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“I didn’t want to interrupt.” I keep my eyes fixed on the pavement ahead. “You were busy. With your fan club.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I’m aware of him studying me. “If I didnae know better, I’d say you were jealous, flower girl.”
Heat floods my face. “Jealous? Yeah, right. And please don’t call me flower girl.”
“Prefer princess, do you?”
“No, I prefer Briony.”
He smiles, but he lets it go.
Highburgh Road turns into Hyndland Road. A group of students spills out of a flat onto the pavement in front of us, loud and happy. We’re forced together to let them by. His arm brushes mine, and even through the denim, tingles race all the way to my shoulder.
Once we’re past them, we move apart again. But even with a respectable amount of pavement between us, I remain acutely aware of the solid warmth of him beside me.
“Work’s nearly finished in the flat, by the way,” he says. “Just waiting on the gym equipment arriving. The drilling is all done.”
“Home gym?” I glance at him. “I did wonder what one man was planning to do with all that space.”
“Aye, well, don’t worry, I had the floor soundproofed. All the thumping—weights coming down, footwork, the bag. You’ll no hear a thing.” He even has the cheek to add, “I’m considerate that way.”
Considerate? This from the man who introduced himself by throwing a flat-warming on a Tuesday night?
I humph. And then, before I can stop myself: “Your bedroom certainly isn’t soundproofed.”
Ryan slows slightly. “That right?”
Oh, shiitake mushrooms. Well, I’ve started, so I may as well finish. “The flat-warming. After the party died down, I heard…noises.”
“Ah. So you heard me and Chloe.” He says it simply. Casually. Not even a hint of embarrassment.
I’ve no idea what to say to that. Thankfully, I’m saved from having to respond by my phone buzzing. I fish it out of my bag.
Innes
Hope your night out is going well! See you tomorrow. Weather looks nice x
“Who’s Innes?”
Has he no shame?
“A decent person wouldn’t read someone else’s messages.”
“Never said I was decent.”
We turn onto Rowanbank Street, and there’s our building. As Ryan gets his keys out and opens the front door, I type my reply.
Briony
Looking forward to it. I’ll pick you up about 2 xx
“Two kisses,” Ryan observes.
I clutch my phone to my chest. “What did I just say?”
“Has flower girl got herself a wee date tomorrow?”
“And I told you not to call me that. You really don’t listen, do you?”
