Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye - Jacquelyn Middleton Page 0,28

throat. “Oh, Leia. I’m so sorry—” His phone lit up again with a text.

Lucy: Tell her about volunteering in Nepal building hospitals. YOU’RE WELCOME! x

He flipped it over, out of sight. I’m not going to prattle on about myself, especially now. She looks so sad. But do I ask about her mom—or not? I don’t want to avoid the subject and be an insensitive dick, but I don’t want to make her cry, either. Tarquin bit his lip. Well, say something. “Do you, uh, want to talk abou—”

“No.” Her stare lifted, but she skirted his gaze. “Thanks for asking, though.”

Okay. Good. He let out a soft breath. “So…will you sew at Simon’s?”

With a faint nod, Leia rejoined the conversation. “I’d like to. I can only do so much by hand with a needle and thread.” She sighed, returning her drink to the table. “I have a lot to catch up on”—her forehead wrinkled—“so I should probably get going.” Reaching across the table, she snapped up the bill.

Going? Her words sucker-punched Tarquin’s gut. Already?

“I have a job interview on Friday. I need time to prep.” She dove into her purse.

A job interview? Here? “Oh, well done!” he blurted. “That’s amazing.”

“Yeah, it’s for a full-time position at the Costume Institute,” she replied, all trace of her flirty repartee gone as she pulled out her credit card. “Over Skype.” She craned her neck and locked eyes with their server.

Bloody New York? Just my rotten luck. Tarquin’s heart sank. Bollocks.

“I’ve been waiting months for this chance to come around again.” Leia’s finger flicked the edge of her card as the server rushed over with the portable payment machine. “I can’t mess up.”

“You won’t. You’ll be great!” Tarquin stuffed his fingers into the pocket of his trousers, pulling out his wallet. “Leia, please—I’ll get this.”

“No, it’s the least I can do. Seriously.” Punching in her PIN, the machine’s electronic beeps pierced the silence growing between them.

Three hours gone in a blink. Tarquin’s chest tightened. He tucked his wallet away as the machine spit out her receipt like a petulant child sticking out his tongue. “Cheers,” he said quietly, hoping she’d change her mind and suggest dessert somewhere, but she thanked the waiter and stuffed the curled piece of paper in her wallet. Tarquin didn’t budge or reach for his suit jacket and coat, holding on to every last second of their time together.

A bright smile flashed across her cheeks. “I really like Simon.” She picked up her phone and tapped its screen. “Now I have a friend here in the business—all thanks to you.”

“My pleasure.” Tarquin nodded and swallowed heavily, the ache in his chest rising into his throat, cutting off his breath. I thought—hoped—this would be the beginning of something, not the end. We get along, right? We laughed, flirted. Shared stories—well, I did…

She slid her arms into her parka. “I’d offer to share a taxi, but I think we’re going in different directions?”

“Yeah, we are, but it’s fine, really.” He rose from the bench and reunited with his suit jacket and his coat, hanging on the back of his chair. “I’ll walk for a bit. Get some air.”

She stood up, looping her purse over her shoulder. “I had fun tonight.”

Does she mean it, though? “Me too.” He walked ahead of her through the thinning crowd and held open the door, the dank evening chill of a now rainy London mirroring his mood. An idling car offered a dry escape.

“Oh, that’s my ride—perfect timing.” A puff of breath left Leia’s lips. “Can I drop you somewhere?” She opened the door and scooted in. “You can’t walk. You’ll get soaked.”

Tarquin ducked his head, hiding from the pelting rain. “Ah, thanks, but I’m all right.” ASK HER—before you drown! He squinted into the warm car, the storm’s cold deluge trickling down his neck and saturating his scarf. “Leia, can I see you again? Take you for dinner or a film? I promise, not Star Wars.”

“Um.” She paused, giving him a tight-lipped smile. “Sure. We could…hang out again. Soon, yeah?”

Hang out? So… not a date? He stepped back and swallowed his surprise. No, of course not. She pulled away in the pub—twice.

“Look…” Leia fumbled in her bag, unearthing a compact umbrella. “Take this.” Her jaw tensed as her gaze flitted down his soon-to-be sopping coat. “I’ll call you?”

I’ll call you… How many times have I said that, knowing I never would? That’s karma kicking you in the bollocks, mate. Tarquin accepted the umbrella. “Sure, okay.” He nodded,