Page 53 of Take a Moment

‘Hi,’ he greets me as he reaches my table. ‘Nice to see you again. I hope you’re not here on your own?’

‘My friend’s just in the ladies’,’ I reply automatically.

‘I remember you said on the train you liked a bit of karaoke but I didn’t realise you were a pro. You played that one down.’

His eyes search mine. My pulse quickens, and I feel like every coherent thought has fallen out of my head.

‘You saw? I… err… guess I can hold a tune.’

‘That was quite obvious. You have an impressive voice.’

‘Oh… thanks.’

‘How are you? Are you still settling in all right?’

‘Yeah, I’m loving it actually.’ I finally get myself together. ‘My best friend from Glasgow is down this weekend, so we’re making the most of it.’

‘Good stuff.’ He nods in approval, smiling.

There’s a momentary silence between us, during which I mentally kick myself up the arse ten times over for letting the ridiculously attractive blonde have this man.

‘I’m glad I’ve bumped into you,’ says Matt eventually. ‘I actually wanted to apologise.’

‘For what?’

‘I may have been a bit stand-offish last time we spoke. Probably a male pride thing.’ He cringes a little.

He’s apologising to me? After my behaviour? Allowing this man to slip through my fingers has been a far greater mistake than I even realised.

‘Matt, no. No way. I was the one that was off. I was… dealing with some stuff.’

‘I’m sorry to hear that. Is everything all right now?’

‘It is.’

‘That’s good.’ His gorgeous, melty-dark eyes are searching mine again.

I realise I can’t bear it. If I no longer have a chance with him, I need to get rid of him.

‘Think your girlfriend’s looking for you.’ I tilt my head towards the blonde, who’s looking right at us, her face – naturally – curious.

Matt turns and signals to her that he’ll be right there. ‘That’s my sister. Nosey one, she is.’

His sister? Matt’s words and what I saw don’t seem to match. I glance across at the blonde again. She’s still standing with the two guys Matt was chatting to before, but now she’s teasing the one in the orange T-shirt, arms round his neck – in a very non-sibling way. Which means: Matt may still be single.

‘Your sister?’ I purse my lips in anticipation. ‘Huh.’

‘Baby sister,’ Matt clarifies, as though this is important.

‘Any actual girlfriend here tonight I should know about?’

‘Not a one.’

‘Or back at home? At her apartment? Getting legless with the rest of Broad Street?’

‘No.No.And no.’ He grins, having now cottoned on to my game. ‘There’s no girlfriend or significant other. Period.’

‘Ri-gh-t.’ I digest this rather glorious information. ‘And you don’t hold grudges, it seems.’

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