Page 32 of The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love

So, before I do what I do and start feeling all jinx-y and ominous about this disclosure, I re-focus on the guy sitting opposite me, determined to stay in the moment.

We’ve been sitting in a booth in this bar with a cool vibe for a couple of hours now. Simple conversation has been flowing with a healthy side of basic flirting thrown in. Couldn’t be more appropriate for a first-second date.

‘We should toast Carlos and Oz,’ Zach says, lifting his drink, ‘for introducing us.’

‘Carlos and Oz,’ I repeat, lifting my own near-empty glass. ‘They’ll be so proud.’

‘Yeah?’

‘For sure.’ I nod. ‘Of me, especially. You and I have gone through an entire date without me once exclaiming in crossword answers, and look’—I gesture with my hand to my top—‘not a button out of place,’ I add, with what I hope is a sassy wink.

Zach tips his head in acknowledgement, holding his drink out in another toast. ‘A big thank you for not testing my willpower tonight.’

I laugh and shake my head sadly, ‘Just what every girl wants to hear.’

He looks contrite. ‘That sounded way more chivalrous in my head.’

My grin widens and there’s the whole eye-contact thing going on as well.

Yeah … the date is going well.

‘Tell me more about this reading to patients programme at the hospital,’ Zach asks. ‘How did you hear about it? What got you involved?’

My heart gives a little thud at his words.

Or maybe the thud is because he gives such great eye contact.

Either way, I’m all over the first question in the hope that I don’t have to go into detail about the second. Guilt nips at me but Sarah would understand me not wanting to mention her on a second date. Wouldn’t she?

‘Someone was handing out flyers and I had some time so…’ I shrug as I say it. Make my smile super bright.

He studies me for a heartbeat longer than I am comfortable with and I immediately second-guess myself. Should I have gone deeper? Can he sense I’ve just lied?

‘Right! And maybe his moon boot is weaponised to help him in his fight against Dates Who Lie. Maybe you’ll have to investigate that as you’re making out later.’

I blink rapidly. Sarah’s sarcasm and laughter are so real in my ear that I almost look around for her. Luckily, I manage to stop myself because acting like you can hear voices or see ghosts is probably not conducive to a date ending well enough that it leads to another.

‘Besides,’ I tack on. ‘We should all give back when we can, right?’

‘If I had the time, I definitely would.’

‘If you had the time? Isn’t that just an excuse though?’ The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.

Damn.

You know what’s also not conducive to a date ending well? Lecturing.

‘Forget I said that,’ I say as he puts on his jacket and I tug my purse strap back over my shoulder. ‘I’ve done, like, one session, and before this my idea of giving back was selling my pre-loved clothes on a vintage clothing app and telling myself I was helping the planet.’

Zach’s smile holds firm. ‘I really like you, Ashleigh Rivera.’

Wow.

Second time in less than twenty-four hours someone’s taken the time to tell me this. I don’t fool myself into thinking I’m in love, mostly because I’ve been drinking sensibly but I feel a bit taller and it’s not because I remembered to put on my heels for this date.

As we get up from the table though and head for the door and our separate Ubers, I hope his ‘I really like you’ isn’t going to come with a but.

‘I like you, too,’ I reply, determined not to let any negative thinking in.

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