My Year of Saying No - Maxine Morrey Page 0,31

proportion of that. The same Seb who had seen me on video call in the throes of flu, when I’d forgotten to brush my hair and when I had tomato soup smiles. The latter he’d pointed out, which had led to a moment of mortification, knowing I had been up to the supermarket between eating lunch and speaking to Seb and realising that I’d had a tomato soup version of The Joker’s smile on my face the entire time. Seb had thought it hilarious. I’d been less amused, but he’d soon got me to relax and realise that there were far worse things in life than forgetting to wipe the soup smiles off your face before you went out.

Glancing at the satnav, I took the next turn and followed the little arrow on the screen. Noticing my fingers were gripping the wheel a little too tightly, I took a deep breath and loosened them.

Calm down. It’s going to be fine.

Of course it would. There was nothing to worry about. No reason to think that although we were great as friends from a distance that it might be awkward actually meeting in person. Absolutely no problem about… My thoughts halted as my phone rang and I pressed the button on my daft Star Trek-type earpiece to answer it. I’d made a wish list for my new car and built-in Bluetooth was definitely on it but, for now, this had to do.

‘Hey.’ Seb’s deep tones, with their well-spoken, Home Counties accent, drifted directly into my ear. To me it was the epitome of that classic Army officer voice, a fact I’d begun teasing him about early into our friendship.

‘Hi. Everything OK?’

‘Fine. I was just checking on you.’

‘I’m OK. Not far to go now. Just a few minutes away according to the satnav.’

‘Great. And how’s the overthinking going?’

‘Huh?’

‘How many arguments have you had with yourself coming up that this might not be the right thing to do? That things might be awkward, and any other random scenarios you’ve cooked up between home and here.’

‘I don’t know what you mean.’

The deep laugh rumbled directly into my ear and sent a ripple of pleasure to places that it wasn’t helpful for them to be right now.

‘I already told you you’re a horrible fibber.’

‘Thanks.’

‘I can see some lights turning into the car park. Is that you?’

‘I am turning into the car park right now, so it might be. Don’t watch me park. You’ll put me off and I’ll probably prang something!’

He laughed again and hung up. I glanced around but couldn’t see anyone, so I aimed for a space and parked uneventfully. Grabbing my bag, I got out of the car and pressed the button to lock it before turning back to the car park to see if I could spot Seb. It didn’t take long.

I’d known he was tall at six three, but he looked even broader in real life than he did on the screen, especially wrapped up as he was against the bitter chill of the evening, and together it made quite an impact. I did my best to look casual despite the swarm of butterflies that had just let fly in my stomach.

His steps were relatively quick, and there was less of a limp than I’d been expecting. In truth, I don’t know exactly what I had expected but, I guess, in my naivety, I’d expected there to be a more telltale outward sign of his injury. His hair was freshly cropped, and as the light from a street lamp fell upon him, I saw those laughing eyes and the wide, smiling mouth. Oh crap. He was even better looking in real life than he was on screen. How was that possible? Was it even legal?

‘I hid so I didn’t make you crash.’ Mischief shimmered in his eyes.

‘Thanks, I appreciate that,’ I said, allowing myself to be enveloped in the warm, comforting hug that Seb wrapped around me and a hint of a woody aftershave tickled my senses. ‘Bearing in mind your size, I imagine that can’t have been the easiest of tasks.’

‘I’ve had practice. When you’re in a war zone, you’d be amazed how small a big bloke can make himself.’

I pulled a face. ‘I bet.’

‘Besides, I aim to please.’

Oh crikey. And I had very little doubt that he did just that. I’d thought he looked good on a screen, but it seemed a computer screen image had nothing on real life. My crush indicator had already dinged up a few