that far into the future and figuring?—’

‘Ashleigh.’

‘Yeah?’ God, I love it when he says my name like that, quietly stopping me in my tracks.

‘I’d love to go to your cousin’s wedding with you. That is, if you’re inviting me?’

Wow. I… But what if – no. If things change in the future, they change. It’s okay to make plans based on the information you have at the time, right? ‘I do,’ I reply in a rush.

George’s eyebrow shoots up. ‘Isn’t that what the bride and groom say?’

Crap.

‘I mean I am. Inviting you. And you … accept?’

‘I do,’ he says, with a wink.

I roll my eyes but laugh along with him.

‘I like I can get you flustered.’

I full-on blush but there’s also that fiery response in my belly. That sudden and empowering understanding that I could get him all flustered too. I never felt like this with Zach. Had to force all my responses whereas all I have to do is look at George or hear his deep, throaty laugh.

‘So how are things going with your folks?’ I ask.

‘They’ve really surprised me. Especially Mum. She told me New York must agree with me – that I was looking well. I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard her say that and look like she meant it.’

‘That’s so great. It looks like we’ve both managed to get our families to see us in a healthier light lately.’ I wonder if that’s down to the two of us connecting and influencing each other or if I’m romanticising. ‘Did they understand about your job and Anya?’

‘I may have omitted the noodle-dunking and gone with Anya and I realising we wanted different things and that it no longer seemed appropriate to work together. Oh, but, hey, speaking of work, guess what? I got offered a job today.’

The sentence has me feeling sucker-punched. ‘Another one?’ I whisper, trying to arrange my face into a smile because he needs to know I’m happy for him even if he’s just made it sound like he’s not coming back.

‘Yes. I could practically hear you telling me how perfect I’d be for it.’

‘Yeah?’ My heart feels like a dumper truck of cement has reversed up and emptied its load into it. I’ve been so busy trying to keep the what ifs at bay I hadn’t realised how far I’d travelled down the road of us being an us and if we’re not to be an us, well, I know I told Carlos I was all about picking myself up and embracing life but…

‘Turns out you were right about the village thinking I should run the pub. That’s the job I was offered.’

The photos George sent made The Bedraggled Badger look even better than I’d imagined a centuries-old pub to look like. Cosier. Quainter. With history oozing from the oak beams to the inglenook fireplace.

The interior designer nerd in me had drooled over how it could look at Christmas. Logs hissing in the grate, traditional ornaments dripping from the tree, and boughs of holly, ivy and mistletoe falling gently from the beams.

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