"It was vibrating and I've been waiting to hear about another opportunity all day. So… yeah… it was nice meeting you but let's not do this again… ' My panic rose along with my embarrassment to make a horrifying blend of awkwardness. ‘Bye.’
I saw Oliver rise from his chair but didn’t want to stick around to hear him try and stop me.
With blood whooshing around my head, I retraced my steps down the staircase and scurried across the shop to the back door. As soon as I got it open, I stumbled out and took a lungful of cold London air.
Placing a hand on my stomach, I attempted to calm my breathing.Why am I like this? Why, why, why?
The sound of the door closing behind me made my anxiety ease slightly. It was done. As long as I could avoid running into Oliver from now until I die, I could pretend that this entire thing was simply a blip in the space-time continuum.
I mean… I got a shot at a way out of this monumental hole I’d dug myself, and I just managed to fuck it all up in five minutes flat. A growl of frustration released from the back of my throat. Maybe my family was right… perhaps I was completely inept at being an adult.
‘I don’t know. It wasn’t that bad.’ A voice came from behind me.
I whirled around, all the air leaving my lungs on a scream. ‘Jesus.’My heart slammed against my ribcage. Any moment now, I’d die from a heart attack. Great. Just great.
‘Nope. Oliver.’ He corrected, his back leaning against thedoor I thought had closed behind me, arms folded over his chest. The picture of ease. He must have slipped out before it fully closed. His intense blue eyes surveyed me, once more making me feel like a skeleton being picked raw by crows.
‘Why didn’t you tell me you were there?’ I demanded.
Oliver shrugged, ‘You seemed like you needed a minute. Plus, you’re a very entertaining person.’
I froze.Entertaining. A form of amusement.Something to laugh at.My stomach dropped.
Oliver wasn’t the first person to laugh at me, and he wouldn’t be the last. It didn’t stop the hurt from niggling at me.
‘Glad I amuse you.’ I was about to turn around and leave when he stepped forward and held up a hand to stop me.
‘You’re hiding something. That’s plain as fucking day. But doing this book is my best option, and as much as I hate to admit it… for some reason I cannot begin to fathom, I want you to do it.’
I took a step back. ‘But-’ I pointed at the door behind him. ‘Tony.’
Oliver let out a caustic laugh. ‘Tony wants me to play football again because that means he keeps his reputation and earns a big fat paycheck. But he’s a dick.’ He took a furtive glance in each direction before stepping forward. ‘Look, can we talk?’
‘We are.’
His nostrils flared, and his face pinched in an expression that told me he didn’t appreciate my flippancy.
We stood so close that I could feel his breath on my cheeks. His height meant I had to strain my neck to look up at him. Based on the slight pull on the corner of his lips, he liked that.
‘I need a drink and I’m hungry. Come on.’ Without sayinganother word, he yanked a cap out of his back pocket, and pulled it low over his eyes, breezing past me to the street.
Like the glutton for punishment that I was. I followed.
17
FALLON
‘How would this work then?’ Oliver lifted a pint of beer to his lips and took a long sip. We sat opposite each other at a table in the pub where we’d met only last week. Turns out it’s the one the brothers frequented because of its proximity to George’s work. Oliver had waltzed in with me trailing behind him and ordered a burger and fries to accompany his beer.
My brain was barely functioning after the blur of events this evening.
‘How does what work?’ I stared at him as he took a large bite of his burger.
Oliver waved a finger between the two of us. ‘This. The book. You and me.’
My chest tightened inexplicably when he said,you and me, but I took a deep breath and blamed it on the chaos of the day.
I shrugged. Honestly, I had no idea how this worked. ‘You talk. I write.’
