Page 27 of A Second Chance Summer in Dublin

‘Let’s go into the other room, there is a lovely breeze coming through,’ she says as I follow her into the living room.

I sit on her L-shaped couch, glass in hand. Mia curls herselfup next to me and tucks her feet under her before I click my tongue twice for Charlie, Mia’s adorable black-and-white Shih Tzu. Charlie plods over to me, his pink tongue hanging out, panting like he’s just run the New York City marathon in stilettos in a heatwave, his fur hanging down over his meltingly expressive eyes.

‘C’mere, boy, there’s my good boy. Who loves you, Charlie? Auntie Grace does, that’s who.’

Charlie puts his two paws up on the couch and stares at Mia.

‘Down. Not on the couch my short-legged companion!’ Mia snaps her fingers as I bend to rub his head. Charlie turns around in hurried circles, then settles at my bare feet. ‘He hates this heat,’ she says, then takes a sip of her lemonade. ‘Marek took me for a surprise picnic in St Stephen’s Green yesterday.’ She can’t help the rising flush in her cheeks.

‘Still just friends? No mwah-mwah-mwah,’ I tease her; purse my lips, make kissy sounds.

‘God, yeah. Nothing more. It’s just I so enjoy his company.’

‘So, just hang out. Take your time on everything.’ I rub Charlie’s tummy, his four paws in the air now.

‘You need to jump back on the horse and I need to stay off it,’ she says, and instantly I think of Donal.

I swirl my lemonade, feeling my face redden for some reason. ‘He was really nice, actually. Really, really nice.’

‘Who?’ Mia says picking an invisible dog hair off her spotless couch.

‘Who? Jacob Elordi! Who do you think? Donal, my Beyond Looks date you keep asking about.’ I hold the glass to my forehead, rounding it across my skin to cool me down.

‘Ohwashe?’ Mia’s eyes widen like saucers and she sits up on her hunkers, leaning in nearer to me.

‘Not in that way .?.?. I mean, at least I don’t think so .?.?. It’s an odd one, actually. I’d met him before, twice.’ I pause. I can’t tellher I dragged him into Fallon & Byrne because I was spiralling about her brother’s return.

‘Where?’

‘Ah, just out and about Old Camden Street. I’m still trying to work out how I feel about him. He’s really not my usual type .?.?.’

‘This is good! This is what we want .?.?. look where our perceived types got us the last time!’ she enthuses, claps her hands. Charlie barks.

‘But he’s incredibly sweet. There is something about him .?.?. I can’t quite put my finger on it. A sense of not-giving-a-shit about what people think of him. It’s a very attractive trait. And he’s really smart and respectful.’

I can’t give her comparisons to Logan. We don’t talk about Logan. It’s an unwritten rule.

‘Well now, thisisinteresting, thisisgood news!’ Mia says, and that wild hopeful look in her eyes throws me a little.

Does she suspect I want Logan back?

I busy myself drinking my lemonade. The bubbles tickle my nose. I sneeze. It’s all a good distraction.

‘Bless you,’ Mia says. ‘Now I know it’s very superficial of me and the polar opposite point of the dating app, but I’m curious: whatdoeshe look like?’ I make a face like I’ve a toothache and she reacts immediately. ‘Actually, hold that thought, down the lemonade, it’s almost six o’clock and this calls for an early G&T.’ The sound of a ship’s horn sounds in the distance. ‘I’ll miss this house on summer nights like these.’ She jogs out of the room.

I do what she says and down the pink bubbles as I admire the wondrous view from the open sash window. In the distance, I can just about make out the huge cruise liner that is meandering out on the clear blue, open Irish water.

‘I only have diet tonic, I know you hate it, but sorry, it’ll have to do. So go on? What does he look like? I can’t tell if that face you made indicates he’s an absolute ride or a horror show?’ She’shanding me an ice-cold G&T. I put my empty lemonade glass down on the table.

‘Neither. He’s like his namesake. Domhnall Gleeson, the actor. Only much taller and thinner with hippyish red hair that hangs .?.?.’ I place my hand under my shoulder to show where his hair ends. I finally take the glass from her extended hand. ‘Thank you kindly, diet tonic will suffice.’

Mia scrunches up her pretty face, open-mouthed. ‘You hate long hair on men .?.?.’

‘Andhe has the wild bushy beard of Domhnall’s dad, Brendan Gleeson,’ I add for good measure.

‘Youreallyhate beards. Ever since you readThe Twitsin school, am I right?’ Mia jerks as her phone vibrates on the coffee table in front of us. She picks it up, looks at the flashing screen. ‘It’s Michael.’

I watch as she answers and just repeats, ‘Right, right, I see, right. Thanks for letting me know.’