was even better looking than the last time I’d seen him. He was deeply tanned and was wearing jeans and a loose, buttoned T-shirt and his feet were sheathed in brown leather sandals. His hair was closely shaven, and that, along with his five o’clock shadow, made him look like he should be starring in his own TV show. A show about a hot guy…who’s…erm, hot. I blushed.
‘Hey,
Declan
. I like your hair. Or lack thereof. You look all, you know, Europeany.’
‘Thanks, Han – you’re looking well too. How are things?’
Before I could answer, Iz galloped into the hallway and ran over to give me a kiss.
‘How are you, honey? So glad you came. Hey, Dec, Josh is struggling with the fish – would you go and help the poor little man before he ruins all my Atlantic salmon?’
Dec walked away and I watched him go, taking in his muscled back and how his jeans sat on his bum.
‘Honeyyyy, look at you. You’ve still got a crush on him.’ Iz squealed and jabbed me in the arm, before pulling me through to an empty lounge room. I was relieved to note everyone wasout on the deck or in the kitchen.
‘I haven’t! He just looks…good.’
‘I’ve always said you two should get it on. Now’s your chance, baby. He and Pia are kaput.’
‘Really? Oh, they were so good together. Why did they break up?’ Despite my adoration for Dec, he and Pia were my version of the fairytale couple. If they couldn’t make it, no one could. It was like when Jennifer and Brad split. Was there
any
hope?
‘Just before he left Amsterdam. It was all very amicable from what he tells me. She needed to move to London for work, and he didn’t want to. He seems fine, actually. She’s fine with it; he’s fine with it. Arty people: they’re all liberal and free-loving; they don’t do psycho break-ups like the rest of us.’
I was beyond impressed. What a guy. So emotionally progressive.
‘Speaking of which, I bumped into Jesse at this stupid event I had to go to.’ I felt the tears prickle behind my eyes. ‘Then I saw him and Lisa Sutherland leaving together. I was walking behind them, and they got into a cab.’ I tipped my head back and took a deep breath, fanning my face at the same time.
‘Oh darling. Okay, it doesn’t necessarily mean anything… but, well, it
might
… Oooh, I don’t know how you restrained yourself. If that had been me behind them, I would’ve been pulling her hair and spitting on his face before they’d even had a chance to hail a goddamn cab!’ She shivered. ‘
God
, I’m so
angry
for you right now!’
At that moment, Dec walked into the room, holding a plate of cheese and a glass of chilled white wine for me. Ithanked him and took a long sip. Sensing he had interrupted something, he raised his eyebrows and looked from me to Iz. ‘Well, the salmon’s cruising along fine, so…’
‘Thank you, Dec darling. You know, I’m just gonna go and quickly check it all the same.’ She shot me an ‘Are you okay?’ look before walking out. I smiled and closed my eyes to signal yes.
Dec leant against the sofa and put down the cheese plate. ‘So, how’s the new job? Iz says you’re loving it.’
‘It’s really good,’ I said, perching on the arm of one of Iz’s deranged old armchairs. ‘It’s so flash there, but I feel like a bit of a fraud, to be honest. The mag girls are all so polished and sharp. I still feel like a little girl from the country.’
‘
What
? Look at you! You’ve got great style. And you’re extremely sharp. Don’t let their façade of togetherness get to you. Inside, everyone feels a little bit out of place. That’s why they overcompensate with their expensive shoes and their attitude.’
‘Hmmm, I guess. I’ve got good at faking it, in any case.’
‘Faking what?’
‘Looking like I belong. I’m still the girl who spills food on herself every day.’
‘And I’m sure that’s precisely why they all love you. That’s why
we
love you.’
I blushed. I wish I
‘Hey,
Declan
. I like your hair. Or lack thereof. You look all, you know, Europeany.’
‘Thanks, Han – you’re looking well too. How are things?’
Before I could answer, Iz galloped into the hallway and ran over to give me a kiss.
‘How are you, honey? So glad you came. Hey, Dec, Josh is struggling with the fish – would you go and help the poor little man before he ruins all my Atlantic salmon?’
Dec walked away and I watched him go, taking in his muscled back and how his jeans sat on his bum.
‘Honeyyyy, look at you. You’ve still got a crush on him.’ Iz squealed and jabbed me in the arm, before pulling me through to an empty lounge room. I was relieved to note everyone wasout on the deck or in the kitchen.
‘I haven’t! He just looks…good.’
‘I’ve always said you two should get it on. Now’s your chance, baby. He and Pia are kaput.’
‘Really? Oh, they were so good together. Why did they break up?’ Despite my adoration for Dec, he and Pia were my version of the fairytale couple. If they couldn’t make it, no one could. It was like when Jennifer and Brad split. Was there
any
hope?
‘Just before he left Amsterdam. It was all very amicable from what he tells me. She needed to move to London for work, and he didn’t want to. He seems fine, actually. She’s fine with it; he’s fine with it. Arty people: they’re all liberal and free-loving; they don’t do psycho break-ups like the rest of us.’
I was beyond impressed. What a guy. So emotionally progressive.
‘Speaking of which, I bumped into Jesse at this stupid event I had to go to.’ I felt the tears prickle behind my eyes. ‘Then I saw him and Lisa Sutherland leaving together. I was walking behind them, and they got into a cab.’ I tipped my head back and took a deep breath, fanning my face at the same time.
‘Oh darling. Okay, it doesn’t necessarily mean anything… but, well, it
might
… Oooh, I don’t know how you restrained yourself. If that had been me behind them, I would’ve been pulling her hair and spitting on his face before they’d even had a chance to hail a goddamn cab!’ She shivered. ‘
God
, I’m so
angry
for you right now!’
At that moment, Dec walked into the room, holding a plate of cheese and a glass of chilled white wine for me. Ithanked him and took a long sip. Sensing he had interrupted something, he raised his eyebrows and looked from me to Iz. ‘Well, the salmon’s cruising along fine, so…’
‘Thank you, Dec darling. You know, I’m just gonna go and quickly check it all the same.’ She shot me an ‘Are you okay?’ look before walking out. I smiled and closed my eyes to signal yes.
Dec leant against the sofa and put down the cheese plate. ‘So, how’s the new job? Iz says you’re loving it.’
‘It’s really good,’ I said, perching on the arm of one of Iz’s deranged old armchairs. ‘It’s so flash there, but I feel like a bit of a fraud, to be honest. The mag girls are all so polished and sharp. I still feel like a little girl from the country.’
‘
What
? Look at you! You’ve got great style. And you’re extremely sharp. Don’t let their façade of togetherness get to you. Inside, everyone feels a little bit out of place. That’s why they overcompensate with their expensive shoes and their attitude.’
‘Hmmm, I guess. I’ve got good at faking it, in any case.’
‘Faking what?’
‘Looking like I belong. I’m still the girl who spills food on herself every day.’
‘And I’m sure that’s precisely why they all love you. That’s why
we
love you.’
I blushed. I wish I
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