Page 73 of The Gin Lover's Guide to Dating

MissGinFizz:It didn’t come without an inner struggle. Now you have me wondering if you’re a psychologist… ;)

MissGinFizz:You’re not, are you?

I wait on tenterhooks for what he’ll say next. He doesn’t disappoint.

GrahamLeeton:I’m interested by your focus on ‘what’ I am, rather than ‘who’ I am. Does it really matter what I do?

I squeal with excited frustration as I realise he’s got me again.

MissGinFizz:Now I’m thinking I need to reassess my values and life choices. How do you do that? Let’s start again. ‘Who’ are you, GrahamLeeton? I would like to know about you.

I wait impatiently for his reply, but after several minutes I realise it’s not going to come. He must have logged off. Did he have to go? Or did he leave me hanging on purpose? Whatever the reason, it has the same effect as watching a long-awaited TV programme you’ve set to record, and it cuts off just before the end.

I log out of my admin page and try to distract myself with a few tasks around the house. Yet my mind keeps creeping back to our online conversation. Shall I log back on and check if he’s replied? No. Control yourself, Liv. He’s a man sitting behind a screen, about whom you know nothing. Remember the Hollywood storyline trap you were just pondering. I remind myself I have a real-life super-hot, attentive man in my life called Josh, and he reallyisincredible.

Later that afternoon, I arrive at the hotel, complete with the remnants of a hangover the size of the Atlantic.

‘What the hell happened to you?’ Amir looks me up and down from behind the bar where he is preparing the garnishes. ‘You look rough as a badger’s arse.’

‘Late night,’ I grumble. ‘And thanks for that.’

‘You’re welcome.’ He grins then calls over his shoulder. ‘Reyes, check the state of this one.’

Reyes appears from the storeroom. Her eyes widen as she spots me.

‘Chica. Dios mio! You are looking very tired. You are not well?’

‘She’s not ill.’ Amir chuckles. ‘She’s just been up all night doing Josh.’

‘Hey! I have not!’ I’m mortified by this assumption. ‘And how do you even know I was with Josh last night?’

‘Because we saw him about an hour ago.’ Amir bends down to put the garnishes in the fridge. ‘It didn’t take a genius to work it out. He was striding about like he owns the place. He’s clearly well into you.’

‘You think?’ I’m temporarily distracted by this observation. ‘Wait… he didn’t tell you that we… you know… did he?’

My mind starts to race. Josh wouldn’t make that up just to look good – surely. He’s not that kind of guy. Or is he? Once again, even through my mental fog, I realise I barely know him.

‘Didn’t have to.’ Amir shrugs, putting my worries to bed in an instant. ‘It was obvious, wasn’t it, Reyes?’

‘He is looking like a cat that has made a lot of cream.’ Reyes nods agreement, a wicked glint in her eye. ‘Tell meallthe details.’

‘OK, stop.’ I hold up both hands to silence them. ‘Both of you, just stop. Firstly,thatdid not happen. Secondly, I’m not sure I like the idea of my personal life being the talk of the hotel. And thirdly, why would a catmakecream? Seriously?’

Amir splutters with laughter, while Reyes just looks confused. I clutch the side of the bar top, almost to steady myself – the combination of my hangover and this topic of conversation now too much.

‘Come on. Calm yourself,’ Amir soothes me and guides me behind the bar to a seat in the storeroom. ‘How is it the talk of the hotel? Josh didn’t say anything. He’s a top guy – wouldn’t do that. And no one else seems to know about you two yet. We only know because we’re yourfriends. Remember?’

‘Sorry,’ I mumble. ‘I just don’t want to be the focus of office gossip. That’s part of the reason why I was funny about seeing someone from here in the first place.’

Amir looks me straight in the eye. ‘Liv, do you have any idea how many people in this hotel are in relationships?’

‘No.’

‘The answer is: a lot.’

‘Really?’ I look up at him hopefully.

‘Yes.’ Amir smiles at me kindly. ‘You’re far from the only one. Nobody’s going to care – not for any longer than a day anyway. People who work in hospitality work crappy hours, so they end up coupling up with each other. They don’t have much chance to build relationships otherwise. It’s the same as people in the police and other shift-working professions.’

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