Days until no more Aiden– 134
Days since our bar chat– 26
Days spent thinking about it– 26
It has been weeks since I sat with Aiden in that cramped little booth, and still the memory of it refuses to die in my brain. I can smell the booze, feel the pull of the sticky dance floor, and the way that his knee brushed against my own. Every minuscule action plays on a loop in my head– the way he smiled, the way he leant, the way his breath felt on my face. . . It is criminal. One person should not have this strong a hold. Especially not someone like Aiden Edwards.
I’ve barely been able to think straight outside of work and, if I’m being fully honest, in it as well. I needed something, anything, to clear my mind, so when I received ominous instructions from Kimi via text, I jumped at them, no questions asked.
What are you doing after work? Don’t answer. You’re hurrying home, putting on your cutest athleisure and being picked up at 6.30.
I have no idea what she’s brewing even as she pulls up at my house, with Raina’s dogs, Pudding and Pretzel, in the back of her car. She ignores every one of my questions as we make the whole journey across town to Richmond Park, distracting me with small talk and rants about her day.
We wander through the park with the dogs and the further we walk, the less things make sense to me. It’s a long way to go on a Tuesday night just for a stroll and a chat. Plus, if she wanted to walk Raina’s dogs, then we could have stayed local and we also could have brought Raina with us.
‘Do I finally get to know what we’re doing?’ I ask, as our conversation comes to a peaceful and warranted lull.
She glances over to me, lips pursed into a tightly contained smile as she attempts to trap her excitement behind her teeth.
‘We’re finding you a man,’ she declares proudly.
‘A man?’
‘Multiple men, potentially,’ she continues. ‘We’ve got to see what the options are and then we’ll decide on the number.’
‘I’m sorry?’
Kimi has come up with many schemes over the years in her self-proclaimed role of Queen Wing Woman. She usually, however, reserves her mischief for bars or clubs, and they never go further than some flirty one-liners or the occasional kiss. Doing it now, in broad daylight in the middle of the week, is truly chaotic, even for her.
‘I was thinking about that conversation you said you had with Aiden and he was right about one thing. You are gorgeous and it’s time you started embracing it, so you are getting out there, beginning today.’
‘Kimi!’ I say in protest.
She’s known me more than long enough to know she can’t just spring things on me, let alone things to do with strange men. I’mnot emotionally prepared to flirt and I do not look the part. I’m not even wearing mascara.
‘You want romance, the husband, the whole nine yards by thirty. But, babe, your love life is one thing you absolutely can’t reduce into a plan. Especially when you’re not getting out there. You’re not even on any of the apps!’
‘Because Ihatethe apps!’
‘We all hate the apps.’ She sighs. ‘Which is why we’re not at home swiping. We are man hunting. In the wild.’
‘At Richmond Park?’
She stops dead mid-stride, before turning to look me in the eye. ‘Ruby, my fave paralegal at work, is dating one of the most gorgeous men I have ever seen in my life. She said they met when they physically ran into each other at Richmond Park, and, hey– you know what they say about lightning striking twice.’
‘That it never does?’ I reply.
‘Oh. Well, forget that one. Um, never say never.’
‘And the dogs?’ I ask, as Pretzel gently tugs on her lead.
‘Everyone’smore approachable if you’re walking a dog. Raina understood the cause and Pretzel loves my car so it’s a win-win. Now, pay attention. We’ve got to find our targets.’
Her eyes survey the smattering of people ambling around the park ignorant to her impervious glare. She scans the grounds with the precision of an army-grade rifle, narrowing in on her options before her neck snaps back at me.
‘What do you think of the two on that bench over there? Well-shaven, nice sweatpants, no ankle on show.’
I glance over. They’re sat laughing at something one of them said, soft smiles and nice faces. I could certainly do worse.
