Page 86 of The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love

He starts a little, surprised by the intrusion before brushing a hand over his face as if to wake himself up. ‘How long have I been here mouldering?’

‘A while but that’s fine. You’re allowed to moulder a little,’ I add, my voice soft to match the light. ‘I phoned my friend. I’m yours for the night.’ The words hang in the air as I feel my eyes go round and my face get red.

‘You don’t have to scurry?’

His eyes are intense. Time to move the subject right along. ‘I haven’t made anything to eat yet in case you needed sleep first.’

‘You’re very kind.’

‘I’m thinking about how I would have liked someone to be around me when—’ I break off.

‘When you peed on your boss?’

‘How much to forget I ever said that?’

‘Oh, you couldn’t afford it,’ he replies and it’s good to see the trace of a smile now. ‘Stay and talk to me?’

In his bedroom?

‘Um … okay.’ I end up sitting down next to him, stretching my legs out in front of me.

‘Did you expect to come in here and find me an incoherent puddle on the floor?’

‘Absolutely not,’ I state, staring straight ahead at the wall.

I feel George turn his head to look at me. ‘Did you come in here and expect to find me asleep?’

‘Little bit.’

‘Would you have watched over me while I slept?’

I turn my head to look at him. ‘Little bit,’ I admit again.

After a quick grin for me, he goes back to staring straight ahead. ‘Like I said, you’re very kind.’

‘You want to tell me what happened between you and Anya?’

‘Will you tell me about peeing on your boss if I do?’

I roll my eyes. ‘Yes.’

He stares down at his hands for enough time that I wonder if he’s going to speak at all and then, quietly, says, ‘There’s not really that much to tell, which now that I think about it, about sums up the last few years. Basically, Anya said she wasn’t in love with me and didn’t think I was in love with her, either.’

‘And she came to this conclusion because…?’

‘She saw me coming out of my neighbour’s apartment being handed my watch like I was leaving after getting dressed.’

I can’t help it, I burst into laughter. ‘Clearly, she’s never met Mrs. Lundy. I mean, the woman is a phenom but also, what, like four-hundred-and-eighty years old?’

George’s laughter is soft, making his voice sound deeper as he asks, ‘You call her Mrs. Lundy too? Not Hildy?’

‘Oh, I’ve tried but back to you and Mrs. Lundy having a torrid affair.’

‘As it turns out it was my other neighbour’s apartment Anya saw me leaving.’

‘Julia Montford’s? Yes, I suppose that would look a bit different.’

George nods. ‘Anyway, Anya saw me as she was about to step out of the elevator but what shocked her wasn’t me looking like I was getting dressed and leaving another woman’s apartment. What shocked her was that she didn’t care.’

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