Page 62 of Five Things I Love About You

I snap a photo of Alan, who’s now stretched out on the kitchen floor and peers up at me as though he’s used to posing for the camera, then I send the picture back to Jay.

Miranda

Alan’s fine. He’s been fed and out for a quick walk – I hope you don’t mind. I’ll be back soon.

I hurry back to the office to check I haven’t left anything out of place, then go back to the kitchen to give Alan a cuddle.

‘Now be a good boy and Daddy will be back soon,’ I say. He wags his tail forlornly. I leave via the back door, hoping Alan’ll be okay alone until later. I consider popping back to my flat to freshen up but I’ve already been gone quite a long time, so I get back on my bike and pedal back to the RVI.

Jay’s sitting up when I arrive, with a half-eaten sandwich in front of him. He looks less pale than before, and the bandage from his head has been removed. It’s nice to see his face more clearly, and I can’t help noticing how handsome he is. I feel a fizz of excitement that he could be the man of my dreams, and yet he has absolutely no idea.

‘Alan says hello,’ I say, placing his keys back in his rucksack.

‘Thank you so much, I don’t know what I’d have done without you.’

Not get knocked off your bike?I think, but don’t say.

‘You’re welcome. He’s a lovely boy.’

‘He is, isn’t he?’ he says, and the look on his face when he talks about his dog reminds me of Matt when he talks about Gladys.

Oh God, Matt! I still haven’t replied to his message from earlier.

‘So, did you have a good old nose around my house while you were there?’ Jay says.

‘What?’ I feel my face burn and my heart stop. Does heknow?

‘Sorry, I was only teasing. Although I would have done in your shoes.’

‘Ha,’ I say, weakly. ‘No, I just looked after Alan then came back.’ I’m dying to ask him about his skydiving and his trip to London last year, but there’s no way to bring it up without revealing I actually have been rummaging through his stuff after all.

‘Listen, thanks so much for everything but you really don’t have to hang around any longer,’ Jay says.

‘Oh, okay, great,’ I say. ‘Although I don’t mind staying a while if you like, stop you from getting bored?’

He smiles and it’s a lovely smile, white teeth and crinkly eyes that glow amber when they catch the light. I try to imagine staring into them at close quarters.

‘Honestly, you’ve done more than enough. Thank you.’

I nod, trying to hide my disappointment. I can’t think of a reason to stay now, but I also have to find a way to make sure I see him again. It’s taken me long enough to find him, I can’t let him slip away that easily.

‘Will you need someone to look after Alan again?’

‘I’m hoping to be out of here today. At least, I hope so.’

‘Oh, right.’

‘But actually, I guess they might want to keep me in a bit longer, given I hit my head.’ He looks round. ‘I guess, maybe… would it be a huge imposition for you to check on him again later, in case my neighbour has gone away after all?’

‘No!’ I say, far too enthusiastically. ‘I mean, of course I will. Totally happy to, I’m not busy later.’ I think about Matt and push him out of my mind for now.

‘Thank you. I mean, if I am by some miracle allowed home I’ll let you know, but I hate the idea of Alan being by himself again all night, and I don’t…’ He stops, clearly deciding against whatever he was about to say. ‘Anyway.’ He reaches for his keys and hands them to me again. ‘I don’t have another spare one, so don’t disappear with them will you?’ He smiles at me again as I take them from his hand.

‘Of course not.’

‘Thank you, Miranda. I’ll ring you if they let me out of here earlier than expected, okay?’ My name sounds strange on his tongue, and I turn it over to see if it sounds familiar, and nod.

As I walk out of the hospital it hits me how completely exhausted and hungry I am. With the adrenaline from this morning having seeped away, cycling home is an ordeal I think is never going to end, and by the time I fall through my front door and climb the stairs I’m half-dead on my feet. I’d planned to eat and shower before a nap, but I’ve collapsed on my bed and am out for the count before my head even touches the pillow.

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