‘Could be.’
‘You can’t drive like that,’ said Nora, sounding all grown-up.
‘I know. Plus Elsie isn’t fixed anyway. But if Ned and I kissed maybe I don’t want to rush back to civilization.’
‘Oh…’ Nora sounded a bit sad.
‘Are you OK?’
‘Yeah, I’m absolutely and completely fine. I was looking forward to some girly chats. You know. It’s just been me and Jay and… he’s OK… actually he’s great. But he’s still not you.’
‘I will be coming back, just not right now. I think maybe I need to investigate this thing with Ned.’
‘Of course. You must investigate Ned’s thing. Everyone seems to have a thing. And that’s great. I am happy for you.’
‘Nora, you don’t sound right at all.’ Dixie was startingto think that perhaps she should call a taxi and go to Nora’s anyway as there was definitely something wrong.
Nora sighed down the phone. ‘Jay is seeing Tasha Blake. And that’s cool. His film is going to be huge and everything is changing. I need to get my head around it all. I’ll have a glass of wine and a pizza and I’ll talk it over with Oliver. I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.’
‘OK. If you’re sure.’ Dixie looked over her shoulder at a dishevelled Ned sitting up. She could tell he was experiencing the same confusion she had but when their eyes met his smile was warm and she knew it was going to be OK.
*
Nora knew it wasn’t a good idea to sit at home and wallow with wine and a pizza, however tempting it was. What she needed to do was stop dwelling on the lives of others– Dixie happy with Ned, Jay dating his dream girl– and look to her own. She was happy for her friends, but her own life was not as rosy.
She decided that she was the only person who could solve that. And she knew exactly how to do it.
Nora picked up the phone and made a call. Her future started here.
Nora was early to the Italian restaurant. Mainly because she didn’t want any reason to back out. She had reviewed all her exes and now she had made a decision. Einsteinhad said the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. She had broken the cycle.
The door opened and Nora instinctively turned to see Liam stride in. He looked gorgeous and confident. He was perfect. They had history, a shared love of numbers and he was a good man. There was nothing more she needed. Liam fitted the bill. Now all she had to do was find out if he felt the same about her.
‘Hey,’ he said, leaning down and planting a kiss on her cheek.
‘Thanks for coming,’ she said as he took a seat opposite.
‘No worries. Is everything OK? It sounded serious on the phone.’
‘Shall we order some drinks and then we can chat?’ It wasn’t that she wanted to delay the discussion, but she really did need that glass of wine now.
‘Of course.’ Liam nodded at a waiter and they quickly came over. ‘Please can we order some drinks?’
‘Absolutely, sir. Would you like the wine menu?’
Liam looked at Nora. ‘Still like a Merlot?’ he asked.
It was nice that he remembered and it put her a little at ease. ‘That’ll be good.’
‘A bottle of Merlot please.’
The waiter nodded and disappeared. Now they were in that awkward in between part where they had no drinks and only the menus to distract them. Nora stared at hers in the hope that Liam would get the message that she wasn’t quite ready to reveal why she’d asked him there.
‘So …’
Nora looked over the top of her menu. Liam was staring at her. ‘I’ve not decided yet,’ she said as she raised the menu. She liked lasagne but she could have that at home. Perhaps she’d go for the gnocchi.
Liam gently pushed her menu down. ‘I know you. There’s something up and now you’re starting to worry me.’
