Page 83 of The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love

‘I’ve got it.’ I click my fingers and leap to my feet, energised. I head in the direction of my desk wanting to write it down for her. ‘How about, sixteen letters, dreamlike, shifting appearance. Wait – where is our crossword compendium – ha! More alliteration. I’m sure I left it on my desk. Maybe I left it in the bedroom.’

‘Um. So about that,’ she says as I’m rooting through the papers on my desk, a feeling of dread developing in my belly as I stare at the work folders. ‘I kind of have it.’

My head shoots up to stare at her.

She’s in her bag, rummaging again. ‘It’s not stealing. I mean I wrote half of it. I just took it to…’ She produces it with a flourish, holding it out for me as she blows a strand of hair out of her eyes.

‘Work on the last clue?’ I ask gently.

‘Yes. Is that okay?’

‘Of course. Maybe we should come up with a new rule. Whoever is working out the clue gets to keep the?—’

‘Crossword compendium?’

‘Yes.’

‘Okay. Then, I’m hanging onto this so that I can write down… Sixteen letters, you say? Dreamlike? Shape-shifter?’

‘Shifting appearance,’ I correct.

‘Well, I’ll work it out. And then, if I like it, I may let you keep it as a name.’

‘Thank you.’

‘You’re welcome.’

‘No.’ I take a step forward and note the look on her face that suggests she’s about to hear something she won’t like. I need to say it though. ‘As well as thank you for the plant, thank you for being here – for saving my life this afternoon – this evening.’ I yawn suddenly. How long have we been here talking?

‘Why don’t you go and take a shower and I’ll make you something to eat?’

‘What, because I’m some invalid?’ My eyes widen as the words snap out from me. To coin a phrase: Wow. Way to thank someone in one breath and reject them in the next. ‘Sorry. I guess it’s all catching up with me and I’m feeling weird. I never tell people about my…’ I point to my heart. ‘Changes how people look at me and I hate that.’

‘All I was thinking was I’d hang around a while longer because we’re sort of friends now, aren’t we? And it’s really no trouble to make you something to eat. Think of it as part of the Sparkle service, if you like. I did put most of the food in your fridge, after all.’

I’m wondering why I don’t want to be on my own to lick my wounds. I should be working out how to mitigate the fallout from today but… ‘I don’t have a lot of friends in New York.’

Something flashes in her eyes. ‘Me either.’

‘So, I guess I’d like that. You don’t have anywhere you need to be?’

‘No – oh damn, wait, yes, I do. But don’t worry, I can bail. I’ll message my, er, friend, while you take a shower and then I’ll make us something to eat. I don’t know why but I’m in the mood for…’ Her eyes take on a devilish glint. ‘Noodles. You?’

I mimic plunging a knife into my heart. ‘Way too soon.’ Halfway across the living area I stop and turn back to her. ‘Am I going to be triggered every time I see noodles now? How long do you think the misery and the feeling cold all over at the memory will last?’

‘Oh, only a day or two. It’s really not that big of a deal.’

‘Really not that big of a deal? Did you hear any of what I said happened?’

‘I did but, hey, at least you didn’t pee on your boss.’

I burst into laughter at the absurdity, feeling another relaxing in my heart. And then I take in her expression. It’s sort of hesitant with a bead of … No. No way … she did not. ‘You did not pee on your boss.’ I snort.

‘I did. And not to save her from a jellyfish sting!’

Chapter Twenty-Five

THE EX-FILES STARRING MOULDER AND SCURRY

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