Page 50 of Five Things I Love About You

‘It’s amazing, thank you so much.’

‘I just wanted to say thank you for… you know. Showing me round. Helping me.’ I look down at the floor and shrug. ‘Making me feel so welcome.’

Matt doesn’t reply straight away and when I look up at him he’s watching me, a serious expression on his face. ‘You know it’s been a pleasure, don’t you, Miranda?’ he says.

‘I…’ I nod. ‘It has for me too.’

He tucks the book carefully into his rucksack. ‘Well, thank you for my book, and thank you for a lovely day. It’s been so nice to go to Whitley Bay again and… and see my dad.’

‘You’re welcome. See you soon?’

‘I’ll text you.’

And then he’s gone, and it’s not until I get home and strip off my still-damp clothes that I realise I’m still wearing his jumper.

18

Stanley the Labrador was lovely, and I’ve agreed with his owner that I’m going to walk him whenever I have a day off work, which at least gives me good motivation to get out looking for Jay again. Matt didn’t come with me in the end because he spent the day with his children, but we’ve arranged to meet for a bike ride this evening. The second-hand bike I bought is a bit squeaky and needs some TLC, but it’s not bad for the £100 I paid for it. I can’t wait to get back in the saddle.

I’ve tucked the bike under the stairs in the hallway and hope the neighbours don’t mind, and now I wheel it outside and check the chain, brakes and tyres while I wait for Matt to arrive. Even though it’s May it’s turned pretty cold and feels more like early spring than almost summer, and I shiver in the cool breeze. I’m just considering going back inside to get another layer when Matt appears round the corner and pulls up at the kerb. He stops, takes his helmet off and climbs off his bike.

‘Hey,’ he says.

‘Hey.’

It’s the first time I’ve seen him since our trip to the beach a few days before, and there’s a hum of something in the air between us. Not tension, exactly, but something that wasn’t there before.

‘So, where are we heading?’ I say. ‘Hopefully not too far, I haven’t cycled for a while.’

‘I thought that, and I thought you might still be getting used to your bike so we’re just going to go round the Town Moor. If that’s okay?’

‘That sounds great.’ I clip my helmet on and climb onto the saddle. ‘The bike seems fine but I haven’t had time to take it for a test run yet so probably best not to venture too far.’

‘Good.’ He climbs back on his bike too and turns to face me. ‘Just follow me and we’ll be there in five minutes.’

We set off. The traffic isn’t too heavy this afternoon, and it’s easy to keep up with Matt as we wind through the streets. The Town Moor is where I came the first day I was here, but I haven’t had time to come back since. When we get through the gates Matt points in the opposite direction from town, out across a surprisingly large stretch of grass laced with tarmacked paths. The grey sky has an ominous feel to it, and I’m glad I’m not here on my own.

‘We’ll go that way first and loop round the south of Gosforth to start with, okay?’

I nod, and we set off. It’s fairly flat and I’m enjoying being back on my bike again – although this is much easier than navigating the treacherous streets of north London. Less danger of knocking someone over as well.

After about half an hour Matt stops, and I pull up behind him.

‘How’re you getting on?’ He nods down at my bike.

‘It seems fine.’

‘Shall we just do a bit more then go and get a drink somewhere?’

‘That sounds like a plan.’

We set off again, and I realise we’re doing a few loops of the park, taking slightly different paths each time we go round. It’s a nice, easy route, and it’s quiet in here. Perhaps the grey blanket of cloud is putting everyone off. Sure enough, it soon starts to drizzle, then the drizzle turns to a steady rain. I wipe my eyes as water drips from my helmet down my back.

Matt swerves off the main path and I follow, back out onto the streets. I think we’re somewhere near our houses but I can’t be sure, and a few minutes later he glides to a halt outside a pub. There’s a large tree outside and we head for that.

‘God, this weather,’ Matt says, shaking himself down from the safety of the leaf-covering.

My clothes are stuck to me, and I shiver as I pull my helmet off.

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