My Year of Saying No - Maxine Morrey Page 0,23

still didn’t stop me being concerned. Or enable me to shake off the feeling that something wasn’t right.

Is everything OK?

Yep

He added a thumbs up for good measure. The unconvinced, weird niggly feeling remained, but I didn’t know what else I could do. I knew I’d forgotten to ring last night, but Seb wasn’t the kind of guy to take offence at that. He understood, more than anyone, how easy it was to get caught up in stuff. And it wasn’t like we were dating or anything. But there was something. And it was bugging the hell out of me.

So how was your class?

I pressed the video call symbol instead of typing. It rang a couple of times and Seb appeared on the screen, one hand rubbing over his cropped hair.

‘Hi.’

‘Hi. Is this OK, or are you busy?’ I asked.

‘Nope, this is good. You all right?’

‘Yes, thanks. Are you? I’m a bit worried you did too much today.’

He pulled a face. ‘I’m fine. Honestly.’

‘I didn’t know you had a big hike planned.’

Seb gave a shrug. ‘Last minute decision. Nice day. Why not?’

‘True.’

‘Did you have a good day?’

‘Yes, thanks. I went to a food fayre, so I’ve now eaten far too much and there are way too many tempting goodies in my fridge. Plus, I have roast dinner at my parents’ booked for tomorrow, so, all in, I think I’m going to be rolling out of the weekend.’

‘It’s definitely a shame I don’t live closer. I could have helped you out with some of that.’ He gave me a grin.

My waistline agreed. Other parts of me also agreed based solely on that smile, but I was trying to ignore them.

‘Nice to visit these sorts of things though.’

‘It is. My parents love them so always know where the good ones are. I just tag along.’

‘Oh… you went with your parents?’ He pushed himself up a little straighter on the sofa as he spoke.

‘Yes.’

‘They OK?’

I gave a sigh. ‘Apart from my mum despairing of me ever finding a man, yeah, they’re fine.’

‘I’m sure she’s just worried that you might be lonely, or something.’

‘That’s exactly it, actually.’

Seb gave a sympathetic smile. ‘Are you?’

‘What?’

‘Lonely.’

I rolled my bottom lip out and back. Probably not the most attractive trait I had but one I sometimes forgot to curtail when I was pondering over things. Seb didn’t seem to notice.

‘No.’

‘That’s good then.’

‘That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be happy to meet Mr Right, if such a mythical creature even exists, but, like I told my mum, I’m OK as I am.’

Seb nodded and smiled.

‘Are you?’ I asked.

‘Lonely?’

‘Yes.’

‘Sometimes.’

Somewhere deep in my heart, I felt something shift and crack.

‘Oh,’ I said, which wasn’t exactly the eloquent and meaningful reply I’d liked to have responded with.

Seb shook his head, smiling. ‘Hey. Don’t look at me like that.’

‘Like what?’

‘All sad and big-eyed and compassionate.’

‘I’m not!’

‘You are.’

‘Well, it’s not intentional. That’s just my face. But I do hate to think of you lonely.’

‘Everyone gets like it sometimes. It’s no big deal for me. There are just moments. You asked and I answered, but I’m sort of wishing I’d fibbed now because I’m not sure I can take that pitying look from you much longer.’ He laughed.

‘I am not pitying!’ I said, waving my free hand.

‘You don’t even know you’re doing it!’

‘Oh well, excuse me for having a compassionate soul.’

He rolled his eyes at me. ‘Tell me properly about your dance class.’

I stuck my tongue out at him and rearranged Humphrey on my lap so that his paw was no longer pressing into my stomach.

‘It was OK. Kind of awkward to start with, like I said.’

‘But I gather it improved?’

‘It did.’

‘Thanks to the men you were out at the bar with?’ He wiggled his eyebrows and I gave him a look.

‘Just one of them. Mario.’

He nodded. ‘Fair enough.’

‘I just felt funny as everyone was already paired up, and I was sort of wondering if I’d done the right thing, but then Mario arrived.

‘And saved the day.’

‘Well, that might be overcooking it a little, but it was nice not to have to sit out and wait to be swapped in with someone.’

‘He any good?’

‘He’s done a bit before, so it was nice to have a bit of guidance, but basically we just had a really good laugh.’

‘That’s good. I’m glad you enjoyed yourself in the end. So, where does the other guy come into it?’

‘Andy? We met up with him after and went for a drink with Jess and Harry too.’

‘Oh right. Didn’t you tell your mum