me sideways and smiling. She hooks a strand of hair behind her ear. She’s wearing a jumper and a dress that is patterned all over with tiny little rosebuds, and the necklace she told me her Nanna Beth gave her as a good luck charm before she moved up here. I blink hard and look away, wondering if I’ve been staring.
‘And Alex just seems to know loads of history about the places we’ve been,’ she continues, as if I haven’t just been gazing at her for what felt like ages. Maybe it was only a couple of seconds. Maybe – no, definitely – I need to get a grip.
‘That’s only because I’m a complete geek, with a weird memory for random stuff,’ I add.
‘It’s not random. If it wasn’t for you, I’d never have discovered the delight that is the Hyde Park pet cemetery.’ She laughs.
‘I thought you’d like it here because of the whole Notting Hill thing.’ I wave an arm down in the direction of the sweep of grass where a scene from the movie was shot.
‘Ahh,’ sighs Jess, happily. ‘If only a young Hugh Grant would materialise in front of us right now.’
‘What would you do?’ I raise an eyebrow.
‘Go scarlet in the face and hide behind a tree, of course. I mean in my fantasy world I’d introduce myself and he’d fall madly in love with me, but—’
James clears his throat. ‘I was thinking we could walk down to the Pergola – there’s a lovely view over the city from there.’
Jess shoots me a quick look. I make a face. I’m not sure her Richard Curtis movie daydreams are really James’s thing. He’s going to need to get used to them, mind you. It’s a standing joke in the house that every time we turn on Netflix in the sitting room we’re asked if we want to carry on watching one of them. She’s completely addicted.
‘That sounds good, doesn’t it, Alex?’
I nod. And we start walking – James slightly in front, because he’s got a printed-out map, even though it’s not exactly difficult to find, and if we keep walking in a straight line we’ll get there. I don’t say anything. Jess hovers somewhere between the two of us. This is – awkward. I feel like the third wheel on a date, only a date that isn’t even going all that well. ‘Um,’ I start to say, trying to think of something intelligent and interesting to say that’ll get James talking – and then a gust of wind blows a kid’s plastic kite right through the middle of the three of us and we duck out of the way. James grabs it and walks over to the little boy and his parents, bending down to his level to hand it over. He smiles and shows James a handful of pebbles he’s collected and stuffed in his pockets. The parents get involved, and I watch as he chats to them, probably about the weather and other suitable topics, and when he stands up and dusts down his trousers he looks across at us and smiles, and the little boy does, too.
‘Well, he’s good with children,’ I say, with an eyebrow raised.
‘Shut it, you.’ Jess shoves me with an elbow.
‘I’m just saying. Good marriage material, and all that.’ Why on earth did I say that? Why am I trying to push her into his arms? Oh, God. I give myself a shake.
‘Well, don’t,’ she says, looking a bit cross.
‘Talking of children,’ I say, ‘what’s happening with Sophie?’
‘Nothing,’ says Jess. She gives me a look that quite clearly says ‘Stop talking’. I turn around to see that James has rejoined us. At first I can’t figure out what Jess is worried about, then I realise, shit. Shit. James works with Sophie and he probably overheard me.
‘What’s happening with Sophie?’ James repeats.
‘Just a party she’s organising for her niece. I was helping her make plans.’ Jess covers up quickly. I don’t think James even thinks about it, mind you. He’s looking at the map, brow furrowed. I lean across and show him where we are, pointing in the direction of the Pergola.
‘There’s a road in the way,’ says James.
‘Yeah, we just have to cross there and walk down a bit past the Spaniards – it’s an old pub, been there since the sixteenth century – and then we’re back on the heath again.
Jess is trailing behind, looking more at her phone than the scenery. I try and think of something