‘Lotta!’ he called out, feeling like a total idiot in case it wasn’t her.
The woman turned, and he felt his heart grow in his chest. It was her.
‘Mats.’
She looked pleased to see him too. He could see her taking in his suit.
‘How are you?’
‘I’m okay, thanks.’ She had a takeaway box in her hand.
‘I… I should have asked for your number the other day. I don’t know why I didn’t.’ He waited, berating himself for being too bold. Why would she give him her number?
‘Are you asking me for it now?’
‘Yes, yes I am.’ He pulled his phone out of his pocket, unlocked it and handed it to her. ‘I would ask you to join me, but I’m with my sister and I think we’d both regret it.’
‘The chandelier sister?’
He laughed and took his phone back from her. ‘No. My youngest sister. She’d love you but she’d be far too invested in us.’
Lotta laughed too, her face lighting up in a way that made Mats remember exactly how he’d felt at the airport.
‘Maybe we could grab dinner some other time?’ he said, not willing to let her go before he knew when he’d see her again, even though at least he had her number now.
‘I’d love that but I’m flying back tomorrow afternoon.’
His heart sank. ‘That’s a shame.’ It crossed his mind to take the day off, but he was still picking work up for Ole and had a meeting in the morning which could end up taking the day.
‘I’m pretty sure I’ll be back,’ she said. ‘I’d like to keep in touch.’
‘Me too.’ Should he kiss her on the cheek? No. That was too much. ‘I’m glad I saw you, Lotta.’
‘Bye, Mats.’
He held the door open for her and watched her walk away.
‘What was that about?’ Ingrid said when he got back to their table.
‘I saw Lotta.’
‘No! I hope you got her number this time.’
He patted his pocket and grinned. His ramen was cold now, but he ate it anyway. Nothing mattered now he had put righthis grave mistake of not asking for Lotta’s number the first time round.
‘You could have asked her to join us.’
He raised an eyebrow. ‘Not likely.’
‘I’d be a great wingman.’
He spluttered on his beer. ‘It’s a sad state of affairs if I need my little sister to be a wingman.’
‘I’d be a great advert for a potential sister-in-law. Imagine if she met Ida.’ Ingrid rolled her eyes and Mats tried not to laugh, feeling the need to stick up for Ida since she wasn’t here to defend herself.
‘So let me know when your next date is and I’ll tag along.’
Ingrid grinned. ‘Okay.’
