Page 46 of How To Not Need You

I sigh irritably and try to think of a way out of this without Luca coming after me. I come up helplessly blank.

“I’ve always wanted to do this,” Ben says, lowering the binoculars just long enough to grin at me.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“So?”

For a long while, nothing exciting happens. Seabrook carries on around us. Dogs get walked. People collect coffees. Someone comes out of the dry cleaner carrying three shirts.

Ben lifts the binoculars again.

“Nothing.”

“Shocking.”

Ben finally stops muttering about the seagulls and looks at me.

“So. How’s everything going with Liv?”

I already don’t like where this is going.

“We’ve had a few dates,” I say finally.

Ben grins. “She’s good?”

I think about it for a second.

“Yeah. Really good.”

Ben waits.

I know that look.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“You're doing something with your face.”

“I'm waiting.”

“For what?”

“Details.”

“There are no details.”

“You cooked for her.”

I look at him. “How the fuck do you know that?”

“You spent half of Monday asking Collins whether garlic is supposed to go brown.”

“It is.”

“Not the almost black colour that you described.”

“She ate it.”