Jimmy let out a laugh. ‘Just pick your favourite and I’ll order it for you.’ He smiled, looking like he was enjoying my confusion.
‘What do you fancy?’ I asked, feeling the task of choosing from the endless food dishes of the world to be far too great.
‘It’s your choice. What do you feel like eating?’ He sat in the seat so elegantly, one leg crossed over the other. I couldn’t remember the last time Philip let me pick our meal; he always chose. He acted like he knew the best dish on every menu at every restaurant, and I was happy to go along. At least, I’d thought I was.
‘C’mon, Ella. What do you like?’ Jimmy grinned. ‘You don’t have to pick small to be polite. Be outrageous!’ His eyes twinkled, as if it were a challenge.
‘Honestly, if I were being that outrageous, I’d pick a Big Mac and fries. I’ve been dying to try it over here. The portions seem humongous!’ I laughed. ‘Basic, I know!’
‘A McDonald’s!’ he blurted, laughing hard, then rummaged through his pocket and brought out his phone. ‘What drink?’
‘Are you Just Eating this?’ I giggled.
Jimmy peered up from his phone. ‘No, I’m messaging one of my staff your order, and she’ll go collect it and bring it here.’
‘Are you having one?’ I smiled, wondering if his personal trainer would allow him a night off.
‘Hell, yes I am!’ Jimmy replied, placing his phone back in his pocket. ‘Extra-extra-large and all the cheese!’
Chapter Twenty-Six
Ella
Twenty minutes later, Jimmy and I were tucking into American-sized McDonald’s burgers and fries, and sipping on Cokes. The burgers tasted infinitely better than back home, where they always seemed to forget half the order or the sauce.
Jimmy was halfway through his when he turned to me. ‘Damn, I forgot how good these are,’ he almost grunted.
I agreed and stuffed more fries into my mouth. ‘So, so good!’ I said between bites, then gestured with a fry towards Jimmy. ‘You should start a McDonald’s Friday at work – every Friday, order this in.’ I smiled, feeling my cheeks push out as I took another big bite.
Jimmy’s shoulders bobbed as he fought not to laugh with his mouth full. He covered his mouth with one hand and, after swallowing, turned to me. ‘How are you liking New York so far?’
‘It’s good, everything is very cool,’ I said. ‘I feel like I’m existing in a movie set.’
Jimmy huffed. ‘I’m glad. I wasn’t sure if you were enjoying it because you never seem to leave your desk!’
I paused, a knot tightening in my stomach. Lately, nothing brought me real joy; the weight of the app, combined with Katy’s stalker drama and the way Philip had ended things, all pressed down on me, sometimes making it hard to breathe.
‘I’ve been a bit stressed, I must admit.’ I tried to pull my lips into a shaky smile, attempting an eye roll to lighten the mood.
Jimmy’s face remained serious, concern etched plainly in his eyes.
‘Talk to me about it.’ He set down the last piece of his burger, wiped his hand on a napkin, then leaned in slightly, waiting for me to continue.
‘Honestly, I’m one of those people who stress and overthink anyway. Often about nothing.’ I smiled. ‘It’s been a lifelong problem.’
Jimmy wasn’t convinced. He sipped his Coke and sat back. ‘Ella, have you ever heard the phrase “a problem shared is a problem halved”?’
I grinned, placing down my food too. ‘I have, but the problem is, it’s not one problem .?.?.’
Jimmy tilted his chin, looking for more.
‘Well, my boyfriend broke up with me for coming out here. He didn’t want me to pitch The Dicktionary Club; he disagrees with the concept, sees it as just malicious gossiping about men, which he kind of thinks is immoral. He’s this huge entrepreneur back in Scotland, and I really wanted to make this project work, so I came anyway. Then, I found out after a few days that he’s been papped with a twenty-three-year-old influencer, and they’re an item.’ I pushed my burger away, suddenly losing my appetite, thinking of Philip’s glossy twig of a girlfriend.
‘Well, that is a whole lot of stress,’ Jimmy said.
‘Yeah,’ I agreed, my voice barely above a whisper. ‘But the worst part is, I think he’s right.’ I spoke quietly, shame prickling along my skin like a confession I could barely contain.
‘How do you mean?’ Jimmy leaned in closer.
