Page 63 of Take My Hand

“So,” he said, sounding tentative again. “Do you want me to show you your room?”

I wanted to laugh, loudly, because I doubted whether she’d stay in her own room. Especially, not if the way they were looking at each other was anything to go by.

“If we have time.” She looked between us. “What time is the table booked for?”

“We have time,” Dad told her. “We have an hour at least before we need to leave.”

“Then, yeah,” Maya replied with a bright smile, “you can show me my room.”

As they disappeared up the stairs, excitement spiked. I loved that Dad was finally going to get some happy. And, yes, maybe Maya staying over might have seemed quick, seeing as they’d only just met, but I wasn’t worried. It felt right.

Just as I wondered whether I should follow them, my phone rang, and I was shocked when I saw it was Zak.

“Hiya.”

“Alright, gorgeous.”

Instantly, my face split into a grin, and I felt butterflies. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I just wanted to check you were good.”

“Me?” I asked.

“I knew you were nervous about meeting your dad’s new girlfriend. I wanted to check-up on you. Make sure you’re not freaking out.”

My hand rested over my thudding heart, and my cheeks ached from smiling. “I’m fine. She seems nice.”

“She’s already there?”

“About five minutes ago.”

“And?” he asked with a chuckle. “Does she really meet your approval, or areyoujust being nice?”

“No, she meets my approval. She’s lovely in fact. Or at least she seems to be in the short time I’ve spoken to her.” I looked over to the door to check that I was still alone. “She’s gorgeous, Zak. I can see why Dad likes her.”

“What was she like with you?” Zak asked, as a door closed in the background. “Sorry, just shutting Amelia out.”

“Aww don’t be mean to her.”

“I’m not, she keeps asking me about Taylor Swift, and I have no idea what to say.”

I gasped. “You don’t know anything about Swifty. I’m appalled.”

Zak groaned. “Ah shit, not you as well.”

“I think maybe Amelia and I need to educate you.”

“No, you’re alright thanks. I’ll stick with Stormzy.”

“Ugh, how do I live with that?”

“What?” he asked, his laugh resonating deep down the line.

“That my boyf—” I instantly stopped myself just in time. “That you’re a rap boy.”

“I’m sure you’ll cope.”

I breathed a silent sigh of relief that he hadn’t picked up on my slip up. “But to answer your question, yes, she was lovely with me. Gave me a hug, said she was pleased to meet me and said I looked like my dad.”

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