‘I like them.’ He grins. ‘A lot.’ My stomach does a little dive. Okay, I know he’s not the man for me – but right now he’s reminding me of that other man in my life. Dad. Just when I was starting to think that he isn’t actually much like him at all. ‘Can’t blame me, can you?’
‘But you don’t stick with anybody.’ I give him my disapproving look. ‘How can you know what somebody is like if you don’t hang around and get to know them?’ I suppose the one big difference is that he’s not actually being unfaithful, but why can’t he just be more, more, well … Not more like Robbie. Maybe it’s easier to say why isn’t he less like Dad?
‘You’ll get lines if you frown like that!’
‘You can’t distract me that easily.’
‘Look, Rosie.’ He puts his menu down carefully and looks me in the eye. ‘I know your dad is a bit of a shit—’
‘I never said that!’
He puts his hand over mine. ‘You didn’t have to. I’ve seen the effect he has on you every time he gets in touch! Look, Rosie, I care about you.’
‘Huh.’ I scowl.
‘You’re cool, you’re cute, but I reckon you might have some,’ he pauses and studies me for a moment as though he’s unsure whether or not to carry on.
‘Go on.’ I say stiffly. ‘Hit me with it. I’m immune to personal insults.’
‘No, you’re not.’ His tone is soft. ‘And you shouldn’t be. You also shouldn’t have these trust issues with men. We’re not all the enemy. Give us a chance.’
‘I don’t have trust—’ I’m getting hot under the collar, and practically bristling.
‘You—’
‘Can’t you just be nice?’
‘Look I’m trying to be.’ He looks slightly indignant. ‘I’m always nice!’
‘No, you’re not. You can’t call my dad a shit!’
‘He’s not exactly nice and supportive, is he?’ he says reasonably. Then leans forward. I scowl. ‘Anyway, the point here is, I’m not your dad. I’m not married, I’m not offering commitment, I just like women, I like having fun, and I like to date. Okay? It doesn’t make me enemy number one, just not the man for you. We’re all different, Rosie. I’m not the enemy, I’m just a guy with his own reasons for doing what he does, and I don’t need you to judge me.’ His steady gaze is a bit unnerving, so I look down at my own menu. He puts a finger under my chin. There’s a minor tussle while I try and keep it down and he tries to make me look at him, but the power of his finger wins. ‘Okay?’
‘Fine.’ It’s not fine though. He’s right, I shouldn’t be judging him. I just wish he wasn’t like he was. ‘So, what are your reasons?’
‘What?’
‘For being like you are! All this,’ I wave a hand, ‘not, not …’ his words come back to me, from when he was selling his services at being brilliant at chatting people up, at first dates, ‘not being so hot at second dates, or third dates!’
‘It’s the way I rumble.’ He shrugs. ‘Not everybody believes in happy-ever-afters, Rosie.’
I raise an eyebrow.
‘I’ve just, just,’ he hesitates as though he doesn’t know whether or not to say anything more, ‘I realised it wasn’t for me a long time ago, Rosie. Love is fine until it goes wrong, until you lose it, isn’t it? So sometimes it’s just better not to …’ He stops talking.
‘Get involved?’
‘Yep.’
‘Hmm. Fine.’ He’s got a closed look on his face. There’s an awkward silence. It’s not nice. We’ve never had awkward silences. ‘Why did you want to see me?’ I say grumpily. I’m unreasonably cross with him which is silly. It’s none of my business. ‘Not just about nails?’
‘Thought having a bit of fun wouldn’t do you any harm.’ He says the last bit under his breath, but it seems to resound round the café.
‘I heard that, I know how to have fun!’
‘Sure.’
‘I do.’
‘You just need to loosen up a bit.’
‘If I loosen up any more I’ll be on my back!’
‘Exactly!’ He grins cheekily and I can’t help myself, I smile back.
‘You’re so annoying at times. I was trying to stay grumpy with you!’
‘I know, on both counts. Like to keep you on your toes.’
It’s almost a cosy moment, but the waitress chooses this moment to gate-crash, which is probably a good thing.