My heart performs a series of flips, which I quickly suppress. Once again, she has not warned me about him. ‘You’ve changed your tune. When you came to my flat you kept telling me to stay away from him.’
After a flick of her blonde hair, she smiles. ‘I did warn you but then I thought about this situation. It’s time you started experiencing what the rest of us endure. We don’t get free dating spoilers. We just put our faith in someone and cling to a scrap of hope that they’re not an arsehole.’
I let out a groan.
She smiles. ‘Whatever happens between you and Oliver will be an experience and I think you need it. For too long, you’ve feared getting your heart broken. You need to face your fears.’
‘I’m not getting into anything with Oliver,’ I say, while secretly praying I do get into something with him while he’s wearing that fitted white shirt with the undone buttons.
‘Enjoy your picnic. I’ll be on WhatsApp waiting for an update,’ she says with a wink.
Late in the afternoon, I’m picking up the box of glittery pens that a small child knocked onto the floor when the man who bought the book on dogs approaches the desk. I look up to see him carrying a small puppy. I recall that his ex-wife had taken his much-loved Labrador to Scotland and he bought the book as a comforter. He recognises me and smiles. ‘I thought I would come and introduce you. I saw this puppy in the rehoming centre, and I couldn’t resist.’
The puppy is a small golden Labrador, and it licks my hand.
‘I can’t replace Sandy,’ he says, ‘but this little one is going to help fill in the gaps.’
‘Do they have a name?’
He beams. ‘She’s called Hope.’
‘That’s lovely.’
‘I’ve also made a new friend with one of the ladies at the rehoming centre.’
As he turns to leave, I make sure my hand brushes his bare arm. I see him as an elderly man sitting by a bed with an elderly lady in it. He’s holding her hand and saying, ‘I’m so glad Hope brought us together all those years ago.’
The world becomes muffled and I think about how he’s giving love a chance and it will pay off – he and his new love interest will grow old together. I smile at him as he places a kiss on his puppy’s head.
* * *
Oliver and I are standing in my hallway. He’s wearing a fitted navy shirt, sleeves rolled up to reveal his strong, tanned forearms. His hair is messy and tousled. I have an urge to run my fingers through it. In his hand is a wicker picnic basket he borrowed from Jamie, and he claims there are a lot of nice things to eat inside.
‘You look great, Nelly,’ he says as his eyes wander over my face, my hair – which is not in its usual messy bun but is spread over my shoulders with the ends containing some soft curls – and my pink and white gingham dress.
Earlier, as I climbed the stairs to the flat, I reassured myself that my old grey jeans and black T-shirt would suffice.
I can’t read too much into this. We are simply two adults eating outdoors. It won’t lead to anything. Oliver and I will be bonding over sandwiches.
Oliver was ready when I got in, and the sight of him in the hallway robbed me of breath. I don’t think handsome is good enough for how he looks. There was a stirring in my lower belly, and a warm sensation spread up my legs.
Seconds later, I raced to my wardrobe and opened the section I had locked away while Eva was here. Eva used to comment on my attire. She encouraged me to overhaul my wardrobe and try different hairstyles. She refused to come with me to a cocktail bar if I was going to be dressed in my usual comfort-zone outfit. As a result, I refreshed my wardrobe. When we fell out, I put all the new clothes she had made me buy into a separate part of my wardrobe and vowed never to wear them again. After selecting my gingham dress, I curled my hair and even applied some make-up. When I stepped out of my bedroom, he was standing in the hallway. His eyes widened dramatically and he took a step back. Clearly not expecting such a transformation.
‘Where are we going?’ I ask.
His dark eyes have been embedded with a glint of excitement. ‘It’s a secret.’
I let out a silent groan and pray we’re not going to a busy park.
As we step out of the flat, he takes a key from his pocket and heads towards the private communal garden. ‘Gary gave me a key.’ I take a deep breath. The garden is not somewhere I usually go, as I have always preferred to lock myself away.
‘Nelly, come on,’ encourages Oliver. ‘Do something new.’
I think back to how I swam in the sea when I was at Aunt Polly’s. That was new for me. It turned out better than I expected. Maybe I should give the garden a chance?
As we enter, I let my eyes sweep over the patch of grass, the scattering of trees and the pretty shrubs. My breath catches in my throat. It’s idyllic. Why have I never come in here?
Oliver smiles and strides ahead carrying his picnic basket. I watch as he lays out a beautiful red and white blanket which is more than big enough for both of us. He then takes out an array of fabulous things to eat: little pork pies, cheeses, cold meats, pickles, salad and a bag of crisps. ‘Tuck in.’ He beams, handing me a paper plate and a napkin.
