Page 97 of Match Point

He grins and I swear to God, every time I see those dimples, I fall deeper and deeper. It’s lucky he’s forgotten to ask me for a secret in return. My biggest one is just how strongly I feel about him, and if I say it out loud, it will probably frighten him.

Because it terrifies me.

26

About five minutes after we get back from our date, the bell rings and I cheerfully head back down the hallway from the kitchen to open it and find Zoe standing nervously on the doorstep. The reporters that had been waiting for us on our return from Bounce have slunk away, having come to the conclusion that now we were home, it was doubtful we’d be going back out. She must have waited until they were gone to come over. Still in her work clothes of a white silk blouse, high-waisted black trousers and heels, she has her head bowed slightly and she’s looking up at me with big doe eyes.

‘Hi,’ she squeaks, attempting a smile.

I stare at her, shocked at her presence.

‘I just wanted to say that I had no idea Jonah was going to do that article,’ she blurts out hurriedly, glancing at my hand that’s still resting on the door, as though she’s worried I’m about to slam it in her face and she has to get her words out all at once before I do. ‘I swear, Flora, I didn’t know. I think his lies are horrible and disgusting. I’ve sent him a message telling him that. I… I’m so sorry. About everything.’

‘Oh. Okay,’ I mumble, not sure what else to say.

She exhales heavily, her face crumpling. ‘I’m so disappointed in myself, because I really thought… I built up this idea of him in my head. What I did was so wrong and I feel so, so bad, Flora. I thought I was in love with him. I’m such an idiot.’

Dropping my hand and leaning my shoulder against the door, I drop my eyes to the floor and press my lips together.

‘I’ve been too embarrassed and ashamed to come speak to you properly,’ she continues, sniffing. ‘I should have done this sooner, but I didn’t think you’d want to talk to me. And then at the pub the other day, I wanted to break the ice because… well, we live next door and I see you all the time. I wanted to play it cool and not ruin your evening, and then you left and I knew it was because of me.’ She bites her lip as I force myself to look up at her. ‘Flora, you don’t have to forgive me or like me, but I wanted you to know that I really am sorry. You’ve always been so nice to me, and I’m the bad guy here. I was an absolute idiot who got caught up in the forbidden romance and I fell for a guy who didn’t exist. Me and him are over. If you want—’ she juts out her chin defiantly ‘—I will speak to the reporters and tell them the truth about what happened.’

I let her words sink in and let out a sigh.

‘I don’t want you to do that, Zoe. Thank you for the offer, but let’s just leave it.’

She nods. After a moment of tense silence, she turns to leave.

‘Thank you for the apology,’ I say, stopping her in her tracks. She spins round to look at me hopefully. ‘And… you’re not the bad guy. Jonah was the one who broke his promises.’

‘Still.’ She shrugs dismally. ‘I did a bad thing.’

‘It doesn’t make you a bad person.’

‘I really am sorry.’

‘I know.’

She offers me a small smile. I give her one in return.

‘I’ll leave you to your evening,’ she says, hesitating as she turns to go. ‘I’ll be cheering Kieran on tomorrow.’

‘I’ll tell him.’

As she leaves, I shut the door and lean back against the wall to take a moment to process the conversation. Kieran appears in the hallway, having been lurking by the living room door. He raises his eyebrows at me.

‘You okay?’ he checks.

I nod, finding myself smiling. ‘Yeah. I am.’

The doorbell goes again, making me jump.

‘What more do you think she wants to say?’ I frown, straightening.

But when I swing open the door, it’s not Zoe waiting for me on the other side. It’s a tall older man in a suit. He’s got greying dark hair, a defined jaw and intense blue eyes. Even if I didn’t recognise him from pictures, I’d know who he was from a mile away.

‘Hello, Flora,’ Brian says in a broad Dublin accent, as I hear Kieran inhale sharply behind me. ‘Is my son in?’

*

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