Page 90 of The Likelihood Of You

I dropped my head laughing, bringing my hands to my face to hide the almighty blush that was invading my cheeks. “I can’t believe him.”

“Neither can I. I’ve never met a young man so in love with a girl that he travels to a different country to bring her ancient Nanna back with him to cheer her up.”

He’s done so much more for me than that, I wanted to add, but Nanna put her mug down and instead quickly grabbed both of my shaky hands.

“But as much as I love him already, today is about us. So is the rest of the week because that’s all the time the home gave me to go adventuring.”

“What are we doing?”

She stood up, her outfit falling back into place and her frosted red lips stretching into a gorgeous smile. “Flo, we’re in New York. You know better than anyone how I feel about New York. So what the hell do you think we’re doing? Sitting here all day? I don’t chuffing think so.”

She reached out her hands to grab mine, pulling me up from my seat. I had no idea how this morning had turned around so quickly, but like hell I was going to question it. My Nanna was in New York, forcrying out loud. Her dream city. What made it ten times as special was the reason she was here.

“Now, I’m absolutely dying to get to this place called The Rolling Pin that Jacob recommended. He said it’s good to support small independent businesses around here, and apparently, they do a scrumptious apple pie, so that’s our first stop.”

The mention of his name didn’t make me feel as scared as when I first heard it; in fact, I felt the butterflies start to circle in my stomach like his name had been said enough times for them to remember his impact on them.

Knowing that he was the reason my Nanna was tapping her foot by the door, waiting for me to join her, I could already feel the love I had for him making itself known to me again. Like the little flutters I felt in my stomach, the more she mentioned his name.

The way she described how he’d convinced the nurses to let her come. And now, knowing that he’d sat through an entire flight with her? It was like I was almost ready to face him again.

Almost.

When that was, I didn’t know just yet.

I knew I still needed this time, and having my Nanna to spend it with made it even more durable. But what he’d done confirmed to me that I’d found someone who understood me, who knew what I needed without even having to ask me. It set in place the notion that when I’ve had my time, when my fragile little heart was mended, Jacob was the one I’d go to.

“Yes, yes, your boyfriend, who’s on pause at the moment, is the sweetest man ever; I get it. But can we halt the daydreaming about him for now, because we’ve got things to doso….”

“Nanna!” I yelled back.

“Don’tNanname, we’ve got monuments to see, hotdogs to eat, Macy’s to shop in, and Broadway to conquer. So get your arse outta that door before it gets dark out.”

“Nanna, it’s literally 8:46AM.”

“Don’t sass me, lady, we don’t have time for that. Now come on, let’s go.”

I stood there, still next to the couch, as she yelled at me from the hallway, and I smiled. I didn’t know it half an hour ago, but having my Nanna here was exactly what I needed. I was so ready to disconnect from my life for a few days, show her every sight, take her to all my favourite places I’d discovered over the months I’d been here, and join her in being a tourist in the place I now called home.

I headed to the door, grabbed my trainers and slipped them on, along with the fluffy jacket that hung on the coat rack beside me.

“You ready now?” Nanna asked, all giddy like a toddler who was about to experience Disneyland for the first time.

“Yeah, let’s get out of here,” I sang, stepping into the hallway, locking the door behind me and linking arms with my favourite woman in the world.

Chapter thirty-three

Florence

Iget a notification on my smartwatch: WELL DONE!! YOU HIT 20,000 STEPS! That’s 19,830 more than last week! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

It’s the same celebratory flashing screen, accompanied by little emoticon streamers and balloons, that I’d seen every day this week, all thanks to the daily walking marathons Nanna Dorothy has dragged me on.

It was bittersweet that today was the last day we had to travel around the dozens of neighbourhoods together, but as much as I wanted to hold her and her suitcase hostage, my feet were looking forward to the pedicure and complimentary foot rub I promised them at the end of our second day of hardcore exploring. They deserved it.

“Right, that’s theFriendsapartment ticked off the list, which means we’ve done it! I’ve officially seen everything I wanted to!”

I watched Nanna as she retrieved her ‘I HEART NYC’ pen from the handbag that crossed her body, ticking off the final destination in her ‘I HEART NYC’ notepad before spinning in a circle, waving her arms like she’d won the jackpot on the £1 scratchers she’s addicted to, whooping and hollering so loud that a few passers-by looked at her like she’s crazy. And she was, in the best way possible.

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