Page 57 of Weekends with You

“Lucy,” he’d said eventually, “you’re the whole bloody bouquet.”

The memory raised the hair on my arms the same way it had that night. I wasn’t insane, was I? I hadn’t dreamed these moments. They’d happened, and they meant something. Or they represented a very promising connection, at the very least.

“Just... be open-minded,” Raja said, ripping me from my reverie and bringing me back to the moment, which wasn’t entirely pleasant. “If you have no idea how things are to work out, it’s important to consider all the possibilities, you know?”

“You don’t think it’s going to work, do you?”

“You’re always putting words in my mouth. I didn’t say that.”

“But you implied it.”

“I just, I think you should be careful,” she said, her tone a dangerous mingling of concern and pity. “Sometimes we’re too close to our own stuff to see how it’s going to play out, and it might help to get some perspective. And from mine, I just want to make sure you aren’t putting too much pressure on a new relationship, that’s all.”

“I get it,” I said. “And thank you. I know I can be stubborn, but I appreciate that you’re always looking out for me.”

“That’s what best friends are for.”

“I feel good about this one, Raj. I know it seems like we’removing fast, but honestly, I kind of feel like it’s been the opposite. It’s been so much back-and-forth and talking around and around, but we haven’t really spent quality time together, and I think we need to at this stage, to see if this is going to work. And maybe he’ll think I’m fun and spontaneous, surprising him in a foreign country.”

Raja laughed. “You’ve really thought this through, haven’t you?”

“Of course I have. I’m notthatspontaneous.”

“How do you know where he’s staying?”

“I had to mail him that memory card for his camera he left at home, remember? He sent me the address for the Airbnb then.”

“Sneaky girl,” Raja said, clucking her tongue. “And how do you know he’s going to be home when you get there?”

“Because we have a FaceTime date scheduled for then, duh.” I smiled at her, proud of myself for actually being able to pull this off, even if she thought it was crazy.

“I’m impressed.” She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. “So, what are you bringing to wear?”

We spent the next half hour combing through our wardrobes, trying to put together outfits that were equal parts hot and casual, which was harder than we’d anticipated. By the time my luggage was packed, it was nearly time for me to head to the airport.

“Wish me luck,” I said from Raja’s doorway.

“Bonne chance.” She blew me a kiss, which I pretended to catch and plant on my cheek. “It’s going to be great,” she said. “I can’t wait to hear all about it. And talk to Renee when you get home, will you? While you’re busy sorting things?”

“One thing at a time,” I said. “But yes, yes, I will.”

“Cheers to you,” she called after me as I left her room.

“Cheers to me,” I called back from down the stairs.

The flight was hardly longer than an hour, so I passed the time by pretending to read and listening to a playlist Henry had made me on Spotify. Most of the songs were flower-themed, save for a few from bands he’d shot that he thought I would like, and all of the songs made me think of him.

Beads of sweat gathered on the back of my neck like dew, but I knew if I pulled my curls into a bun, there would be no getting them back down when I landed, and the last thing I wanted was to get off the plane looking like a sewer rat.

The longer I stared longingly out the plane window, however, the more I realized looking like a sewer rat was the least of my problems. This could be totally insane. He could be someone who hates surprises. I wondered if there were any flights directly back to London at the exact time I was getting off this one. I could disappear from Amsterdam and he would be none the wiser.

Then I thought back to Renee, and her endless encouragement to “be generous” with my heart. She was fearless in her passions, and she’d be so disappointed if she knew I was constantly second-guessing myself. She would have thought she taught me nothing, and that couldn’t be further from the truth.

And I thought about Raja. Even though she might not have fully approved of the execution of this plan, she’d been pushing me to be more of a chancer since college, so I owed it to us both to at least try it on for size.

And I thought again about Henry. The wistful way he’d talked about wishing to see us more when he was on the road, how I’d hoped when he said “you lot,” he wasn’t really talking about thewholelot, how he sent me pictures of things from his travels that reminded him of me.

What I didn’t think of was how much he was loving Amsterdam and how quickly it was becoming a contender for his new home.

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