Page 45 of Goldilocks

“Eric.”

“What about him?”

“Just think about the fact that Eric called me – I’m pretty sure in tears – because you hate him and he can’t seem to do anything right when he’s around you.”

Sam groaned. “I’ve seen him since then, alright? I apologised.”

“Did you? Well, you could also try answering one of those million texts he sent you,” Mary remarked, eyes darting to his phone.

Sam followed her gaze. Had Eric been texting him? He ignored the notification bar, which is where she probably saw dozens of unopened texts, and focused on the headache-inducing form. “Could you fill this out for me real quick?” he asked.

Mary took the phone from him. She started tapping at the screen, thumbs flying over the keypad at speed. “Can I tell Eric you’ll meet him later?”

“I already have plans to meet him on the weekend. Although I’ll probably swing by Sally’s for dinner. You can ask him if he wants to join me.”

Mary finished the typing and Sam leaned back, relieved that the pain in his head was lessening.

“Sam?”

“Mhm?”

“There are a lot of reminders here. That you haven’t opened.”

“I’ll open them later.”

“About missing your in-class tests for accounting and economics.”

Sam cracked open an eye. What? “I don’t have any of those modules this semester.”

Mary looked at him with growing concern in her eyes. A defensive feeling rose from within.

“Leave it, Mary, I know my own classes.”

He could see her thinking about it. Deciding whether she was going to have another fight with him right there.

She handed him back the phone. “The email is sent. And it’s ringing Eric now, soyoutell him to join you for dinner.”

Sam could have complained about being put on the spot, but he just raised the phone to his ear as Mary stood.

“I love you,” she said. “But you’d better start answering your phone, or I’m going to kill you.”

“Love you too,” Sam called after her.

“Oh,” Eric answered. “You don’t hate me? I was sure you hated me. I love you too. Of course I do. Have I not told you that yet? I’m sorry, I should have.”

Sam cringed. He opened his mouth but quickly shut it. How could anyone with a heart correctthatmisunderstanding? “I was calling to see if you wanted to grab dinner later.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’d love to. Are you at college? Do you want me to come pick you up?”

“I’ll meet you there. Six work? Sally’s?”

“Sounds good,” Eric agreed. “And thank you for inviting me.”

Chapter Seventeen

Eric wore the same outfit as the first night Sam met him, and he wondered if that was because he cycled through the same set of clothes every other day or because he’d run out of packed clothes for his trip. They sat tucked away in the back corner of the half-empty pub. It was a Wednesday night, so there weren’t many people.

Eric twirled his spoon around in his soup, waiting for it to cool. “What do you like talking about?”