Page 3 of Forever, Maybe
Relief rushed through Daniel so quickly it left him light-headed. “Great. I’ll, uh… I’ll figure out the ‘or something’ part.”
Her smile widened, and for the first time that night, she looked as if she might actually be enjoying herself.
Then her words tumbled out in a breathless rush. “Thank you so much that’s a lovely offer but it’s the end of term and I’m supposed to be going to France always wanted to go…”
Daniel blinked, utterly lost. Nell caught the look and paused, forcing herself to take a deep breath. “Sorry,” she said, her cheeks flushing faintly. “Too much booze. What I meant was… I’m heading to France for the summer.”
There it was. Her way of saying it wasn’t worth starting something when she was about to disappear for three months.
Daniel’s heart sank, but his mum’s “all work” refrain looped through his head like a taunt.
“Och, so what?” he said, feigning nonchalance. “Maybe we’ll hate each other anyway.” He met her eyes, forcing a grin. “How about a picnic at Kelvingrove Park this Sunday? I’m no’ working, and I’ll bring the food.”
The silence continued so long, panicking him into salesman mode. “Eh… I’m an alright guy! I put the loo seat down when I’ve used it. What’s that book all the lassies like? Circle of Friends? I’ve no’ read it, but my mate’s girlfriend has, and she read us bits o’ it. Sounded alri-awfy good. My mum, I’m kind to her! Flowers! They’re fantastic. Make-up’s brilliant too, and if you ever need me to buy you fanny pads, that’s fine!”
Nell’s expression shifted from bemusement to outright astonishment.
“Not fanny pads, sorry. I meant sanitary towels. Or, you know, the things you stick up—”
Dear God in Govan, he was making it worse.Stop talking, Daniel. Just stop.He stared at the ground, hoping it might open and swallow him whole.
The disastrous attempt at charm had been cobbled together from his woefully limited understanding of “what women wanted”: his mum’s advice (the toilet seats and flowers), Joe’s latest girlfriend’s obsession withCircle of Friendsand a vague memory of Sara Cox mentioning the willingness of a boyfriend to buy fanny pads onThe Girlie Showas a hallmark of a good man.
Tomorrow, he’d tell Joe they could never, ever bring the van back here again.
But then Nell nodded—vigorously, almost comically so—like she was overcompensating for how long it had taken her to respond. “That sounds nice,” she said, her tone light.
Daniel grinned, emboldened by the tiny victory. Too emboldened. “You never know,” he said, grinning like an idiot. “This could be forever! In years to come, we’ll tell all our weans we met when I gave you a free sandwich!”
Fucking hell. What was wrong with him tonight? Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Joe, who was pretending to gag, two fingers shoved into his mouth. Daniel could already hear the teasing he would endure for the next week if not the rest of his life.
Nell, thankfully, didn’t seem fazed. A smile tugged at her lips, softening her sharp features. “You never know,” she said, the words laced with amusement. “Maybe.”
With that, she hauled herself to her feet, wobbling slightly but steady enough.
“See you Sunday, Danny, Dan, Daniel!” she called over her shoulder, her voice sing-song. “Best sandwich maker in the whole world!”
She was gone before Daniel realised one crucial detail.
They hadn’t agreed on a time.
Chapter one
Twenty-twoyearslater
Nell’s phone buzzed as she stood outside the Theta Bar and Grill, a newly opened spot in the city centre that had quickly becometheplace to be.
Running a few mins late. Won’t be long. Promise X.
So far, so predictable.
Sighing, she decided she might as well wait inside. The air had a bite to it, and lingering on the pavement felt increasingly pointless.
Tommo, ever the charmer, greeted her at the door and whisked her upstairs. He insisted on taking her coat, his cheerfulness matched only by his determination to make everyone feel special. “Aye, business is booming, Nell,” he declared, gesturing to the packed tables around them. It was hard to argue with him. A Thursday night, no less, and the place was heaving.
Glaswegians, it seemed, were more than ready for reasonably priced Greek food, even if it meant joining a waiting list. Theta had hit the jackpot.
Her table was tucked beside a window overlooking the street. She sat, gazing out at the small group of women weaving their way down the pavement, arms linked like a human chain. Their heels were impossibly high, the kind that defied both logic and physics. Nell marvelled at their coordination, especially as one tossed her head back, laughing loud enough to be heard through the glass. Someone, at least, was having a good night.
