Page 59 of Still Me
“I mean it. Call me.”
I walked out, feeling his eyes on my back the whole way. As Nathanhailed a yellow taxi, I turned as the door was closing. I could only just make him out through a tiny gap as it swung shut, but it was enough to see he was still watching me. And smiling.
—
I called Sam. “Hey,” I said, when he picked up.
“Lou? Why am I even asking? Who else would ring me at four forty-five in the morning?”
“So what are you doing?” I lay back on my bed and let my shoes drop from my feet onto the carpeted floor.
“Just back off a shift. Reading. How are you? You sound cheerful.”
“Been to a bar. Tough day. But I feel a lot better now. And I just wanted to hear your voice. Because I miss you. And you’re my boyfriend.”
“And you’re drunk.” He laughed.
“I might be. A little. Did you say you were reading?”
“Yup. A novel.”
“Really? I thought you didn’t read fiction.”
“Oh, Katie got it for me. Insisted I’d enjoy it. I can’t face the endless inquisitions if I keep not reading it.”
“She’s buying you books?” I pushed myself upright, my good mood suddenly dissipating.
“Why? What does buying me a book mean?” He sounded half amused.
“It means she fancies you.”
“It does not.”
“It totally does.” Alcohol had loosened my inhibitions. I felt the words coming before I could stop them. “If women try to make you read something it’s because they fancy you. They want to be in your head. They want to make you think of stuff.”
I heard him chuckle. “And what if it’s a motorcycle repair manual?”
“Still counts. Because then she’d be trying to show you what a cool, sexy, motorbike-loving kind of chick she is.”
“Well, this isn’t about motorbikes. It’s some French thing.”
“French? This is bad. What’s the title?”
“Madame de.”
“Madame de what?”
“JustMadame de. It’s about a general and some earrings and...”
“And what?”
“He has an affair.”
“She’s making you read books about French people who have affairs? Oh, my God. She totally fancies you.”
“You’re wrong, Lou.”
“I know when someone fancies someone, Sam.”
