Page 84 of You Belong With Me

‘I like the idea! It’d be good to meet Molly properly before the wedding. And it’s comforting seeing familiar faces so far from home.’

‘How are you so sweet and forbearing? I need to be more like that.’

‘I’m not sure I am really – it’s within certain limits. If you’d said sorry, they’re squeezing in at mine, it’s airbeds, and we’re all in one room, I might lose my Elliot-sharing chill.’

‘Oh, I see. All you want me for is sex. There’s something else I wanted to say to you, actually,’ Elliot said.

Edie looked alarmed, hoping experimentation wasn’t about to be tabled. ‘Unrelated, I hope?’

‘Hahaha. I’ve got this airbed … No, unrelated – regarding the horrible Sunday papers bullshit last week. I know this isn’t the way you think, whatsoever, but for my own honour, I have to say – that story wouldn’t have run if we weren’t seeing each other. It’s indirectly my fault. If you wanted to stop seeing me to stop stories like that, I’d understand. I’d hate it, and it’d break my heart, but I wouldn’t blame you either. I can give you a lot, but I can’t give you a peaceful life. I get a lot of perks in return for that shit, and you only get me.’

‘The greatest perk of all,’ Edie said.

‘I mean it.’

‘I know you do, and I love you for it,’ Edie said. ‘Firstly, it’s nowhere near enough to put me off – it didn’t even occur to me it was an Elliot drug side effect. Secondly, if you think I’m putting Jack fucking Marshall down as cause of death on our death certificate, you’re high.’

Elliot laughed. Edie wound herself round him, head on his t-shirt, and listened to his heart beating. It was probably the most generous heart she’d ever known.

Generosity she depended upon when she drank three wines, ate a pile of larb, and passed out like she’d been put under general anaesthetic at quarter past ten Eastern Standard Time.

44

‘New York is different to London,’ Elliot said, as they got ready to head out for brunch, Edie pulling fingerless wool gloves on.

‘Wow, really? Thanks, Bill Bryson,’ Edie said, to amusement. One decent night’s sleep and some caffeine and she was certainly resembling herself.

‘Oh, for fu—! I’m talking about the nature of the hassle. People are more open and shout at you here, but keep moving quickly and we should be fine. There’s not usually any paps on this street, and I’m going to avoid their usual haunts. Also, I can’t really take you to any tourist sights – is that OK?’

‘That’s fine – I did it all when I came here about seven years ago. The Empire State can’t have changed much.’

‘Ah. Who with? Friends?’

‘My ex, Matt.’

‘Oh right,’ Elliot said, then paused. ‘Slag.’

Edie hooted with laughter.

‘How long were you with him?’

‘Three years. Twenty-six to twenty-nine.’

‘Gross,’ Elliot said, and the air crackled with the frisson of comic jealousy and real jealousy.

‘He’s dead actually.’

‘Shit, really?’

‘No. Engaged with a baby called Lila, according to what he posts on Facebook,’ Edie said.

‘Hmm, liked him better when deader,’ Elliot said.

In the elevator on the way to street level, Elliot pulled his hat disguise on. ‘What a life this is. Do I look like aHome Alonerobber?’

‘Hahaha. I never think of you as famous any more, except when I have to,’ Edie said.

‘I don’t think of myself as famous either.’

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