Page 89 of The Gin Lover's Guide to Dating

MissGinFizz:That would be nice. :)

GrahamLeeton:What would you like to know?

MissGinFizz:OK, err… what do you do?

GrahamLeeton:Seriously? You’re going to lead with that again?

I curse under my breath, realising my mistake. Why am I still so obsessed with position and status? Even now, after everything I’ve been through and learned about myself.

MissGinFizz:OK, start again… just give me a moment…

MissGinFizz:I know… what’s your favourite film?

GrahamLeeton:Easy.Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Still remember watching it with for the first time with my dad.

I quickly look up the originalStar Warstrilogy on Wikipedia, sucking in my breath nervously as I read the content.Return of the Jediwas released in 1983, which means he must be at least forty. Shit. That’s not a good sign. Chances are he’s probably a good bit older. The mature, balding man from Dylan’s musings returns to haunt me. I realise I need some reassurance – but without giving away my intentions.

MissGinFizz:Sounds like it’s a nice memory in more than one way. Did your dad take you to see it in the cinema? Were you one of those geeky teenagers who queued for hours?

Holding my breath, I await his reply.

GrahamLeeton:Nope. Watched it at home on a VHS recorder borrowed from my uncle (I assume you’re old enough to remember those?). Cinema trips weren’t something my family could afford. Same question back at you, what’s your favourite film?

I exhale with relief. He watched a recording. That could have been any time before DVDs came along, so opens the playing field right up again. As I’m typing the shortlist for my favourite film into the chat app to share with Graham, I miss the fact that someone is approaching me from behind.

‘Hey, beautiful. That you chatting with your pal from uni again?’

I jump with fright, dropping my phone on to my gravy-soaked plate, as Josh casually slides into the seat next to me. ‘Josh! What the… you scared me half to death.’

‘Sorry.’ He grins, reaching over and guiding my chin towards him with just one finger. ‘I still get a kiss though, right?’

‘Only after I’ve cleaned this mess up.’ I pull away from him and tentatively lift my phone out of the puddle of gravy.

‘Here, I’ll do that. It was my fault.’ Josh tries to take my phone from me, causing me to panic and haul it out of his grasp.

‘No. It’s fine. I’ll see to it. Back in a sec.’

I get up, flustered, and rush to the hand sink where I use wet paper towels to clean the gravy off my phone. As I do, I glance at my home screen and see there’s a message from Graham asking if I’m still there. Shit. I can’t reply now Josh has appeared.

‘What are you doing here anyway?’ I return to the table and sit back down, allowing Josh to plant a kiss on my lips. ‘It’s your day off.’

‘Had some training budget figures to work through ahead of a meeting with Aaron tomorrow,’ says Josh. ‘Didn’t get a chance to do it yesterday. Thought I’d see if you were around before I headed home.’

‘That’s what I call commitment – on both counts.’ I smile, letting him pull me in for another, more lingering kiss, my agitation suddenly forgotten.

We chat and flirt for another ten minutes or so, until it’s time for me to head back to the bar. As we’re walking back through the corridor from the canteen, I realise I need to get rid of Josh, so that I can message Graham back.

‘Right, I’ll leave you here.’ I jab my thumb towards the locker room. ‘Just need to put my phone in my locker. See you tomorrow?’

‘I’ll wait and walk you back to the bar. Means I can have another few minutes with you.’ He gives me a little wink.

I’m aware that I should find this sweet and feel flattered, but instead I become flustered again, and a little irritated. More at myself though, for getting into this situation. I’m careful not to give this away.

‘OK, sure,’ I say. ‘Just give me a moment.’

I dash inside the changing room, open my locker, and frantically tap out and send a message to Graham before Josh comes looking for me.

MissGinFizz:So sorry. Got hijacked by a colleague and now my break time is over. Will be finishing late. Chat tomorrow?

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