Page 23 of All the Right Words
‘I’m just walking into the fair now,’ Olivia said.
‘Now?!’ Gina exploded. She couldn’t believe how fine Olivia had cut things. ‘You better get your phone ready then.’
There was some rustling, and then Olivia yelled, ‘CAN YOU HEAR ME?!’
Gina yanked the phone from her ear. ‘You don’t have to… A normal tone is fine.’
‘Great. I think this should work,’ Olivia said, relieved. ‘You really are the best- Oh fuck me, there she is. She looks gorgeous. Jesus, I’m screwed.’
Aren’t we all?Gina thought.
Fourteen
There was a reason Harper was taking Olivia to a fun fair. It was the most casual date she could imagine. They needed to shake off all that formality of the former date and their current business relationship. They needed to relax with each other. Harper felt that if Olivia had any chance of loosening up with her, this was the place.
Plus, Harper liked funfairs, which was why she’d come twenty minutes early. She wanted to play some games before Olivia came. Shoot a few ducks, toss a few balls. It made her feel like a kid again. She hardly ever got that chance.
‘Shit,’ she said as she missed a coconut for the fourth time. She was seriously considering dropping more money on this obvious con when she noticed Olivia at the front entrance. She seemed to be talking to herself. She was probably on a call. ‘Olivia!’ she yelled.
Olivia looked slightly shocked and then smiled and waved. She was not that casual, wearing a shirt and trousers, though without a jacket, which Harper supposed was her concession to the informality. She walked toward her, smoothing her hair down nervously. It was adorable how scared she looked.
‘Hi,’ Olivia said.
‘Hello,’ Harper said. Silence followed.
‘I like your, erm, your jumper.’
Harper looked down at her chunky knit cream number. ‘I think it’s what the kids call cottage-core,’ she joked. Once again, Olivia didn’t laugh.
‘So, er, what’s your favourite ride?’ Olivia asked abruptly.
‘Well, let me think. Maybe the Ferris wheel?’ Harper said.
Harper thought she saw fear in Olivia’s eyes for a split second before she exclaimed, ‘Great!’ She looked around her and spotted the big ride. ‘Shall we, then?’
They walked through the busy fairground. Harper saw a candyfloss stand. ‘What are your thoughts on candyfloss?’ she asked Olivia.
There was a slight pause, and then Olivia smiled and said, ‘Who doesn’t like a cloud made of sugar?’
Harper laughed and went over, getting two candyflosses on sticks. They walked toward the Ferris wheel while they worked on their treats. ‘So, I’m glad we’re doing this,’ Harper said.
‘Me too,’ Olivia smiled. ‘It’s… I don’t date much.’
‘How come?’
‘I guess I’ve always put work first.’
‘I know that story,’ Harper said.
They arrived at the Ferris wheel just in time to jump in a car. Once they were sitting comfortably, the car juddered off, and Harper noticed Olivia’s grip on her candy floss stick. ‘You hate heights, don’t you?’ Harper asked.
Olivia shook her head. ‘No, no, not at all.’
‘Olivia, I can hear your candyfloss stick splintering.’
Olivia was quiet for a while, and then she said. ‘OK, sorry. I do. Hated them since I was a kid.’ They climbed ever higher.
‘You should have said!’
