Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye - Jacquelyn Middleton Page 0,5
imbued with a whimsical elegance.
Wow. Tarquin’s eyes widened. That’s what she wears shopping? It’s beautiful. “And did you? Go back?” Chuckling, he sipped his lukewarm coffee as his phone lit up with a photo message, which he ignored it. “How many did you end up buying?”
“Tons! Even the ones I didn’t like. I’ve never been good with decision-making.”
“Yet, here you are in IKEA, home to decision overload.”
Leia peered over the edge of the table at his stuffed shopping bag. “Well, it looks like you couldn’t make up your mind, either.”
“Actually, I was on a carefully planned mission. Got everything I wanted.” He scooped up the unicorn and opened the bag, its bulging polypropylene smothering his polished dress shoes. “It’s for my niece, Ava. She’s four and has me wrapped around her little finger.” He rifled through a magic kit, several masks, and glitter paints. “I felt guilty leaving yesterday. We were all up in Scotland for Christmas, but I had to come back for work. My brother sent me a voice message this morning, Ava asking when Uncle Talk would return. She can’t say Tarquin or Tarq, so I’m Uncle Talk. It’s rather fitting, according to my family.”
Leia smiled softly. “Kids are smart. They pick up on the smallest things.”
“Quite.” He returned the stuffed toy to the bag. “So, after my meeting, I came here for presents. I must maintain my status as her favorite uncle—not that I have much competition these days.” He gestured with his hands in an open, friendly fashion. “She’s in a magic and unicorn phase right now. She’s a total believer.”
“Aw, I was once.” Leia tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear and picked up her drink. “Ava will love her…”
Tarquin smiled. She’s beautiful. The blonde hair, American accent, Star Wars references—she reminds me of Alex but taller. More confident. He picked up his coffee. I wonder if she’s single—
“…almost as much as I hate Star Wars.” She smirked behind her bottle.
Ooof. The geeky half of Tarquin’s heart curled up and died. She hates it? He gulped his drink and swallowed his enthusiasm. “Oh! Well, I can see why you would. Me, I just like…the music—for my ringtone,” he blurted, the desperate coffee-fueled lie curdling in his stomach. Time to change the subject. “So, what’s an American doing in a London IKEA on New Year’s Eve?”
“I wouldn’t know.” She sipped her drink. “I’m Canadian.”
Balfour, what are you like? Tarquin flinched. First woman you’ve fancied in months, and you’re getting everything wrong. “Sorry. I’m rubbish at guessing accents.”
A toothy grin burst through her lips as she watched the twins, mouths smeared with ice cream. “Don’t apologize. It’s fine.”
“I thought Canadians hated being mistaken for Americans?”
She shrugged. “Some do, but it’s an easy mistake to make. Happens a lot over here.”
“So, how long have you lived in London?”
“I don’t.”
Oh, bugger. Really?
Leia looked at the checkout, besieged by sour-faced customers. “My sister does, in North London—Islington. Dad and I are visiting for the holidays. Then I’m off to Italy.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Tarquin fought off a frown and set down his coffee. “Lucky you.” Unlucky me. “Italy’s much nicer than Islington.”
Leia chuckled. “It’ll make a nice change from New York.”
Wha—New York? Her words felt like a punch to the stomach. “You live in New York?”
“Yeah. Brooklyn.”
What did I do to deserve this? I meet her now—when I’m back living here? “I just spent the last three years in New York.”
“Really? Doing what?”
“Land and property acquisition for Manville Developments. They’re based in London, but I was their man in Manhattan for three years. I moved back to London last February, was here till July, then returned to New York to finish a project. Now I’m home again, running my own business.”
“Oh, that’s great. Same field?”
“Sort of.” And here’s my excuse to casually hand over my contact deets. “I buy and redevelop abandoned properties—pubs, churches, schools.” He shifted in his chair and removed his wallet from his trousers, pulling out a business card. “I love old buildings. You can just feel the history, all these old stories seeped into the walls, you know? The heartbreaks, the triumphs…it’s like they’re all still there, in the bricks.” He offered his credentials across the table with a warm smile. “I save them from the wrecking ball, give them some TLC and a new lease on life without losing what made them special in the first place. That way, I hope they’ll be around for the next hundred years.”