“Hey, Ryan!” I say, trying to sound upbeat and excited rather than exasperated at the situation. “How are you feeling about your big day? Whoop whoop!”
I’m not really a “whoop whoop” person, so it sounds a bit sarcastic as I say it, but nothing I can do about that now.
“Very excited, it’s going to be great,” he tells me. “I’m sorry about Jamie, I haven’t actually spoken to him this morning.”
“He doesn’t know I’m picking him up?”
“I know he was coming on the train, and when another guest let me know they were canceled this morning, I thought I’d message him and get Isabelle to contact you ASAP, so the crisis was averted.”
“Very efficient of you.”
“He hasn’t replied yet, though. I was messaging him last night and he was out with his colleagues, so I think he probably had a big one knowing he had today off. If you keep ringing the doorbell, he should wake up.”
“Uh—”
“Honestly, don’t worry, he’s just a heavy sleeper. Ring the doorbell a few more times, I’ll give him a call, and if he doesn’t appear, then we can say we tried! He’ll have to come down on a train this evening if they’re back up and running then, which fingers crossed they will be!”
“Okay. I’ll do that. Thanks, Ryan.”
“See you soon!”
We hang up and I sigh, shoving my phone in my pocket. This is ridiculous. He might not even beawakeyet?! If that’s true then he better get ready fast, because I do not want to hang around. I’ve already wasted time standing here on his doorstep. I ring the doorbell again. Part of me doesn’t want him to answer, because then I have the excuse to get going.
But then I hear footsteps approaching the door. It swings open and I’m greeted by a man in his boxer shorts. I freeze, no idea what to say or where to look.
“Hi, sorry, I’m coming,” he mumbles, squinting at me and pushing his scruffy hair back. “I’ll be with you in a bit.”
Then he just shuts the door again. Um.Hello.Where are his manners?! He didn’t ask who I was or whether I’d like to come in and wait inside! He didn’t even introduce himself! I remain on his doorstep with my hands on my hips, huffing to myself about what just happened, and then stomp back to the car.
I don’t like this person.
And I can’t believe he answered the door to a stranger in his boxers! That is very almost naked. I feel like I’ve violated his privacy or something, even though I had no choice in seeing him like that. We haven’t even had a conversation, yet I’ve seen his nipples.
When he finally emerges from the house seventeen minutes later, his hair wet from the shower and a carryall slung over his shoulder, I decide not to judge him even though he slammed the door in my face, because it sounds like he is hungover and it’s not really fair to judge a person in that state. After Obi’s wedding, I didn’t bother showering, spent all day in my dressing gown and Ugg boots watching TV, and ordered a large pizza for lunch and another pizza for dinner.
I like to think the delivery drivers didn’t judge me that day, so I will extend the same courtesy to Jamie.
He opens the back door and shoves his bag in the seat, before coming to sit in the front. He makes himself comfortable by moving the seat back and then he turns to me.
“Hi, I’m Jamie.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Freya.”
“Cool. Sorry you had to wait.”
“That’s all right.”
“I had a few drinks last night. Hey, do you mind if I have a nap?”
I blink at him. “Sorry?”
“I would really like to sit back and sleep, but that’s probably considered quite rude when I don’t know you and you’re driving me to Devon. So I thought it’s probably better just to ask.”
“Oh. Um. That’s fine. Yeah, of course. Have a good nap.”
“Thanks.” He settles back against the headrest and closes his eyes. “I promise I’ll be more human when I wake up and then you’ll like me more.”
Giving him a strange look, I turn the key in the ignition and set off. Within a couple of minutes, he’s snoring.Snoring.I roll my eyes and put on a podcast about the secret life of lemurs, who, I come to learn, are fascinating little creatures.
