Page 7 of If We Meet Again

“Not particularly. My best friend Madison goes a lot more than I do. We just fancied a chilled vibe this weekend, and 101 is perfect for that. Was it yourfirst time?”

“Yes, could you tell?”

“Not at all,” Ashley expressed her amusement.

“You’re taunting me, aren’t you? What about me wasn’t stereotypical enough for you?” Megan quizzed.

“I could just tell, that’s all. You were too well-groomed, shall we say.”

Ashley had already gauged Megan’s sense of humour from the brief phone call and assumed she’d appreciatethe banter.

“Groomed? What am I? A poodle?”

“If we are speaking in dog terms, you were a poodle in a bar full of Rottweilers.” Megan burst out laughing.The analogy hits the nail on the head, Ashley thought.

“Well, that’s a new one!” Megan pondered. “So, if I go again, how do I make myself look less like a poodle?”

Ashley considered the questionthoroughly.

“That’s easy. You don’t brush your hair, turn up wearing a coffee-stained shirt and order a beer. If you want to be extremely convincing, you could even hurl abuse at the bartender for not putting the basketball game on.”

Creating a picture of an unruly Midtown customer proved unproblematic for Ashley; she only had to picture the masses of people she dealtwith daily.

“Well, I will bear that in mind. I suppose I should take it as a compliment then, being a poodle?”

“It’s definitely not an insult,” Ashley confirmed.

She heard Megan open her mouth to respond, but the hesitancy in her reply shut down the words before they formed. Ashley slouched back deep into the beige two-seater sofa, placing her feet on the solid oak coffee table in front. She sensed Megan’sreluctance.

“What is it?” Ashley probed.

“What do you mean?”

“You were going to saysomething.”

“I don’t know,” Megan paused, “I was just curious about something I guess.”

“Curious about what?” Ashley sat upright, unable to keep the same position for longer than a minute. The intrigue was too intense to relax.

“What made you come and speak to me?”

“Honestly?” Ashley stood up and paced the room. The fifth-floor loft had a balconette window that looked out over a busy Manhattan street. It was a Sunday, but the New York rush never stopped. She pictured Megan walking along the street—what she would give to see her again.

“Yes, honestly.”

“I thought you were the most attractive girl I had ever seen.” Ashley pinched the bridge of her nose and squeezed her eyes shut, apprehensive and afraid that she would make a foolof herself.

Megan chuckled.“You liar.”

“Why wouldI be lying?”

“I’m flattered obviously, but I still don’t believe you.”

“Don’t believe me, but it’s true. There was just something about you that captured me instantly. I imagine you have that effect on a lotof people.”

Megan was too modest to admit it, but Ashley knew from her own experience that Megan was a rarity that men and women alike became easily drawn towards.

“Stop it, you’re making me shy. Besides, if I had that effect on a lot of people, I wouldn’t still be single,” Megan jested.