One Good Thing by Alexandra Potter

Author:Alexandra Potter [Potter, Alexandra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Published: 2022-02-28T17:00:00+00:00

We haven’t spoken since she got back to London and we’re due a proper catch-up, but obviously things have not gone well with Danny.

Whatever you decide, count me in!

I get a thumbs up and start typing her a message about last night, before realizing this is a group WhatsApp. That’ll teach me not to wear my reading glasses. Thankfully I manage to delete it.

As I wait for the kettle to boil, I do a cursory check of the bird feeder. Still untouched. It’s been hanging there for months now; it’ll be summer soon. Despite Valentine’s advice to have patience, I’m fast losing hope the birds will ever find it.

‘Is there enough water in the kettle for two?’

I turn round. Ajay is standing in my half-finished kitchen in the shaft of sunlight. He looks rumpled and bemused. He scratches the stubble on his chin.

‘How do you take your tea?’

‘Milk, no sugar.’ He smiles sheepishly.

‘Coming right up.’ I reach for another mug.

‘Look, about last night,’ he begins, but I don’t let him finish.

‘It’s fine, don’t worry.’ It strikes me that the roles are reversed and now it’s my turn to say it.

He slides onto a stool and rests his forehead on his elbows, scraping his fingers through his thick dark hair.

‘I don’t remember anything.’ His voice is muffled and he’s hugely embarrassed.

‘There’s nothing to remember.’

‘I crashed out.’ He raises his eyes to meet mine.

‘I know.’ I put the teabags in the mugs and pour on the boiling water.

‘Did I snore?’

I can’t resist. ‘A little bit.’

He groans loudly. ‘I had this whole big seduction planned.’

As I grab the milk from the fridge, we both look at each other and grin.

‘I’m sure it was wonderful,’ I pass him his tea and lean against the counter top, opposite him. ‘Maybe you shouldn’t drink a whole bottle of red next time.’

‘Is there going to be a next time?’

He raises an eyebrow, but as we look at each other, we both know the answer.

‘Listen, it’s not you—’ I begin.

‘That’s normally my line,’ he interrupts with a rueful smile.

I laugh and put down my tea.

‘See, I made you laugh at least.’

‘Don’t say that. I had a good time last night,’ I protest.

‘Me too.’

‘It’s just . . .’

‘I know.’ He nods. ‘It’s like we keep missing each other, right?’

‘Yeah, it’s exactly like that.’

Putting down his mug, he reaches out and strokes Harry, who has somehow managed to wedge himself under Ajay’s stool.

‘Keep in touch?’

‘Absolutely,’ I nod.

‘I’m available for pub quizzes and bar mitzvahs.’

I laugh and he gets up off his stool and comes over, sliding his arm round my waist to give me a hug. It strikes me how different this feels to when Ajay held me last night on my doorstep.

I hear the key in the lock. It’s the builders arriving. As the door opens we break apart, but Ben has already seen us.

‘Morning.’

‘Morning,’ I say brightly. For some reason I didn’t want this to happen. ‘Ajay was just leaving,’ I add quickly, then wish I hadn’t. Why

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