Page 19 of If We Meet Again

“Only child.” Megan shrugged her shoulders. “It has its advantages and disadvantages.”

“Would you have wanteda sibling?”

The server returned with two Mojitos swaying on a largesilver tray.

“Have you decided what you would like to eat?” he asked.

Ashley looked at Megan for approval. “I always get the same thing. Do you know what you want?”

“I’ll have the sizzling steak fajitas, please.” Megan closed her menu, seemingly happy withher choice.

“Same for me please,” Ashley grinned, “I swear I’m not copying you.”

Megan took a sip of her Mojito. “That is incredible.” Savouring the taste on the tip of her tongue. “So, you get a tick for the drink. Let’s see what the food is like.”

“Do you always order steak?”

“100% if steak is on the menu, it’s the first thingI look for.”

“Then you won’t be disappointed, I promise. I have had the steak fajitas more times than I can count and every time I swear theyget better.”

“I trust you.” Megan giggled.

The sound was a rare thing, so pure and genuine that it made Ashley determined to hear it more.

“What were we talking about?...Oh yes, the sibling thing. I think if I had the choice, I would have had a little sister. I always wanted someone to play with growing up; I was so jealous of all my friends. You must have had a lot of fun with your sister? How much younger is she?”

“She’s three years younger than me. We had some good times, always up to no good. We drove our parents insane,” Ashley said, holding the Mojito to her lips before swiftly changing the subject. “I’m looking forward to your part of the date.”

Megan briefly raised an eyebrow, acknowledging the change in conversation, but Ashley hoped she would oblige.

“Is that what this is? A date?” Megan’s grin was partly concealed by thelarge glass.

“Would you prefer me to call it something else?” Ashleyquestioned.

“No.”

“Well then, it’s a date.”

Megan nodded. “Will there be a date number two, that is the question?”

“What arethe terms?”

“I think it all depends onthis food.”

Ashley smiled confidently, “If the food is what gets me a second date, then the dessert will 100% getme a third.”

The Cronut would impress, Ashley had no doubtabout that.

“I hope you’re right.”

“You’ll see.” Ashley winked.

The conversation was natural and unforced. The initial jitters had been present, but in Megan’s company, she felt more alive than expected. Every time there was a brief pause, Ashley searched frantically for the next conversation starter, worried that silence would be met with awkwardness and the date would be ruined, but much to her surprise, eye contact or a simple smile filled the momentary gaps in conversation.

Ashley asked Megan about her family and what it was like growing up in England. She soon came to realise that it was as cold and wet as the movies made out, but the intrigue she’d always possessed to visit London grew far greater throughout the conversation. They spoke about animals; living on seven acres of land meant Megan had grown up surrounded by an array of animals, including chickens and goats, but she lit up when she spoke about Fred—her shire horse. She rode him every day up until she was fifteen years old, and then the fear of falling off and potentially damaging her basketball dreams became the focal point in her decision to stop ridingaltogether.

The conversation switched fleetingly to previous relationships. Megan had dated two women casually whilst at Stanford, but neither developed enough to consider them serious. Ashley found that hard to believe; from the moment Megan walked into the bar she had been in awe of her beauty, which made her wonder how someone so beautiful and kind-hearted wouldn’t have people fallingat her feet.