by Hannah Doyle
‘That’s a great idea,’ I reply, deciding it’s time to steer us towards a conversation where we can all join in, but Zach gets in there first.
‘So you guys are all friends from school?’ he asks.
‘Alice and I were next-door-neighbours,’ explains Dylan. ‘We met Natalie at school.’
‘You must have got up to all kinds of trouble together?’
Dylan’s face lights up. ‘Oh me and Pickle got up to all sorts,’ he laughs, shooting Zach a look. I feel like there’s weird energy between these two tonight, even though it’s all jokes and smiles right now.
‘Tell me more,’ Zach says, signalling for another round.
‘Okay,’ Dylan rubs his hands together gleefully. ‘Where shall we start? The time when we “borrowed” a tractor we found in a nearby field and ended up trashing a lot of hay? The farmer was furious.’
‘That was your fault!’ I say. ‘Dylan insisted it would be good practice for when we could drive and we ended up working a lot of summer jobs to pay the farmer back.’
‘Or the time you really got into tie-dye and decided that you should set up your own clothes range?’
‘I made Dylan and Nat model the T-shirts,’ I giggle.
‘We looked horrendous,’ laughs Dylan. ‘Remember that summer we went over to France with your folks and I had to rescue you from the kayak instructor who took such a shine to you that he kept turning up at the house your parents rented?’
‘I’d forgotten about him!’
‘Creepy kayak guy.’ We’re roaring with laughter at the memories and now Dylan’s on a roll, deciding to unleash the majority of his most embarrassing material in one giant dump and practically giddy with amusement. Thankfully Zach doesn’t seem too put off by the fact that I spent two solid years insisting that I was a unicorn called Barry. But I give Dylan a short, sharp jab in the ribs to make him stop. Besides throwing me under the bus good and proper, he’s also been hogging the limelight and not giving Zach a chance to get a word in.
‘Oh and she was always hungry,’ Dyl laughs, very much not stopping. ‘The kind of kid who’d hoover up a whole roast dinner and still have space for three helpings of pudding. I once caught her eating pickles out of a jar in the fridge as a mid-morning snack, hence the nickname. My mum had to buy twice as much food when Alice was coming over.’
‘That is not accurate,’ I protest. ‘Besides I just like puddings.’
Dylan pulls me in for a hug, laughing. As I playfully push him away, I spot Zach watching Dylan intently, as if he’s trying to weigh him up. They are so different, after all. Dylan loves to showboat and Zach seems much happier sitting back.
‘Did you go over a lot, then?’ Zach asks me.
‘Loads. Dylan’s mum sort of took me under her wing for a while.’
As always when things get a little too close for comfort, Dylan deftly sweeps in. He’s been doing it since I was a teenager and I love him very much for it. Although despite my dig in the ribs, he’s also continuing to plough on with his Embarrassing Alice material, which I love him a little bit less for.
‘She was bossy, strong-willed, had absolutely no filter whatsoever. She can still be bloody brutal. But she’s also the most kind-hearted, loyal, fun-loving person I’ve ever met.’
‘Thanks Dyl. That’s definitely enough chat about me now.’
‘But I haven’t told Zach about our first house party. Remember? You drained all the alcopops, puked in your dad’s wellies and …’
‘NOT TODAY, SATAN.’
‘Okay, okay,’ Dylan holds his hands up. ‘Actually, I might leave you lovebirds to it. The woman from earlier has messaged.’
I get up to give him a hug and watch as he and Zach give each other a frosty hand shake. We say our goodbyes and I ask Zach if he fancies one for the road.
‘I actually have to be up early for work tomorrow. I’ve just taken on a new portrait commission and the client is coming for their first sitting in the morning …’
‘Oh … no worries,’ I say.
Zach finishes his drink and fixes his eyes on me. ‘But perhaps I could walk you home first?’
As we walk through the empty streets, Zach hesitantly brushes my hand and I entwine my fingers in his. Normally I’d have batted the offer of being walked home away because been I’m strong, independent and perfectly capable of getting to places on my own. But I got the impression that Zach wasn’t doing it out of any misplaced chivalry, or a means to an end, he just wanted to spend more time with just me, and I liked that.
‘We’re here,’ I say, reaching into my bag to find my keys.
‘Unmistakably Alice’s house,’ Zach says, looking up at my rented terrace.
‘Why do you say that?’
‘It’s picture perfect … like you.’ He looks at the cherry blossom growing in the little patch of earth out front, the hanging baskets either side of my front door, and the little picket fence around the tiny front garden.
‘I know it’s kind of twee but I love it. I painted the fence in rainbow colours because …’ I trail off. We’re so close now that I’ve completely lost the thread of what I was saying. Zach’s started circling his index finger around my palm. As I move closer still I can smell fabric softener mixed with citrus fruits on his skin. I can feel the tips of his fingers retrace their steps from earlier, swirling around the patch of skin at the base of my back. Now they’re walking up my spine and I hear his breath quickening. There are no interruptions now. No buses pulling up. No best friends with impeccably bad timing.
Just me and Zach.
I have never been the type to think you should wait for a guy to kiss you first. If I want something, I’ll go for it.
And right now I want Zach.
I press myself against his body and tip my head up to his, my eyes trained on his full lips. Pushing up onto tiptoes, my whole body tingles as finally, finally, my lips find his. We kiss softly at first as if we’re learning a new language together, before the kiss becomes more urgent, more passionate.
I pause, breathless.
Zach leans back, a smile curling at his lips.
‘That was so good,’ Zach says gruffly. He runs a hand through my hair, his fingers finding my earrings. ‘I think we need to do it again. Just … um, to make sure it wasn’t a first time fluke.’
‘Excellent idea,’ I murmur, folding myself back into him.
In this moment, I forget about sparks being potential fire hazards, letting them ignite through my body as I feel myself being drawn into his orbit. As far as first kisses go, I already know that this will never be bettered.
Dog Walk
Zach
Well that was worth the wait. There’s been a definite spring in my step ever since Alice and I kissed and I suspect people are starting to notice. This morning the barista at my regular coffee haunt even commented on how “chipper” I seemed as she handed over my flat white and I found myself muttering something about the good weather before making a sharp exit.
I am chipper, though. I’d liked to have been the one to get in there first, so to speak, but there was something incredibly sexy about Alice initiating that kiss. I was busy panicking that I still wasn’t sure how she felt when she decided to take matters into her own hands.
‘What’s up with you?’ Raff says, pulling me in off the street.
‘That’s no way to great your one and only brother,’ I laugh.
‘You look like you’re in a dream world.’
I’m about to tell him that that’s exactly how I feel when we both hear the thud of not-so-little footsteps thundering down the stairs followed by an exuberant call of ‘Uncle Zach!’ Next thing I know, my nieces have leapt into my arms for their customary koala hug and I’m staggering back against the front door with the weight of twin 5-year-olds throwing themselves at me.
‘Did you guys grow since I last saw you?’ I puff as they finally jump back down.
‘Can we borrow your phone to take selfies?’ Fran asks, ignor
ing what I said.
‘No phones! Not until you’re older,’ Raff butts in, doing his best stern dad impression. ‘Honestly Zach, you wouldn’t believe the stuff they can access on there now. Francesca, Sienna, go up and finish packing please. No more arguments.’
As they clatter off, I lean my arm around Raff in an embrace.
‘Hello bro. You look …’
‘Shattered? Like a shell of my former self?’ Raff offers.
‘I was going for “well”.’
‘I do not,’ he laughs. ‘I look like a man in his mid-thirties who is completely at the mercy of three fiery Italian women. You, on the other hand, look like you’ve just stepped off a Dolce and Gabbana shoot. You carefree bastard. I cannot wait to take the piss out of your beer belly and grey hair when you’re in my position.’
‘I think the term is “salt and pepper”,’ I smile, ruffling Raff’s tangled hair. It’s a wild and admittedly more grey version of my own.
‘Thanks for doing this,’ he says as we walk into the kitchen. ‘The holiday cottage won’t accept pets and I couldn’t leave Tiny with anyone else.’
“Tiny” is anything but. Sienna and Fran came up with the name when their St Bernard puppy arrived and he outgrew it about three days later. He’s now the size of a small pony and barking at birds in the garden. When he sees me through the French windows Tiny bounds in and I’m almost knocked over for the second time this morning.
Raff hands me a coffee and looks affectionately at his dog. ‘It’s bad that I’d prefer to be going on this holiday with just the hound, isn’t it?’
‘Yes it is. You’ve got a wonderful wife and two brilliant daughters you lucky git. You don’t deserve them’
‘Things would be a lot more chilled though,’ Raff says wistfully as I shake my head at him. Pulling up a seat at the table, I settle into the familiar feeling of being home. Raff moved out to a peaceful village in the Peak District not long after the girls were born and the life he’s made here is awesome. I’m quite jealous, actually. It’s a warm, chaotic home that has become the family focal point Raff and I never really had when we were growing up. I crave something similar for myself.
‘You should be bloody grateful,’ I tut.
‘I know,’ he yawns. ‘And I usually am. You try to feel grateful when you’re woken up by having two plastic dinosaurs poked into your eye before six in the morning. Anyway, there’s food and beer in the fridge, dog food in the utility. Tiny eats a lot so you’ll need to …’
‘This is not my first time house-sitting, remember? Me and Tiny will be just fine.’
‘Of course you will,’ Raff’s wife Ellie says as she walks into the kitchen. We greet each other with cheek-kisses. ‘I’ve put some prosecco in the fridge in case you have guests,’ she winks at me.
‘Guests, plural? Jesus,’ Raff looks baffled.
‘All right, Grandad,’ I laugh. ‘There may be one guest, actually. I was thinking about inviting Alice out here.’
Ellie pulls up a chair and looks at me expectantly.
‘Alice?’ She repeats.
‘Alice.’
Ellie’s eyes widen with the promise of some news. ‘Even saying her name has got you grinning like you just won the lottery. Care to share?’
‘I take it she’s new?’ Raff prods.
‘We met at my art exhibition and ended up hanging out afterwards, which sort of turned into a non-date kind of date. We’ve been on two more proper dates since then,’ I say, blowing on my hot drink.
Ellie drums her fingers on the kitchen table. ‘Come on, Zach! Can’t we have a bit more information than that? Your brother and I have been married for, like, six years now and all we talk about these days is who’s turn it is to do the school drop off or which box set we’re going to watch next. We need some excitement in our lives!’
‘Hey! We both really enjoyed that chat about our pension plans last night.’
‘I’m not sure “really enjoyed” is a fair summation, Raff. I almost fell asleep at the dinner table. So come on!’ continues my best friend, looking encouragingly at me. ‘Let us live vicariously through this new romance of yours please.’
I clear my throat. ‘Right. Well, she’s lovely. Intelligent. Funny. Beautiful.’ And off I go, telling them about the alphabet dating idea. ‘There’s just one problem.’
‘Oh?’ Frowns Ellie as she pulls some hot croissants out of the oven.
‘Yeah. She’s a self-confessed cynic when it comes to love.’
Raff hoots. ‘You really do know how to pick them to make life hard on yourself. Remember the last one?’
I roll my eyes. Of course I remember “the last one” as Raff charmingly puts it, but it strikes me that I haven’t thought about her since Alice arrived.
‘Stop teasing him,’ Ellie says, poking my brother in the ribs.
Raff holds his hands up. ‘All right, all right! I’m just pointing out the obvious. We all know that you’re a die-hard romantic Zach, and now you’re saying you’ve found yourself a cynic? Doesn’t exactly sound like a recipe for success to me.’
I scratch my head. Raff’s right. What makes me qualified to win Alice over when she already seems to have made her mind up that there’s no such thing as the one? Back in the comfort of my family home, I decide I may as well lay all my concerns bare.
‘It gets worse. On our last date she took me to a comedy gig, it turns out she’s best friends with Dylan Smith …’
‘Shut the front door,’ shouts Ellie, croissant crumbs spraying from her mouth. ‘I love him.’
Raff bristles on both of our behalf.
‘Our Zach is even better looking,’ he says, and I can’t help but laugh. ‘Is that the problem, then? You’re worried that Alice used to be involved with her dashingly handsome and quite famous best friend?’
‘Actually no, that wasn’t the problem until you just suggested it.’
Ellie punches Raff on the arm.
‘Dick,’ she says. ‘Now you’ve made him paranoid!’
‘Sorry bro. I’m sure they weren’t … um. You know. I bet they never …’
And now I can’t stop thinking about what Raff bets they never did.
‘Ignore him,’ commands Ellie. ‘Everyone has a past and it’s still early days for you guys, so you should just focus on enjoying that, right?’
‘But what was the problem?’ Raff presses.
‘Well, we went out for a drink after Dylan’s gig and when I came back from the loo I overheard Dylan saying something to Alice about a three date rule. As if she had this rule? I didn’t pick up much more because they changed the subject as soon as they saw me, but he seemed to be joking about a three date limit or something. So now I’m wondering if she doesn’t ever go on more than three dates with one guy and if that’s it for us.’
‘Oh man, there’s a lot going on in that head of yours bro,’ Raff taps my temple and I swat him away. ‘You need to chill out a bit, like me,’ he adds, getting up to check Tiny’s food supplies for the third time this morning.
Genetically speaking, I have no hope.
‘There’s only one way to find out about that, Zach,’ says Ellie. ‘Ask her out here! Won’t this be your third slash fourth date?’
I nod. ‘I was thinking we could do a dog walk with Tiny for our D date.’
‘There you go then. If she comes, you’ve got nothing to worry about.’
Later, as my bro straps Fran and Sienna into their car seats in the back of his tatty old Defender, Ellie pulls me to one side.
‘Don’t pay any attention to what Raff said, will you?’
‘You mean about my ex?’
Ellie nods. ‘You’re my best friend as well as my brother-in-law and I know what you’re like. You’ll be overthinking what he said the minute we drive off. There’s absolutely nothing to say that history will repeat itself, okay? We all make mistakes and we all fall for the wrong person at some point. Don’t let that stop you from finding happiness again. So what if you and Al
ice are different? The best relationships I know are based on finding the joy in being together, not sharing the exact same outlook on life.’
She pats me on the arm as she strides over to the car and they all wave as Raff starts up the engine. Tiny bounds around at my feet, ready to play, and I take a picture of the loveable hound on my phone. Then I forward it on to Alice with a message.
Hi, I’m the biggest Tiny you’ll ever meet. Fancy joining me and Zach for a dog walk this weekend? x
‘I feel like I’m in that scene from Titanic,’ Alice calls out, her arms splayed wide as she stands at the top of Mam Tor. I’d wrap my arms around her waist, Jack and Rose style, if it weren’t for Tiny having decided to do a poo at this very moment. I shoot him daggers for scuppering my romantic moment with Alice.
She turns and heads back towards us, cheeks pink with the bracing wind. Alice even manages to make walking gear look good. Her hiking boots are topped with pastel socks, her bare legs stretching up to denim shorts. A soft green jumper makes the colour of her eyes dance. Her hair’s pulled back today into a pony tail and I realise that my heart has set on fire every single time I’ve seen her.
‘It is glorious up here,’ she beams.
Tiny barks in agreement and gets a chin tickle for his efforts. Lucky pooch.
‘So a walk was a good suggestion? You didn’t mind the early start?’
‘A great suggestion,’ she says. ‘Plus I’m used to getting up early with work, although you did rob me of my only lie-in of the week.’
‘My apologies,’ I grin. ‘It can get really busy up here in the summer but there’s nothing more beautiful than watching the sunrise over the Peaks.’
‘You old charmer.’
I laugh at that. ‘Am I?’
‘Look at this place! It’s stunning and super atmospheric. Anyone would think you were trying to woo me, Zach.’
‘I am,’ I reply, too fast.
Stop sounding so keen or she’ll be out of here!
