Page 27 of Heart Match

‘Why’s that?’ he puts on a curious face, frowning a little, making his eyes smaller.

‘I don’t like paparazzi,’ I say, a smile tugging the corner of my lips.

He crosses his arms and watches me with his curious eyes. The way he stares kind of makes my chest warmer. I tighten my leg around the other even more.

‘Tell me about your ex,’ I regret it as soon as I say it.

‘I thought you wanted to know about me,’ he grins, making me blush. But before I say, ‘never mind’, he says, ‘We weren’t a match. There was nothing easy about our relationship, work demands, busy schedules, long-distance relationship and all.’

I feel jealous already, even though I know they’ve been broken up for two years. It makes me jealous too because their relationship sounds nothing like mine and Josh’s.

‘What?’ he asks, he’s watchful, eyes trying to read me.

‘Sounds complicated,’ I say.

What I don’t say is that it all sounds like normal problems in a relationship. I wish my problems with Josh were busy schedules, or even a long-distance relationship. Actually, in our case, a long-distance relationship could have been a very positive problem.

It doesn’t take much for me to drift from reality and have my mind revisit unpleasant memories. Now I’m thinking of one of our fights, the one which we were arguing about me having a weekend getaway with the girls. He didn’t want me to go, and I said I would go anyways. We were in his flat. Lately I had been spending more time in his flat than mine. He pushed me into the bed, grabbed a pillow and pressed it against my face for longer than he should have, leaving me gasping for air. Every time I think about it I feel breathless, and hot, and like my soul’s leaving my body for a while. And …

‘Olivia?’ I hear Luc’s soft voice, pulling me back to where I’m supposed to be. ‘Did I say something wrong?’

‘No, no, it’s fine,’ I pretend and put on a smile on my face.

Because we decided not to have alcohol, the waiter suggested making a special homemade drink for us. They surprised us with a ginger, mint and peach lemonade, which had a light touch of pepper. Not long after, another waiter brings our first course and puts our plates before us, as he does so, Luc’s eyes keep trying to find mine. As soon as both waiters leave us alone in our private dining room, Luc says, ‘Do you want to talk about it?’

‘About what?’

‘Your ex.’

How can he possibly know I was thinking about Josh?

‘Not now,’ I say, and I mean it. Even though for some crazy reason I feel comfortable talking about Josh with him, I don’t want to do it now, tonight. I don’t want to ruin the vibe.

‘Ok,’ he accepts my choice with an understanding gaze. ‘My turn,’ he says.

I smile and nod.

‘You told me you don’t do serious relationships. What could change your mind?’

His question takes me by surprise.

‘Why? Are you asking me to be your girlfriend already?’ I tease.

Luc snorts at my question, but he’s waiting for a reply.

Truth is, I don’t know the answer to his question.

‘I haven’t thought about it,’ I say

‘Have you banned all men from your life?’ he asks, making me chuckle.

‘No, I still have a brother and a father.’

He laughs.

‘And I’m here with you, aren’t I?’

I don’t mention I’ve done one-night stands more times than I can count in the past years. I don’t think he needs to know.

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