‘This is one of my favourite spots in the city,’ I tell him. ‘I love the lights, the cobbles, the stunning architecture. Leeds really is my favourite city. Although I bet everyone says that, about their home town.’
‘Nah, I think you might be on to something,’ he replies. ‘I love London but it’s so big, and so expensive. I like that, when I’m here, I can get pretty much anywhere in a few minutes.’
‘Imagine having to get the Tube to a Primark,’ I reply. ‘See that building, over there? That’s where Primark is.’
I point along Boar Lane, towards Trinity.
‘I can see McDonald’s and Burger King from here,’ he replies with a laugh.
‘Not that you’d get that far, because you have to walk past Five Guys,’ I joke.
‘True,’ he replies. ‘What if I wanted a Starbucks?’
‘Oh, well, you’d have to trek a little further for that,’ I say seriously. ‘There’s one on the first right, the second right, or left to the train station. You could be outside any of them in under five minutes.’
He laughs.
‘See, I like that,’ he tells me. ‘Everything is just… great. And I’m starting to learn my way around now. I know that my hotelis just behind us, and that the office is just over the bridge from there.’
‘Well then, you’re practically a Yorkshireman,’ I tell him.
I turn to look at him, at his kind eyes, and his soft smile. I love when he is funny and flirtatious but when that side of him goes dormant, and this side of him comes out – I’m in love, so to speak.
‘So, you’re sticking around a few more days?’ I ask, moving the conversation along.
‘Yeah, had a meeting with Jennifer today,’ he replies.
‘Oh, so she wants you now?’ I tease.
‘She always wanted me,’ he says, playfully narrowing his eyes. ‘The first version of her really wanted me.’
I sigh heavily.
‘Doesn’t that feel like a long time ago?’ I reply.
‘It really does,’ he tells me. ‘Best Valentine’s Day I’ve ever had though – haven’t had a good one since.’
‘There has only been once since,’ I point out.
‘Well, last year I spent the whole day in bed, hot and sweaty, tissues everywhere – I had a terrible cold,’ he adds with a laugh. ‘What did you do?’
I sigh again.
‘I went on a date with Steve,’ I tell him.
‘Were you two serious?’ he asks me.
‘No, not at all,’ I insist.
If I’m being honest, the only reason I went on a date with Steve last Valentine’s Day was because all I could think about was the year before, with Ethan, and how amazing it was, and I was feeling down, and soooo single, and Steve asked – I don’t think I’ll say that to Ethan though.
‘We dated a bit but I only moved in with him recently, when I needed somewhere in a pinch, and he offered. No strings…’
‘Let me guess, there were strings?’ he replies with a knowing smile.
‘Oh, like I’m a puppet, and he’s my master,’ I confirm. ‘But it’s not really working out in the way he had hoped. I reckon he’s going to kick me out any day, when he realises it isn’t going to get me back.’
‘Do you really think he would kick you out, just because you won’t date him?’ he replies.
