Emma nodded. ‘He’s so wonderful, and I just wanted to tell you – don’t worry. Just enjoy it. Enjoy him, okay? He’s … I really like him.’
Nadia didn’t know what to say. Her heart swelled and beat faster, her breathing speeding up to match.
‘I have something I am supposed to tell you, though. Hold on.’ Emma unfolded a piece of paper, where she’d scribbled something down.
‘Ready?’ she asked. Nadia nodded.
‘Coffee Spill Girl. Time to put our money where our mouth is and finally have this date. We’re only about four months behind, but I have no doubt you’re worth the wait. I can’t believe I didn’t say hello to you the first time I saw you. I promise not to make a habit of being so stupid. See you in a minute, Train Guy.’
Nadia rolled her eyes. ‘I was an idiot too,’ she told Emma.
‘Nah,’ Emma said. And then: ‘Okay. Head down that alleyway there. Go. Fall in love.’
54
Nadia
Nadia walked down the back alley as instructed, seeing, in the distance, a handsome man with a yellow rose in his hand.
‘Hello?’ she said, uncertain.
‘Nadia,’ the man replied. ‘Are you Nadia?’
‘Yes,’ she said, reaching him.
‘Lorenzo,’ he said. ‘I’m Daniel’s … I know Daniel.’
Nadia waited for him to continue.
‘He’s been nuts about you ever since he heard you talking to your boss one lunchtime,’ Lorenzo said. ‘And I thought he was over-egging it a bit. Thought he was crazy to get so excited about a woman he hadn’t actually talked to himself.’
Nadia smiled.
‘But, that’s who he is. He gets a read on people. Knows people. He’s waiting around the corner for you, at The Old Barn Cat. Where you should have met last time. He wanted me to tell you how excited he is, and to ask if you saw the paper today? He wrote another advert, but – well, I don’t suppose it matters now.’
‘I don’t suppose it does.’
‘He was always going to find you again.’
Nadia smiled. ‘I think we were always going to find each other,’ she said, before thanking him and turning the corner to the bar.
55
Daniel
Daniel had gone straight into the bar this time, no dilly-dallying outside. He’d ordered a bottle of cava, some tap water, and a charcuterie board. The place was dark and peppered with candles, and the cold outside but warm air inside had forced condensation up the windows, making it feel cosy and like winter had almost arrived. His jacket was hung under the bar, on one of the hooks, and his phone was face-down in front of him. He waited.
56
Nadia
‘It’s you,’ she smiled.
‘It’s you,’ he smiled.
Nadia stood before Daniel, her flowers cradled in the nook of her arm. Her cheeks were flushed and she felt jittery and coy, like a schoolgirl. Her heart thumped.
He leapt up, remembering himself, and gave her a hug.
‘Thank you for these,’ she said, as they stood facing each other, nodding at the bouquet she held. ‘And for the trail of people …’
‘All the people that knew about you and me, before there was a you and me to know about …’
Nadia and Daniel sat next to each other at the bar – the same place they should have met the first time. The same guy was behind the counter. As he approached them he said, ‘Hey! You guys found each other!’ and they all laughed. Daniel poured them both a glass of cava, explaining that it was dry, like champagne, and Nada told him that she’d read something about that, maybe in The Times.
They had so much in common, and so much yet to learn.
‘You know what?’ Nadia said. ‘Do you mind if we move to go and sit over there, at a table?’
Daniel cocked his head at her. ‘Not at all,’ he said, and Nadia explained: ‘This is where I waited for you last time. When you didn’t …’
‘Say no more,’ Daniel nodded, understanding. When he didn’t show up.
The barman gave them a little bowl of olives with toothpicks and a bowl for the pips, and said their charcuterie would be on the way. Once he’d gone and the polite chit-chat was over, Nadia finally stole a peek at Daniel and decided it was too far away to sit opposite him, so moved her chair around so that she sat on the corner of the table, next to him, her knees knocking into the side of his legs.