‘It wasn’t just him,’ Dylan said. ‘It was both of us.’
‘… What?’ I said.
‘We got all the way up to the final declaration,’ she said. ‘We were holding hands, we looked each other in the eye, we both took a deep breath, and then we were both like, “nope, not doing this” at exactly the same time.’
I stared.
‘You can ask him if you want,’ she said. ‘I mean, I wouldn’t ask him now, he seems a bit busy having a screaming match with Murray, but tomorrow—’
I kissed her.
She pulled away after a few moments. ‘… Should I have led with that?’ she asked, sounding a bit dazed.
‘Should you have led with “Hey, Mandie, I just risked everything because I love you”?’ I said. ‘Yes! Yes, you should have!’
I kissed her again, hard, then I took both of her hands and kissed them too. ‘I love you too, Dylan,’ I said. ‘So much.’
‘Oh thank God,’ she said, the relief spilling out of her like a waterfall. ‘When you left, I – fuck, Mandie, when you were gone, and I really sat down and thought about what I’d done to you, and that I might have lost you, it just about ruined me.’
She laced her fingers through mine and held on tight. ‘I’m going to work hard every day to deserve you,’ she said. ‘I’m never going to take you for granted again. I’m never going to just decide how things are going to be without discussing itwith you. I’m going to be a much better girlfriend from here on out. I promise.’
‘Don’t shit-talk yourself,’ I said. ‘Am I going to have to make you some affirmation flashcards?’
She laughed and kissed me, smiling against my lips.
‘There’s one thing I don’t understand, though,’ I said after a while.
‘Hmmm?’
‘Why were you late?’ I asked. ‘Romeo-Dylan was down here for ages declaring his love for Cece before you turned up. If you both decided you were out at the same time, where were you?’
‘Oh!’ she said. ‘That was what I wanted to show you. Come with me.’
I followed her down the stairs and around the back of the Convent. ‘Because I’ve been so unfair to you, I was trying to find the best way to apologise,’ Dylan explained. ‘I was late because I was putting together my big romantic gesture.’
I clapped my hands to my mouth.
‘You like it?’
‘You found her!’
I ran my hands reverently over the hood of the Lamborghini, parked behind the Convent. ‘You didn’t take her off-road, did you?’ I asked anxiously. ‘Her suspension really isn’t built for that.’
‘That,’ Dylan said emphatically. ‘That look right there. The way your eyes light up when you get excited. That’s the one I love.’
‘How can you see it?’ I asked. ‘It’s the middle of the night.’
‘And there’s that dry little sense of humour.’
‘It wasn’t a joke, it was a legitimate question. And so was the first one. Tell me you didn’t take her off-road.’
‘Does that little road around the lake count?’
‘You poor baby,’ I crooned to the beautiful Lambo. ‘As soon as it’s light, I’m going to take a good look at you, all right? I’ll make you feel better.’
‘Can I watch?’
‘If you want,’ I said. ‘I don’t know if it’ll be very interesting for you, though.’
