Chloe shook her head. ‘Remind me never to let you near my dating apps.’
There was an intake of breath from the other end of the line and Chloe wanted to pull back the sentence she’d just let escape without proper thought. She got up from the sofa, put both hands around the coffee cup. This conversation was definitely going to need pacing not standing still.
‘You’re on dating apps!’ Kat exclaimed. ‘I might get sushiandthe sandwich.’
‘I’m not on them… not really.’
‘When I suggested it, you acted like I was trying to get you matched with Luigi Mangione.’
‘Because I wasn’t ready then.’ And she knew for sure, having swiped right and left – mainly left – that she still wasn’t ready now.
‘I can’t believe you kept this from me! I could have helped with your profile! Wait, did Michelle help with your profile?’
Chloe walked towards a patio door she hadn’t noticed before. It led out onto a small decked balcony. She was already unlocking the door, needing the air.
‘No, and why did you say “Michelle” like you were saying “Gargamel”.’
‘Have you been on dates?’
‘No,’ Chloe said.
‘Not one?’
‘I said no.’
‘Well, did you at least talk to some guys?’
‘A couple.’
‘A couple? What, like polyamorously?’
‘No! Not like that. Two guys. Three maybe.’
‘And you didn’t tell me?’
‘There was nothing to tell, Kat, honestly.’
‘But we tell each other everything. Or, at least, I tell you everything.’
The reason she hadn’t told Kat was because Kat would have become more invested in the matches than Chloe herself. And it had taken a lot for Chloe to even add a profile. Those icon choices – have kids, want kids – had been mocking her from the very beginning. But, in the end, the chats just hadn’t been enough of a connection…
‘I do tell you everything, Kat, just, with this, it was something I felt I had to do on my own. Just to, I don’t know, do something other than work. And it didn’t last long. It’s over now.’
There was a sniff over the phone line. Had she really upset her friend?
‘Kat? Are you OK?’
‘Yup, just pausing by the festive candle section before I self-checkout. Who knew chocolate and bayberry was a thing? So… redeem yourself quickly. Tell me everything; tell me about this bus driver!’
Chloe looked out over the rooftops, only the spire of the church towering above her. It was cold but the chill was fresh and it was making her feel immediately more calm and collected, despite winging this trip every step of the way so far.
‘He’s good-looking,’ Chloe said, recalling that her first view of Gunnar had been from literally sitting on him.
‘You said that!’
‘But, it was strange, we just had…’ What had it been? Chat? Connection? Or was it just all circumstantial? He had knocked her over and he was driving the bus she was getting on and he really didn’t want her putting a bad review online.
‘Banter?’ Kat offered.
