Page 78 of Take a Moment

We chat a bit longer, keeping the focus on the possibilities for Sasha’s new life here in Birmingham, and then say good night. I’m about to switch the TV back on when I realise I haven’t heard anything from Dom. He’s probably giving me space, but I feel the need to check in with him, especially as he came all the way down here. I compose and send a quick WhatsApp message.

That you home now? Hope your journey was OK. Thanks again for the lovely dinner. I’ll be in touch soon, I promise. xx

I can see that he reads it immediately. He types a response.

Hi kitten. Yes, home and settled. Missing your beautiful face already. Dx

I smile at his message, then feel a pang of sadness as my mind flicks through happy memories of our relationship – our first date, the moment he told me he loved me, the day he proposed on the Rialto Bridge during our trip to Venice. It all seemed so perfect until everything changed. I miss you too, Dom. I didn’t think I did but I really do. So why is that not enough for me to sign up to a future together right now?

Chapter 26

The week flies in as expected and by the time my Wednesday evening date with Matt comes round, I’m filled with heady excitement and anticipation for where he’s taking me. All I know is he’s picking me up outside at 6:30 p.m. – and thankfully, he hasn’t suggested I wear any active gear.

‘Where are we off to?’ I ask, as I slide into the passenger seat of his car.

‘Patient one, you are.’ He chuckles. ‘Hi to you too.’

‘Sorry. I’m just intrigued. Hi.’ I lean over and meet him halfway for a slow, sensual kiss. He puts his hand on the back of my neck and pulls me towards him longingly.

‘Any clues at all?’ I ask again as we pull apart.

‘Let’s just say it’ll be a lively evening. You did have something to eat, didn’t you?’

‘Just as you instructed me to.’

‘Good.’

He puts the car into gear and pulls away. We drive for about ten minutes, but not being that familiar with Birmingham’s roads, I have little sense of where we’re going. My best guess would be that we appear to be skirting round the perimeter of the city centre. Matt eventually pulls into a space in a multistorey car park and turns to me.

‘It’s about a five-minute walk from here.’

‘Anditis…?’

‘So close now, you may as well wait and find out.’

I exhale impatiently. ‘I’m not good with surprises.’

‘Clearly. It will be worth it. Promise.’

We get out of the car and head out of the car park onto a street-lit road.

‘This is the Newtown area of the city,’ he explains. ‘You’re unlikely to have been over this way.’

I look around me. It seems to be a more industry-focused area of the city, with red-brick factory-style buildings and grey steel shutters covering garage doorways, sporting the words ‘no parking’ in white spray paint. We walk hand in hand, silently, mirroring the calmness of the empty dark streets.

‘Gosh, this is a bit creepy,’ I joke. ‘Maybe I should have vetted you before agreeing to this. You could be some psycho and I’m merrily trotting along beside you to my untimely death.’

‘Crime drama fan, per chance?’ He gives me an amused sideways look.

‘That’s me. Think I prefer the fictional stuff though. True crime is a bit morbid, knowing it’s really happened. Makes me feel like a voyeuristic weirdo at a crime scene.’

‘I know what you mean. Ah, here we are.’

Matt stops outside a nondescript building and presses the buzzer by the doorway.

‘Hello?’ A crackling voice comes through the intercom.

‘Hi, it’s Matt. Sammy would have mentioned I’m coming along tonight.’

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