by L.H. Cosway
“You’re wearing a dress,” he stated.
“That is correct,” I replied with a smile.
“You look … nice.”
My smile widened. “Nice? Is that the best you can do?”
“Fine, you look fantastic.” There was a pause as his cheeks reddened ever so slightly, and he amended, “Then again, I’ve been staring at you through a computer screen for weeks, so anything is a step up from that.”
I swiped him on the shoulder. “Hey! Don’t ruin it.”
He chuckled deeply. “Sorry. I couldn’t resist.” He gave my body another perusal. “It really is good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you, too. I missed seeing your stupid face in person.”
Now he smiled, his eyes not leaving mine. I couldn’t look away either. It just felt so exhilarating to finally be standing in the same room as him. To anyone else, it probably seemed mundane, but I might as well have been on a rollercoaster my heart was beating so fast.
“How are you?” he asked, breaking the intense moment.
“I’m good. Excited for the party.”
“Don’t get too excited. We still have to set everything up, and Leanne’s been nagging me all day to make sure Isaac doesn’t find out.”
“Even if he does find out, I’m sure he’ll fake his surprise when he walks in,” I replied and noticed Neil glancing over my shoulder at the open doorway.
“Do you mind if I close the door?”
I shook my head. He stepped past me and went to close it. My eyebrows shot up questioningly as he turned back around.
“I have something important to tell you, and I didn’t want anyone to overhear,” he said, and my heart started to pound. Was he about to express his unquenchable desire for me? No, that couldn’t be—
“I’m meeting Annabelle tomorrow,” he blurted, and everything inside of me deflated.
12.
Afric
I stared at him, eyes wide. “You are? In person?”
Neil nodded. “I’ve left her messages unanswered for weeks. Ghosted her, basically. I kept telling myself I’d deal with her when I got home, but if I’m being honest, a part of me was just hoping the problem would go away. Then I read a message from her before my flight, asking for an explanation. She thinks she did something wrong and is beating herself up about it. I have a feeling I’ve really hurt her, and I just need to tell her the truth. It’s the right thing to do.”
“I guess,” I said, glancing at the floor.
“You think it’s a mistake meeting her, don’t you?” Neil said, worry in his voice.
“Not necessarily. It’s certainly ballsy.”
“No one’s ever called me ballsy before.” I brought my eyes back to him. There were stress lines on his forehead indicating he’d been fretting over this a lot.
“I think it’s brave. I certainly wouldn’t have the courage to do it,” I told him.
Neil ran a hand through his neatly combed hair. “I just need to draw a line under the whole thing, you know?”
“I completely get it,” I replied, pausing a moment before I asked, “So, do you not have feelings for her anymore?”
He looked away, some indecipherable emotion passing over his features. “Even if I did it wouldn’t matter. I can’t start a relationship with someone based on a lie this big.”
Hmm, that wasn’t exactly a straight answer. I reached out and took his hand into mine. I wanted to be supportive because he’d clearly agonised over this, but I couldn’t help voicing a concern. “What if she gets mad and decides to go public with the story?”
“If that happens, then so be it. It’ll be my fault anyway. My conscience won’t allow me to just ignore this.” He glanced down, staring at our interlocked fingers as though they fascinated him.
“Where are you meeting her?”
“At the café near the gym.”
“Isn’t that a little close to home?”
He scratched his head. “I don’t know … Yes, probably. I panicked when I messaged her the location, okay? Anyway, it’s done now.” He paused, eyeing me desperately. “Will you come?”
“Come with you to meet Annabelle?”
He nodded. “You don’t need to actually sit at the table while I talk to her. You could sit somewhere close by. I just think I’ll feel more confident facing her if someone’s there in my corner.”
I’ll always be in your corner.
“Okay, sure, I’ll come. That café makes incredible waffles, and I’ve been fiending for more.”
Neil smiled, falling silent as he exhaled a heavy breath. “Thank you. You’re a good friend.”
“And you’re a good person. You just made some unwise decisions and got yourself into a shitty situation. It happens. Don’t beat yourself up about it.”
“How do you know I’m beating myself up?” he asked, curious.
I reached up with the hand that wasn’t currently holding his and stroked a finger over the fine line between his eyebrows. “When you’re stressed, this line deepens.”
Neil’s expression turned thoughtful. “I’ve never noticed that.”
“That’s because you don’t look at your face as often as I do. I’ve been staring at it through a screen for weeks, and I can always tell when you’ve had a stressful day at work, depending on how deep this line is.”
“Makes sense,” he murmured, eyes following the movement of my hand as I lowered it. Several moments of quiet passed before he spoke. “Michaela was pleased to inform me that you told her about our friendship.” He raised a questioning eyebrow.
“Was I supposed to keep it a secret?” My tone was teasing as I tugged on his hand. “Are you ashamed of me, Neil?”
He tugged back, effectively plastering my chest to his front, and a soft, surprised gasp escaped me. An unexpected wave of arousal shot through me at the contact. “Never. Don’t ever think that.” His eyes flickered back and forth between mine, and my breathing stuttered.
“Okay,” I said, my voice uncharacteristically breathy now.
For the second time in however many minutes, we were locked in a stare-down. I yearned to know what he was thinking. There were secrets in his eyes that called to me. And I hadn’t been lying earlier; he really did smell good. It wasn’t just his fabric softener, either. Everyone had their own unique scent. It was hard to pick out the notes and determine what exactly Neil’s was made up of, but it was now ingrained in my memory. It caused a visceral reaction in me.
Footsteps sounded down the hallway, and Neil let go of my hand. He turned around swiftly and picked up his clipboard and pen. The door opened, and Michaela poked her head in. Her attention went from me to Neil, and it looked like she was attempting to suppress a grin.
“There you two are. Afric, I need your help out front.”
I cast Neil one last glance, my insides still all aflutter after the forceful way he’d tugged me close to him. He looked at me briefly, a certain brooding intensity about him that I hadn’t seen before. Then he returned his attention to his clipboard, and I followed Michaela out.
Two hours later, the bar was decorated, and everything was ready for the party. As people started to arrive, Neil appeared in front of me.
“The place looks amazing,” I exclaimed. “You and Michaela really pulled it off, especially given how little time you had to prepare.”
“Don’t forget you and your friends helped, too. But thanks. I love party planning. It can be stressful at times, but it’s also one of my favourite parts of the job.”
“You planned the screening in Notting Hill, too, didn’t you?”
“With Michaela’s help, yes,” he replied.
“Well, you certainly have a knack for planning events. If I ever decide to throw myself a big, splashy birthday party, I’ll know who to come to.”
Neil smiled. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Sure. What would you recommend?”
“Well, there’s beer, prosecco, or wine. There are also
some cans of premixed cocktails that may or may not be disgusting. The jury’s still out.”
“You haven’t tasted any of them yet?”
He shook his head. “Not sure I’m brave enough.”
“Why don’t we both try them together then?”
A grin tugged at his lips. “Fine, but if they’re horrible, I’m blaming you.” He disappeared, and I found a seat at the edge of the terrace. I couldn’t spot Sarita or Mabel anywhere, and I didn’t really know anyone else here. Michaela was over at the bar next to James and several other people I didn’t recognise.
When Neil returned, he took the seat right next to mine, which left us both facing out with our backs to the wall. His arm brushed mine as he offered me a can that purported to be a margarita, alongside a glass with ice. “Here you go.”
“Thanks. Which one did you go for?”
“Whiskey sour.”
“Ambitious choice. Okay, moment of truth,” I said as I opened my can and poured its contents into the glass while Neil did the same. We were quiet as we each took a sip.
“Well, it’s not disgusting, but it isn’t delicious either,” I said. “How’s yours?”
“It’s okay. I’m a bit jetlagged, so I don’t plan on drinking much tonight anyway. I tend to fall asleep when I get drunk, so don’t let me have anything else after this.”
I nodded and fell quiet as I took another sip. Then, my curiosity got the better of me. “So, did you go on any other nights out while you were in New York? Other than the night you already told me about?”
Neil shook his head. “When would I have found the time? I spent most of my evenings video calling with you.”
“That’s true. I’m quite an awesome distraction, aren’t I?”
He glanced at me, his eyes seeming to trace down the slope of my nose. “You’re certainly distracting.”
Tingles filled my chest. “Good distracting or bad distracting?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” he teased, and I scowled at him playfully.
“Thanks for finishing my accounts, by the way. You did an amazing job. I passed my audit with flying colours.”
“You did? That’s great. Let me know if you need a hand for next year.”
“That’s okay. I should probably get myself a real accountant next year. If I’d done that from the beginning, the audit might never have happened.”
“You’re right. You should get an accountant, though I’m going to miss tidying up your messes.”
“At least you won’t have to worry about going bright red figuring out whether my expenses are business or personal,” I said with a wink.
Neil shook his head, not meeting my gaze as he sipped his drink. “Why would you bring that up?”
“Because it’s funny. It’s also funny that you’re still embarrassed about it. Everyone buys sex toys, Neil. It’s perfectly normal.”
“Not everyone,” he said in a quiet voice.
I blinked at him. “You’ve never bought a sex toy?”
“It’s not the same for men. When women buy dildos, it’s a symbol of eroticism and empowerment. Some bloke going into a sex shop and buying a fleshlight has much seedier connotations.”
I tilted my head as I sat back. “I don’t know. The image of you going to town on a fleshlight is very erotic, in my opinion.”
Neil gaped at me. “Afric!”
I chuckled loudly. “What? I’m joking. Well, kind of. But you’re right. There is definitely a discrepancy between men and women in that area, but there shouldn’t be. Everyone is someone’s cup of tea, you know?”
He glanced at me, an odd expression on his face when he said, “Yeah, I know.”
“Neil, introduce us to your friend,” came a voice, and we both looked up. Leanne and Callum stood before us, a handsome couple if ever I saw one. They had that glossy attractiveness that marked them as celebrities. I suspected it was down to being able to afford fancy skin treatments and personal stylists the rest of us didn’t have access to.
Next to me, Neil sat up a little straighter.
“Oh, hi, um, this is Afric,” he said as both of them took me in with interest.
“I’m actually a friend of Michaela’s,” I said. “I met Neil through her. It’s great to meet you both, though. I’m a big fan of the show.”
“That’s very kind of you,” Leanne said, her eyes going from me to Neil and then back to me. “You wouldn’t happen to be the friend Neil’s been sending selfies to?”
I laughed and looked at Neil. “You’ve been telling people about the selfies? That was supposed to be our little secret.”
Neil rolled his eyes. “Don’t listen to her. There’s no secret.”
“Or is there?” I went on, waggling my eyebrows, and Leanne and Callum both laughed.
“Well, it’s nice to finally meet you, Afric,” Callum said. “Neil hasn’t shut up talking about you the whole time we were in New York.”
“I was not—” Neil began to protest then gave up when he realised Callum was just trying to embarrass him.
“I’m not surprised. You are kind of obsessed with me,” I said.
At this, Neil laughed and shook his head. “You’re all horrible. I’m going to get another drink.”
“You said I wasn’t to let you have anymore because of the jet lag, remember?” I said as he stood.
“I know, but one more won’t kill me. Do you want another?”
“Yes, but no more canned cocktails. I’ll have a beer this time.”
Neil looked to Callum and Leanne. “What about you two?”
“I’ll come help you,” Callum said, ushering Neil away while Leanne sat down across from me. I had a feeling I might be in for a bit of an interrogation. It was clear that both she and Callum were protective of Neil.
I watched as she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the edge of the table as she surveyed me. “So, how long have you two been friends?”
“Not long. Three months, maybe?”
“Do you like him?”
“Yes, I like him a lot,” I answered honestly.
“Good.”
I started to smile. “Anything else you’d like to know?”
“No, just don’t hurt him. Neil’s a sweetheart.”
“Um, we’re just friends. This isn’t—”
“It’s none of my business what it is or isn’t. Just be kind to him. He deserves someone who’s kind because he’s the kindest, most generous person I know.”
I glanced across to the bar where Neil and Callum were grabbing our drinks. “Yeah, he is,” I whispered before looking back at Leanne. She smiled at me.
“I like you.”
“I like you, too. Well, I like what I’ve seen on TV.”
“Then you like the highly edited version of me. Maybe by the end of tonight, you’ll discover whether or not you like the unedited version,” she quipped just as Neil and Callum returned. Neil slid in next to me, and again, his arm brushed mine. I wished I could keep my arm resting against his. The contact was shockingly addictive.
“You okay?” he whispered, his breath washing over my cheek.
I nodded. “I’m great.”
“What did Leanne say to you?”
I tapped the side of my nose. “Sorry. I can’t break the girl talk code of silence.”
He narrowed his eyes. “There is no such thing.”
“Oh, yes, there is.”
“Okay, everyone,” Michaela announced loudly from where she stood by the bar. “Isaac’s on his way up, so we need to all be quiet.”
I made a show of zipping my lips as I grinned at Neil. He didn’t look impressed that I wouldn’t tell him what Leanne had said. The entire place hushed, and someone dimmed the lights. I felt Neil’s attention in the darkness and glanced at him again. His eyes were on my profile, and there was a look on his face I hadn’t seen before. It was a sexy look like he was imagining doing sexy things to me, but that couldn’t be true … Could it?
“Why are you looking
at me like that?” I whispered.
“No reason,” he whispered back, leaning towards me a little. The whiskey sour must’ve had a higher alcohol content than my margarita.
“Are you tipsy already?” I asked, amused. “You’ve only had one drink.”
“It’s hitting me harder because of the jet lag, I think,” Neil replied just as Isaac climbed the stairs to the roof bar, and everyone leapt up, bursting into a chorus of “SURPRISE!” He jumped back, startled, and I could tell it was a genuine reaction. He hadn’t been expecting the party. He probably thought that since they’d all just gotten back from such a long trip, they wouldn’t have the time to plan anything.
People all flocked to him to wish him a happy birthday while I remained seated next to Neil, and we quietly drank our beers. Over the course of the next three hours, I was introduced to most of the people who worked on Running on Air, as well as many of their significant others. I think a lot of people assumed I was Neil’s girlfriend since we were both glued to each other the entire night. Every time I met Michaela’s gaze, she was practically brimming over with mirth. She clearly enjoyed the idea of Neil and me forming a connection. I’d have to reiterate the fact to her soon that we were only friends.
Then I grimaced, remembering I’d agreed to go with Neil when he met Annabelle tomorrow. I was so nervous for him, and honestly, I was worried because I got the sense Annabelle was the kind of person to freak out over what Neil had done. If she was as shallow and mean as I suspected, then she might go crazy at him when she discovered the truth. Well, at least I’d be there to protect him if she did.
I had a feeling Neil’s nerves for tomorrow were getting the better of him, too, because he hadn’t stopped at those two initial drinks. I was pretty certain he was now on his fifth drink and working towards a sixth. I had also consumed several drinks myself and was feeling tipsy.
