‘It’s still bothering me.’
‘Don’t let it.’
‘I can’t help it. Every time I think about it, I just want to die of shame.’
‘OK, now listen.’ He turned to face her and took her hands in his. ‘I’m glad I heard you asking those questions. You know how it feels when you really like someone but you’re scared to let them know in case they don’t feel the same way?’
Flo gazed up into his steady blue eyes and felt her mouth go dry. She nodded. ‘Yes.’
‘Well, that’s been me. Wanting to say stuff but not wanting to frighten you off.’ He paused. ‘Like, there’s an idea I’ve had that would help us all out, but I don’t want you thinking I’m only suggesting it because it would benefit me. Because that’s not why I thought of it, I swear.’
And that was when she knew, because it was the exact same solution she’d been too afraid to voice, for fear of seeming overkeen.
She nodded, feeling suddenly brave. ‘Lena stays in your flat and you move in with me.’
It wasn’t until Zander exhaled that she realised he’d been holding his breath. ‘That’s the one.’
‘I’ve been wanting to say it too.’
‘Really?’
Oh, those dark eyebrows. ‘Really.’ Braver still, Flo said, ‘I do quite like you, you know.’
‘I was worried you’d think it was too soon.’
‘Same.’ Was it too soon? It honestly didn’t feel that way.
‘I love you,’ said Zander.
‘I love you.’
‘I can’t think of anything I’d like more than living with you.’
‘Me neither.’
He took another breath. ‘And . . . it’s not something I’ve ever considered with anyone else, but seeing as the fortune-teller brought it up, I can definitely see myself wanting us to have babies.’
‘Wow,’ said Flo.
‘One girl, one boy. Sounds good to me. In your own time,’ Zander amended with a lopsided smile. ‘Not necessarily straight away.’
As he said it, another hot air balloon, this time a chequered purple and green one, sailed by overhead. Two small children raced after it, waving and screaming with delight. Flo felt as if she could float with happiness. After all these years, the perfect man had come along and she knew he wouldn’t let her down. Together they could overcome the problem of Lena.
And having Zander’s flat all to herself, even if it wasn’t the flat she most wanted, might hopefully, in turn, go some way towards easing the way Lena felt about Flo.
‘So is this it?’ Flo wrapped her arms around Zander’s waist. ‘All sorted? You’re going to pack up your things and move in with me and Jeremy?’
‘If you think Jeremy’ll be OK with that. Maybe you should check with him first.’
‘He likes you. It’ll be fine. He’ll welcome you with open paws.’
‘Well,’ said Zander, ‘I call this a result.’
Together they made their way back across the Downs to the car.
‘Hang on a second. I never remember to do this and I really should.’ Pausing, Flo pulled out her phone and held it up to take a photo. She framed the two of them on the screen with the dramatic gorge and the suspension bridge behind them and a huge orange hot air balloon drifting overhead. Click went the camera, and the moment was captured forever.
‘Years from now, we’ll show that picture to the kids,’ said Zander. ‘What are we going to call them, by the way? Any ideas?’
‘Already sorted,’ said Flo. ‘Gaviscon and Petunia. Those are their names. We’ll tell them this was the day we decided to have them.’
He gave her shoulder a squeeze. ‘All in all, it’s been a pretty great day.’
Flo put her phone away and blew him a playful kiss. ‘Better still, it’s not over yet.’
Chapter 46
Dear Rose,
My three things are:
I am the cleverest person I know.
I compile cryptic crosswords for fun.
It annoys me when people think they know better than me, especially when I know they don’t.
My best friend Sally is driving me mad. We’ve known each other since we were children and we’re both now twenty-six. For the last ten years she’s chosen all the wrong boyfriends, but each time I tell her this, she refuses to listen. But I’m always right. Why won’t she believe me? I could save her so much heartbreak.
Sincerely,
David
Dear David,
People need to be allowed to make their own mistakes, otherwise they’ll always be convinced their choice was the right one. We always think we know best – that’s just human nature. If Sally really liked someone but didn’t go out with them because you’d told her not to, she would forever be convinced that this one would have been the big love of her life.