Page 71 of From Now On

‘Yes.’

‘But not Nina’s teacher, Charlie.’

‘No. Not Nina’s teacher.’

Charlie waits until the door has closed before he places the pillow over his face.

Later, he has showered and is frying a hearty brunch, a mug of strong coffee in his hand.

Nina sticks her head into the kitchen. ‘I’m going to Maeve’s.’

‘Do you want a lift?’ he offers.

‘You’re probably still over the limit.’ She gives him such a scathing look he feels himself shrivel like the bacon in the pan.

‘I’m sorry about last night. I meant what I said though. Absolutely no more women. You and Duke come first. Even if Jennifer Lawrence knocks on the door and asks me to dinner.’ He smiles at her; she doesn’t smile back but he doesn’t stop trying, ‘I could pick you up later?’

‘If it’s darkSeanwill drive me.’ There’s a challenge in her words and he knows that she is goading him but he’s just grateful she is speaking to him at all.

‘Good to know,’ he says, although he thinks it’s anything but.

‘Charlie?’ she asks uncertainly. ‘When was your first kiss?’

He is thrown. He jumps at the spit of oil on his hand and he turns off the gas under the pan.

‘I was six. We were in the sandpit at school and she had the red bucket and I really wanted it so she swapped it with my yellow one and I was so happy I kissed her.’

‘I mean your first proper kiss.’

‘I was thirteen and we’d watchedPay it Forwardabout a kid whose kindness changes the world. She cried at the end and… and I remember wanting to take away her pain. Thinking, that if I could, I’d feel it for her. She looked so beautiful. It felt right.’

‘And was it… right?’

‘It was. At the time. Sometimes you have to trust your instincts.’

Charlie sees Nina’s face light up and he knows he has said the wrong thing. She spins out of the room and he wants to call her back. Redo the conversation. Tell her she shouldn’t kiss anyone until she is twenty. Thirty.

Until she’s sure he is the right person.

Tell her that Sean isn’t that person.

Pippa looks tired. Dark violet circles under her eyes.

‘What do you want, Charlie?’ She can’t quite look him in the eye. He can’t account for her frosty tone.

‘How’s your head?’

‘Fine.’ She sounds anything but fine. ‘Is there something I can help you with?’

‘I just wanted to see how you are—’

‘Now you’ve seen.’ She begins to shut the door.

‘Yes, and umm, I… I wanted to ask you about the freezer. It’s quite icy—’

‘No shit.’

‘And I wondered whether it needs defrosting.’

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