Page 32 of Power Moves
His voice is small. ‘Forty dollars.’
I burst into peals of laughter.
‘It was a big box!’ he insists.
I’m giggling so hard that the room is spinning, but I can’t stop. Big scary Archie Cohen drinks fancy tea and packs it inhis suitcase for road trips to the country. I start imagining his long pinky finger extended off a dainty teacup and it sends me into more convulsions.
Archie stands up and storms over to the kitchenette, pulling a tiny foil packet from his pocket.
‘Sorry,’ I gasp, trying to steady myself. ‘I actually love this for you. It brings a whole new dimension to the Tinder bro vibe you’ve got going on. You think he’s pulling out a condom, but no: ladies, it’s a packet of tea!’
‘Here,’ he grunts, turning to me with a steaming mug. ‘Try it for yourself.’
I accept the mug with a Cheshire Cat grin.
‘Sit down,’ he commands. ‘You have to let it steep.’
I settle down on the armchair opposite his. The steam drifts up in loopy tendrils.
Archie smirks as he sinks back into his seat. ‘See?’
‘Fine. I’ll admit it smells okay.’ The apples of my cheeks still feel like they’re about to burst out of my face, I’m smiling so hard.
‘Better than okay.’
I inhale again. There are notes of bergamot, a trace of vanilla … it’s slightly earthy. It smells like a warm hug or a cosy blanket on a squashy couch. My mind flickers back to the bus—the jutting of Archie’s shoulders, his suit pants stretched taut across his thighs. I breathe in deeply again, before I realise:Oh! I’m basically inhaling Archie. I start coughing.
Archie narrows his eyes. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Yes,’ I hack, waving away his concern.
My phone beeps.
‘Is that the pizza?’ asks Archie.
‘Bryan,’ I answer, turning the screen face-down. I’ll respond to him later.
‘Oh!’ Archie’s eyes light up. ‘Isthatwho you were talking to before at the presser, when you were making that face?’
‘It wasn’t a face.’
‘It was a constipated face.’
‘No, it wasn’t.’
‘Then show me yourrealconstipated face.’
I almost start clenching before I realise this is a trap.
‘Bryan islovely,’ I huff.
‘So why’d you break up?’
Because he didn’t get my jokes. He used the word ‘slacks’ and thought it was strange that I found that funny.
‘We never saw each other,’ I say. ‘I was always working.’
Archie smirks. ‘I work a lot too.’
