Page 21 of Replay
“Duly noted.” I laugh and shake my head. “I think I can do this.”
“Of course you can.” Freya smiles victoriously. “Crikey! Am I your love coach now?”
I pull a face. “Maybe anti-love coach?”
Freya’s smile falters. “That doesn’t sound very nice.”
“I know, but I can’t be repeating old habits if I want to get my life back. And Santino definitely falls under the category of old habits.”
Freya exhales heavily. “You know what they say about old habits.”
“What?”
She pins me with a serious look and deadpans, “They die hard…and that’s not in reference to his willy.”
Sitting at an outdoor table outside a coffee shop in Bethnal Green with an espresso in hand, I try to calm my nerves before the arrival of Tilly Logan. The woman is a force of nature. Any time she comes near me, I lose all sense of control, both mentally and physically. The other night bloody well proved that.
Fucking hell.
Friday night at the charity was a disaster. I shouldn’t have lost it on her in the lift, and I shouldn’t have accused her of being the same person she was before. I should have known better. She just looked so bloody good. Everything incredible about us came rushing back in full force, and I desperately wanted it to be like old times.
Then she basically told me to get stuffed, and I couldn’t help but feel angry.
Going into that evening, I fully admit I wanted to see what we could be like after a few years apart. I wanted to show her I’ve changed, and…I don’t know…see how she’s doing after everything that happened. The last time I saw her, her face was tear-stained, and she was moving away to have some stranger’s baby. It killed me to have her slam that door in my face.
I wince at that thought because I’m trying to forget about the fact that I ever had real feelings for Tilly. They weren’t something I ever expressed to her, so it’s not like it’s a well-known fact. And she clearly didn’t give a toss about me then…or now.
Get your shit together, Santino.This is a business meeting today. Nothing more.
“I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse,” a strange voice utters from behind me. When I turn around, my eyes widen when I see it’s Tilly. Her face is pinched in a peculiar way, with her chin jutting up to the sky as she attempts a really horribleGodfatherimpression.
Forcing a smile, I stand to greet her. “Hiya, Tilly.”
“Tilly?” she barks and whacks me on the shoulder. “I’m Don Corleone! Or even Michael Corleone says some version of that line in one of those movies, I think.”
“How could I forget?” I touch the spot on my arm that she hit with more force than I thought her slender arms capable. My eyes take in her appearance because she looks like she’s just crawled out of bed. “Did you forget about our meeting this morning?”
“No.” Her hands instantly stab into her messy knot of pale red locks on top of her head. “Just keeping it business casual.” She tugs nervously on her loose T-shirt hanging over a pair of cropped leggings. Her face is bare and fresh, and she looks even younger than when I first met her.
“Can I get you a drink inside?” I gesture to the coffee shop entrance.
“No, I’ve got it. Be back in a moment.” She jogs past me and darts inside, looking a little flustered.
I’m not one to judge appearances, but you’d think she’d have treated this business meeting like an actual business meeting and dressed for the occasion. Slipping off my suit coat, I drape it onto the back of my chair, then unbutton my shirt cuffs to roll up my sleeves. If she’s wearing pajamas, I’m not going to sit here and sweat my arse off in this blazing August heat.
She returns with an iced coffee and pauses by the table as she takes in my more casual look. There’s a slight twitch to her nose as she drops onto the seat across from me with a forced smile. “Thanks for meeting with me today.”
“It’s no problem.” I close out a text from my mum, then set my mobile face down on the table to give her my full attention. “My schedule is pretty flexible at the club.”
“Well, Freya and I both really appreciate this help.”
She opens her mouth to say more, but my mobile pings with another text notification. “Sorry, I thought I silenced that.”
“It’s okay…you can answer it if you need to.”
I turn it over to see who it’s from. “It’s just my mum. She’s been texting me location options for our annual trip all morning.”
“Annual trip?” Tilly asks, her eyes widened.
