1
HALLE
‘I’m sorry to have to tell you this, Halle, but you’re in serious danger.’ My best friend Vanessa’s face fell.
‘Danger?’ I frowned, holding my beef taco in mid-air.‘Of what?’
‘Of your poor vagina being resealed due to lack of activity!’ she cackled, before draining her glass of red wine and slamming it on the table triumphantly like she’d just told the best joke ever.
‘Not funny andharsh.’ I rolled my eyes before sliding the last taco bite into my mouth.It was delicious and I resented the fact that her stupid comment had delayed me from finishing it by at least ten valuable seconds.
‘But it’strue! That guy at the bar has been giving you seriouslet me rock your worldvibes all night and you’ve ignored him.Again.’
‘For good reason!Every time we come to this bar, he’s cosying up to a different woman.He’s got player written all over him.’
‘That doesn’t have to be a bad thing.You could do with a good roll in the hay.You know I love you, but just because you’re waiting for your knight in shining armour to ride in and sweep you off your feet, doesn’t mean you can’tridesomeone else in the meantime!Safely, of course.Seriously, Hal,’ she ran her hand through her sleek, jet-black shoulder-length hair, ‘it’s been two years since you’ve had a shag.Just go over there, tell him you want to bang and take him home.’
‘Are you insane?’ I gasped.‘He could be a murderer.And I don’t even know if he fancies me!’
‘Firstly, Harvey, the owner, told me that’s his best friend’s son, so if he does anything, I’ll know where to hunt him down.And secondly,of coursehe fancies you!You’re gorgeous.Your parents knew exactly what they were doing when they named you Halle – you’re the spitting image of Halle Berry.You could easily pass for her younger sister.Your chocolate curls are popping, your gorgeous brown skin is glowing, your nails are flawless as always, and that pink lip gloss you’re rocking suits you.Is it new?’
‘No…’ I eyed her suspiciously.She wasn’t usually so effusive with the compliments.She must really want me to get back out there.‘Er… thanks.’
‘Just speaking the truth, babe.Anyway, I’ve lost count of the times bar guy’s checked you out since we’ve been coming here.Hedefinitelylikes you.Plus, you’re a Brit living in New York.All you have to do is sayhelloand he’ll get an instant boner from your accent.’
‘That’s such a cliché,’ I scoffed.
‘Works for me!’ She grinned.‘The other day, there was a hot policeman cordoning off an area downtown, so I went over, put on my best Liz Hurley accent and said, “Oh, my goodness, officer.What anearthhas happened here?” And you know the first thing he said?’
‘What?’
‘Well, after he told me someone had been attacked, which obvs was terrible, he said, “Hey!Nice accent.” Trust me.These American guys are putty in our hands.Moving to New York was the best thing we ever did.You need to take advantage of it more.It’s a dating hotbed.’
‘Foryoumaybe.’
When I was growing up and watching TV shows set in New York, I used to think it was the dating metropolis.But the reality was that ever since I’d moved here six years ago it’d been moresexlessthanSex and the City.
‘It could be for you too.If you were more open-minded.’
‘You’re not talking about threesomes again, are you?’ I narrowed my eyes.
‘No!It’s hard enough getting you to getoneman into bed, never mind two.I mean, being open-minded to dating opportunities.I know you’ve got your reasons, so I understand why you’re worried, but at some point, you have to try again.’
‘Iamopen-minded!’ I protested.‘I signed up to that Love Hotel place.’
‘Correction:Isigned you up for your birthday.’
‘And I’m going to pay you back every single cent for that deposit because that waswaytoo generous of you.Might take me approximately twenty-five years, but I’ll find the cash eventually.’
I still couldn’t believe Vanessa had done that for me.The deposit was over fifteen hundred dollars, but Vanessa said when she kept hearing me talk about how cool it sounded, she wanted to help.
The Love Hotel was a luxury resort where you were guaranteed to find your Mr Right.They had locations in Europe and they’d announced that they were opening up a branch in the US soon.I didn’t know exactly where yet, but in the unlikely event that I got selected (places were like gold dust), I’d be up for going.
‘I’m happily single and childfree and I have a great job, so I have money to spend.We’ve been best friends for practically our whole lives!So if I can’t spoil you once in a while, what’s the point?’
Our dads both grew up together in New York and fell in love with British women when they moved to London and although Vanessa was a few years older than me, I’d known her since birth.
‘Well, I appreciate it.’
