Page 61 of The One That I Want

Harrison – love of Greta’s life???

Luca – fit but not fit for purpose

Ewan – Greta’s hot friend

‘You put Luca on the list?’ I ask.

‘Yes, and I crossed him out.’

‘Then why add him at all?’

‘To remind you how far you’ve come.’

‘And Ewan?’ I ask.

‘You tell me.’

‘Ididtell you. He’s myfriend– not myhotfriend,’ I say, stabbing the paper with my finger.

Is this one of those ‘methinks the lady doth protest too much’ situations? Therehavebeen a handful of moments over the past few weeks when I’ve wondered if Ewan has been flirting with me, but I’ve always dismissed them – in part, because I’m not the type of woman men typically flirt with. And maybe flirtation is a normal element of male–female friendships. Having never had one before, I’m completely in the dark!

Just like I am with dating.

I’m a thirty-five-year-old, professional woman who has dedicated so much of my life to my career, my social skills – including the ability to read signals from men who may or may not fancy me – are so underdeveloped, I should be fitted with romantic training wheels.

‘Want to tell me what’s going on in there?’ asks Tiggy.

‘What?’ I’ve been so distracted traversing the landscape of my non-existent love life, I’ve dropped out of the conversation entirely. ‘Sorry, I’m rubbish company tonight.’

‘You are.’ She holds up her phone. ‘But at least I’m caught up on the fallout from theSoulmates Unseenreunion.’

Tiggy not only loves romcoms, she also watches all the reality dating shows –andscours socials for the ‘hot takes’.Maybe I should start watching those shows – I’d probably learn something.

My mind lands back on Harrison and for the first time since Poppy gave me his profile, I feel a twinge of trepidation – and not about the assignment itself, but abouthim.

‘Tiggy, what if I’ve built him up so much in my mind, he turns out to be a disappointment?’

‘Harrison?’

‘Yep.’

She blows out a long breath. ‘Babes, that’s my biggest worry, out of everything else going on.’

‘Oh.’

‘I just don’t want to see you get hurt. And this is bonkers. You’re going on dates with duds and pining after a bloke you’ve never met… You’re Greta Fucking Davies, don’t forget – badass magazine editor, stylish woman about town, best friend extraordinaire – and this whole thing has your knickers in such a twist, your lady parts may never recover.’

I scrunch my nose at the last bit – Tiggy knows I hate it when she says ‘lady parts’.

‘Sorry,’ she says, ‘I meant yourvagina.’

‘Yeah, yeah, I get it.’

‘Sorry for the tough love. Actually, no, I’m not, because I love you and I hate seeing you out of sorts.’

‘I know. And thanks.’

She reaches over to pat my arm. ‘Look at it this way: on the weekend, you get to date a bloke who likes to wander about in the nude andthenyou get to write about it. How many people can say that?’

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