Page 45 of Textbook Romance

She nods. My heart races to see her, wearing a black dress with buttons all down the front. ‘I was. I can’t believe they ditched us.’

‘Unforgiveable behaviour.’

She looks different, lighter but fresh-faced. ‘Seeing as we’re both here… drink?’

I beam. ‘I would like that very much, Zoe.’

‘So, this was like a set-up? I didn’t realise Ed was so Machiavellian,’ I tell Zoe as she sips on her gin and tonic, laughing. We’ve managed to secure a little booth by the window and she’s sitting opposite me. It’s like an upgraded version of our dinner date at Nando’s.

‘I think his wife may have had something to do with it,’ she explains, which makes a bit more sense. Well, I don’t think I care who is truly responsible because for now, I like the company and the fact Zoe didn’t freak out to see me. We take this slowly. If it’s just drinks, so be it. She cradles her hands around her glass and sighs deeply. ‘You’ll have to forgive me. I’ve had two glasses of champagne.’

‘Before I arrived?’ I ask, bemused.

‘Oh no, in my room. My set-up also came with a room here that they told me was a wedding gift they wanted to pass on to me,’ she admits.

‘You have a room?’

She can barely look me in the eye but giggles. ‘Oh, it’s some sort of honeymoon suite. It has a pole.’

‘Like a straight pole as opposed to a Polish person?’ I joke. ‘Just standing in the corner.’

She bursts into laughter, and I will admit to loving that sound, completely. Zoe and I look at each other. We kissed, you and I, and I loved that feeling. I really did. I don’t know how to tell her that but there’s a prolonged moment of staring into her eyes where I can hardly breathe. What is wrong with you, Jack?

‘Thank you also for checking in on me this afternoon,’ she says, trying to break the intensity.

‘My pleasure. How did it go?’ I enquire.

She shows me a selfie of her kids on her phone. ‘That’s the last I heard from them, but I think I just need to let them go and put some trust in Brian that he’ll look after them.’

‘Which must be hard when your trust in him is so broken,’ I add.

‘Bingo.’ That sad look re-enters her eyes and I feel desperate to take it away.

‘Well, I know it’s hard, but I hope you get a moment for yourself this weekend. Have you booked in any treatments?’

‘I’m not one for facials,’ Zoe says before widening her eyes and realising the other meaning of the word.

I hold my drink in my mouth, trying not to spit it out in hysterics. ‘Zoe! Look at you lowering the tone of the conversation in this very swish bar. I’m appalled.’

She laughs again. I made that happen. And she cocks her head to one side, deep in thought. Please don’t be overthinking this. That kiss had chemistry, we are both attracted to each other, let’s see where this can go. But I won’t go there without you. She leans across and I bend over that table to meet her.

‘We need to talk about the elephant in the room, don’t we?’ she says, smiling.

I pretend to look around for said elephant. ‘Or not. Whatever you want to talk about is fine with me. The weather’s turned, hasn’t it?’

‘It has. It’s fresh.’

‘Indeed.’

We both smile. She takes a deep cleansing breath. ‘The kiss was unplanned and spur of the moment and I’m sorry I put you on the spot like that.’

I don’t answer, but I know my face expresses my confusion. ‘Never apologise to me. It was a very pleasant surprise.’

‘Pleasant?’ she asks. ‘Pleasant is a word for wine. Like it was pleasing on the palate.’

‘Maybe the kiss was pleasing on the palate?’ I joke.

‘JACK!’ she squeals, then she looks serious again, like she’s trying to get her thoughts straight. ‘This is… I don’t know what this is, but I’m not sure if it’s the best idea. We work together now. You’re…’

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