He starts to clap. ‘I’m going to convert you to romantic fiction, Nelly.’
‘Careful,’ I say, which makes him laugh.
35
When I wake up, I know Oliver is in the bathroom as I can hear the shower running.
The sound of him singing in the shower drifts through the wall, causing my heart to have an early morning flutter. I go to the kitchen to make myself a coffee. I have my back to the doorway when I hear his voice. ‘Good morning, Nelly.’
It makes me jolt and spill the coffee I’ve just poured. When I turn round, he’s in his dressing gown. His hair is dripping wet, and he’s beaming at me.
‘Do you fancy going for a picnic tonight?’ he asks.
I blink. ‘A picnic?’
He shrugs. ‘It’s going to be nice weather tonight. What do you think?’
My anxiety climbs into the driving seat. ‘I’m not sure what I’m doing.’
He grins. ‘Nelly, you’ve not been out since I moved in. Come on. I need to get you out.’
A picnic. That doesn’t sound too bad. I nibble on my thumb, a habit that soothes me.
‘Don’t worry, it’s not a date,’ he says. ‘We’re two flatmates having a picnic.’
I am glad he’s clarified that.
He flicks his wet hair out of his face, and in doing so, he lets his robe slip. It reveals his tanned, muscular shoulder, and my heart goes berserk.
‘What about Alfie?’
‘He’s at his gran’s tonight, so I’m not needed. How about it?’
‘Yes, okay.’
I should never have agreed to this. My body is a traitor. I see one flash of some tanned and well-defined shoulder, and I agree to all sorts.
Oliver’s suggestion is making my heart go wild. I am blaming that slip of a robe for everything. On the way to work, I pop in my earbuds and search for a suitable song to soothe my flustered state. To my frustration, I can’t find any songs written about two flatmates, who share a bed because of a plumbing leak, and decide to have a completely innocent picnic together.
* * *
My day at the bookshop is quiet. Miranda has decided to take the day off. She rang me as I walked to work. I was expecting her to sound like she’d hit rock bottom, but she sounded almost gleeful. ‘I have some things I need to sort out,’ she gushed. ‘It’s exciting. Have a great day, Nelly.’
The ending of a fifteen-year relationship and heartbreak is not meant to sound like this. My curse has always shown me suffering and upset. Maybe the extent of Frank’s betrayal has not hit her fully yet.
I’ve tried to touch as many people as possible, and my list has reached over three pages. Oliver is still the only person my curse doesn’t work on.
Eva pops in at lunchtime, and I talk to her about the picnic.
‘What are you thinking of wearing?’ she asks, leaning over the counter and fiddling with a glittery pen.
‘He said we don’t have to dress smart.’
She scrunches up her face. ‘Please don’t tell me you’re wearing grey jeans and a black T-shirt. You need to do something with your hair, too. I’m thinking loose curls.’ She smiles and surveys my clothes. ‘A pretty dress would be ideal for a picnic. Maybe topped off with some white sandals.’
‘It’s just a picnic, Eva.’
She raises her eyebrows and grins. ‘Isit just a picnic, Nelly?’
