Page 148 of The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love

It’s too easy to now picture George behind the bar. ‘And – and is that something, you, um, are now considering?’

I guess it could be cool to live over a pub with George, the two of us running it, together. It would be hard work but I don’t mind hard work. And it would be an adventure, wouldn’t it? I sit up straighter, knocking some of the notes I’d made off the bed and as I bend down to pick them up, wonder what the hell I’m thinking. I’ve just committed to a promotion at Sparkle.

Not to mention George hasn’t invited me to ride off into a British sunset with him.

‘Of course, it isn’t,’ George says. ‘How on earth would I attend your cousin’s wedding if I’m over here?’

‘We could always fly back for it.’ We? Did I just say we?

‘Being back here has been great,’ George says, either not hearing or politely ignoring the fact I’ve basically said I could imagine the two of us living in the same village as his folks while running a pub. ‘I’ve even enjoyed serving behind the bar. But I love what I do. I think I forgot that for a while. Got myself caught up in competing for accounts. Lost my edge. Then lost all sense of creativity and my confidence took a nose-dive and I guess I’ve been panicking it would never come back ever since.’

‘I’ve always had faith in you.’

George blows out a breath and says quietly, ‘I’ve got to tell you it feels amazing to have someone believe in me. Champion me.’

‘Oh, is that what I’ve been doing?’ I tease. ‘And here’s me thinking I was just nagging you about the job at Memorial.’ Because I do champion him, I add, ‘You’re sure running The Bedraggled Badger wouldn’t be a good stop-gap until you find an opening over there?’

‘I’m sure. So how about you? How is your proposal for decluttering services going?’

‘Great,’ I tell him. I scoop up the pages of notes I’ve made and show him. ‘Just have to ensure I’ve included these in the pitch to Rhonda tomorrow.’

‘Do I need to let you go so you can finish up and get some sleep?’

‘Absolutely not,’ I say. It’s too much fun talking to him. ‘But it must be ridiculous o’clock over there, do you need to go?’

‘I can sleep on the plane tomorrow.’

‘Where are you? Childhood room?’

‘Yeah.’ He moves the camera around to show me.

‘It’s … sparse.’

‘My mother could do with your decorating advice, I suspect. Also, no trundle for unexpected sleepovers.’

‘The deprivation you’ve suffered! Although the size of your bed in the apartment, you’ve made up for it.’

‘True. And where are you? I don’t recognise the bed.’

‘And when have you seen my bed?’ I flirt back.

‘I thought I’d seen it when we went there before the wedding.’

‘Oh, that’s right.’ I sober as I move my phone around to show where I am. ‘So right now, I’m in what was Sarah’s room. I’d like to admit to being altruistic and say that because she worked shifts, she deserved somewhere quiet to sleep but in reality, we tossed a coin for it.’

‘She really liked mint green, huh?’

A burst of laughter erupts out of me. ‘She really did. I may change the colour.’ The words are only shocking to me for a second before I admit, ‘I haven’t been able to come in here but after speaking with Shelley-Ann and Jasmine at the wedding I realised I should try and maybe clear it. There isn’t much left. After Sarah died, Shelley-Ann came to get most of her things.’

‘That must have been a hard day for you.’

‘No,’ I automatically answer, then correct with a ‘Maybe,’ before finally confessing, ‘Yeah. I spent the day crying on a bench in the park until someone passing by put change in my coffee cup and I realised I was sitting on a bench in the park when Shelley-Ann had the harder job by far. By the time I got back to the apartment she’d already packed up everything and left me a note with a list of the things she thought I might like to keep. The first thing she’d listed was a box I knew contained Sarah’s journal. I left the list unread on top of the box and from that moment on, only came in whenever I needed to yank more clothes out of the closet.’ I look around the room again. ‘You know, I’ve been in here all evening, using the space to work in, and it’s been fine.’

‘What will you do, move into it or advertise it?’

‘Not sure I’m ready to see someone in what was her space, so I guess I could move in. I’m used to living on my own now so could I cope with someone using the bed in the living area?’

‘Sounds like we both have things to think about. Me getting a new job and you getting a new housemate.’

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