Page 46 of Our Stop

‘Do you think I should send another letter in to the paper?’

‘I think you’re past that now, don’t you? This crossed-wires shit is some Greek tragedy shit, man. Messages through other people, all smoke and mirrors. Talk to the woman face to face, like a grown man. Don’t miss your chance like I did, with Juliet. You’ve got this! It’s just a chat! But it’s a chat that will set you straight again, you know? Maybe she has terrible breath or is rude to strangers, in which case your crush will be cured. I know I don’t know you too well, mate, but what I do know is that you need to feel like you’ve done your best. You don’t wanna keep on wondering what happened.’

Daniel swilled the last of his cider around in the bottom of his glass. ‘What if I wrote and just said, sorry – I came, but I had to leave?

‘That’s an option.’

‘Yeah,’ said Daniel.

‘Gimme your phone.’

Daniel handed over his phone. Romeo typed for a few seconds before passing it back to Daniel, who stared at the screen. In the notes app he’d written:

I screwed up, Coffee Spill Girl. I left, and I shouldn’t have, and now I’m worried I blew it. I know you don’t get a second chance at a first impression, but how’s about a first meeting on the second try?

‘That’s good,’ said Daniel, sadly. He stared at his phone. He really did want to apologize to her. ‘I might actually send that, you know. If she’d been alone today I would have said almost exactly that.’

‘Go for it then, if that feels right. But I have a feeling you might see her sooner than you think.’

‘Maybe,’ said Daniel. ‘I might send it just in case. It will make me feel better.’

The pair talked about their weekend plans for a little bit, both agreeing that another pint was too much but they’d go in for a half and then part ways. Daniel was exhausted, his shoulders tight and eyes aching. He could feel his breathing getting deeper for having had a drink, and told himself he’d go for a really long run in the morning to truly shake off his week. He’d downloadGuardianSoulmates, thinking that maybe he was too old for apps and needed something with a monthly payment plan, so he knew the women on there were serious. He needed to get out there and connect with a woman who was actually real, and genuinely wanted to meet him, before he spooked himself into thinking it would never happen for him. Jesus. Is that what it had come to? Genuinely consideringGuardianbloody Soulmates?

‘Hey, you know what you should do?’ Romeo said, when Daniel got back to the table. ‘You should text that woman who was doing the set-up for you. When you went to the Sky Garden.’

Daniel groaned. ‘Are you kidding me? Technically, I was stood up that night too! I turned up expecting to meet a woman who never bloody came! And the woman supposed to be doing the introductions disappeared as well!’

Romeo laughed. ‘Okay, okay, mea culpa – bad idea. Hinge it is then.’

‘Hey, how’s your love life going? Aren’t you seeing somebody?’

Romeo smiled. ‘Yes boss, I am. Date number four on Sunday.’

‘Date number four,’ Daniel said, raising his glass to him. ‘Imagine that.’

Romeo caught his eye. ‘There’s plenty to go around,’ he said. ‘You’ll get a fourth date with somebody too.’

Daniel sighed deeply. ‘I believe you,’ he said.

‘Want me to see if Erika has got any friends? We could double-date!’

Daniel considered it. ‘I mean, fucking maybe, man. I’ll let you know.’

31

Nadia

Nadia got home that night exhausted, battling a hangover, and to a bundle of HB pencils on her front step.What the hell …she thought, crouching to pick them up, and then admonishing how difficult her headache made even that. All day she’d been fantasizing about getting home, taking off her bra, opening all the windows (but closing all the blinds), and ordering in truffled Mac ’n’ Cheese and New York cheesecake from her favourite restaurant on Newington Green. She was nearly there. Freedom was almost hers.

The pencils really were arranged like a bouquet, and on a more energetic day she’d have whipped out her phone to Instagram them immediately. As it happened, the note caught her eye and any notion of photography was instantly forgotten.

You’ve Got Mail, and it’s a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils, it said. (I look forward to finding out what that means). Last night was lovely. See you soon, I hope, Eddie.

Nadia rubbed her temples. This was a lot to process. Eddie, as in last night Eddie. Eddie, as in had kissed her goodbye in front of her work with an open mouth Eddie. Eddie, as in … must have come back to where she lived during the day or at the very least taken note of her address to get somebody to deliver this gift Eddie.

She’d mentioned that scene fromYou’ve Got Mailonly in passing, right before he’d even asked her name. And he’d remembered? Intellectually, Nadia knew this made him what Emma and Gaby would call A Good Guy. He’d made her bed after making her come, and sent a variation of flowers the next day to boot.

So why didn’t that make her instantly swoon?

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