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“Through the park?”
“Yeah. It’s well-lit at night, and there’ll be plenty of people around this close to Christmas.”
I smile with pleasure. “Well, if you wouldn’t mind.”
He holds out his hand again, I slip mine into it. The bars and restaurants are busy tonight, people spilling out to sit at the outside chairs and tables, talking and laughing in the cool early summer night.
“You sure you’re okay to walk in those high heels?” Alex asks as we cross the road and head toward Hagley Park
“Oh yeah, I’m used to them.”
“I don’t know if I said, but you look lovely tonight.”
My face warms. “Thank you. So do you.”
He chuckles. “You’re very kind.”
“I notice you didn’t use product tonight.”
He gives a wry smile and runs his free hand through his hair. “It’s gone fluffy.”
“I like it fluffy.”
“Then I’m glad I left it.”
I smile. Down by our sides, he links his fingers with mine, which is an oddly intimate gesture, a premonition of our bodies intertwining, and it warms me through.
“I need to talk to you about something,” I say cautiously.
“Okay.”
“I… um… don’t want to preempt anything, but you said tonight that this wasn’t a date…”
“Ah, I was winding Gaby up.”
“Yeah, I know. But… I’m guessing therewillbe a date?”
“Yes, Missie, there will be a date. More than one, I’m hoping.”
“The thing is… you know that Finn and I live with my mum, right?”
“Yes, he told me.”
“I moved up here after the accident. Partly for emotional support, and partly so she could help with Finn.”
“Of course.”
“But I haven’t… you know… dated anyone since.”
“Yeah.”
I hesitate. I’m not sure how to phrase it. “It’s just that I’m not quite sure how it’s going to work.”
He glances at me. “What do you mean?”
“Well, I’m twenty-eight now, I have an eleven-year-old son, and I don’t live alone. It’s not very… conducive to a spicy love life, if you get my drift.”
He looks puzzled.
