Page 166 of Falling for You

‘Well,’ I say, as the thought drops into my mind. ‘I’m going to my first football game next weekend with my friend, Remy. I could write about that? My first sporting experience as a New Yorker in England?’

Brian pulls a face. ‘Who’s playing?’

‘Chelsea …’ I begin, already knowing where this is going.

‘Versus Man City? Fuck, no. Nobody wants to read about that.’

I press my lips together, fighting the urge to question whether he’d be more excited if I said it was a Tottenham game.

‘What else? What did you do at the weekend? Tell me about that.’

I think of Dad’s face when he picked me up from the airport. Mom’s reassuring smile as she helped me find clothes to wear from my childhood bedroom. My chest spasms.

‘I went to a party,’ I say.

Brian snaps his fingers. ‘Okay, a party. What else?’

‘What do you mean?’

Isn’t a party enough?

‘What happened at the party? Tell me about it.’

I push my fingers through my hair. ‘I’d rather it not be a story about my life,’ I say. ‘I usually review events.’

‘We’re just spitballing!’ Brian says, holding his hands up innocently. ‘I’m just trying to get the ball rolling. Tell me about this party.’

I sigh. ‘Fine. It was a masquerade ball for Halloween, launching a big perfume.’

‘Fancy! Hey, Helen.’ Brian waves his arm at Helen who is walking past again and beckons her over. ‘Nate went to aballlast weekend.’

Helen raises her eyebrows at me. ‘Get you.’

‘So, what did you dress up as?’ Brian asks.

‘I didn’t,’ I say. ‘I just wore a mask and a suit.’

‘You didn’t dress up?’ Brian repeats. ‘On Halloween?’

‘Some people did,’ I say. ‘There was one girl dressed as a bat.’

As soon as I say it, the image of her pops into my head. Her dark, shimmering eyes and that big laugh.

‘I saw that,’ Brian grins, turning to Helen. ‘Did you see that?’

I frown as, to my annoyance, Brian has started giggling. ‘Saw what?’

‘That look! Tell us about the bat girl, then.’

‘There is nothing to tell.’ Honestly, this man is like a child.

‘He’s going red!’ Brian chides. ‘Go on, tell us.’

‘I had a drink with her.’

‘And?’

‘And it was nice.’