‘He was. He really,reallywas.’ It was hard enough not to get upset over her dad when she was sober, but now there was no chance at restraint. Tears stung her eyes and her heart contracted in angst. ‘Oh Fin, how on earth did we end up here?’ Eleanor rested her head on his shoulder.
‘At the wedding? Wow, I didn’t realize you werethatdrunk.’ He laughed.
‘No, you idiot. How did we end uphere?’ She gesticulated wildly. ‘Drunk and single at a wedding at thirty-four years old?’ She sighed.
‘I’m not drunk. And you’re not single,’ he stated.
‘Yes, I am,’ she slurred slightly.
‘What about Ben?’
‘Technically’ – she raised a pointed finger at Fin – ‘I’m not his girlfriend.’
‘Not yet.’ He grinned.
Eleanor shrugged, her head rolling forwards. ‘Won’t be long until he gets bored of me and goes.’
‘Hey. Don’t say that.’
‘Why? It’s true. Sometimes I look in the mirror and don’t even recognize myself any more. Like … whoisthis woman? This boring, stuck-in-her-routine, grown-upwoman,’ she garbled.
‘Stop with the “old” thing, because if you’re old, I’m old and I refuse to believe that.’ He nudged her affectionately.
‘Fine,’ she lamented. ‘I’m olderthan I was.’
‘Better.’
‘And more boring.’
‘No! Not boring.’
‘I spent my New Year’s Eve getting drunk on wine and crying over the fact I couldn’t even think ofoneresolution, not one thing I wanted to do for the year ahead. I had to use this stupid journal thing Freya got me to help. You want to know what I wrote?’ She swayed a little.
‘Go on …’
‘Talk to my mum more. Big fucking whoop!’ She began tohowl with laughter. ‘Oh, wait, and drink less. Which I’m clearly failing at.’
‘I should probably have done both of those a long time ago.’ He dropped his head.
‘I’m sorry. I didn’t even think.’ A flash of guilt cut through her thick tequila fog.
‘Don’t be silly. It’s fine.’
The pair exchanged a loaded look.
‘Your New Year’s sounds a total blast compared to mine.’ He smirked. ‘Mine was spent breaking up with my girlfriend, who decided to throw a large number of very solid items at my face. Then I stayed home while all my friends went out and got completely shit-faced. I woke up and had to fly for nearly eleven hours next to a guy who felt the need to not only take up every possible speck of room available to him, but also tell me in detail about his messy divorce from his third wife.’
‘Jesus Christ, that sounds bad.’ Eleanor burst out laughing, the force of it nearly sending her toppling backwards off the wall.
‘Woah there. Steady on!’ Fin caught her, his hand warm against the small of her back. He pulled her upright and held her steady. ‘I don’t think either of us want this night to end with you in an ambulance, thank you very much.’
Through the cloud of the alcohol Fin’s face was only a blur. A haze of freckles and red hair, but a haze that she’d know anywhere, even after all those years apart. His hand lingered at the base of her spine and she could feel the warmth from his skin through the thin fabric of her dress. There was a pull deep inside her navel. A tugging, a longing, a memory. The way he was looking at her. The force of herheart beating in her chest. This moment. They’d been here before. The years melted away and before she knew what was happening, her lips were on his. The smell of his skin sent comforting waves through her body. The weight of her nearly knocked him backwards, but he steadied himself and she felt him pull her closer. His hands were holding her tightly, his mouth on hers.
She was kissing him.
Eleanor Levy was kissing Finley Taylor.
And in that moment she never wanted it to stop.
