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His smile catches me off guard, bouncing across his face and up to his eyes the way sunlight hits a skyscraper; unexpectedly brightening an otherwise gloomy day. ‘Of course I’m taking it. But let me get these drinks to the others first.’
Julien must’ve been keeping an eye on the beverage progress, because he appears at the bar just as the bartender finishes making the last drinks on Finn’s order.
‘Hey Ava,’ he says, voice as velvety as ever. ‘Please tell me you’ve figured out how loose this man is with his credit card. He’llalwaysget you a double, even when you ask for a single to be polite. It’s my favourite thing about him.’ He slaps a hand on Finn’s shoulder and plants a kiss on his hair.
‘I’m actually leaving in a minute,’ I clarify. ‘But I’ll bear that in mind.’
‘There’s always next time,’ Julien says with a shrug. There’s definitelynotalways next time, becausethere won’t be a next time. I know that much.
‘Wait, that’s your favourite thing about me?’ Finn asks. ‘Not my eternal optimism or encyclopaedic knowledge of palaeontology?’
‘I said what I said,’ Julien replies smoothly.
‘Ava’s helping me with my bucket list.’
‘I’m helping you withoneitem on your bucket list,’ I correct.
‘What did he promise you to get you to help?’ Julien asks, picking up four glasses with a level of dexterity I envy. ‘Did he offer any kind of payment?’
‘I was thinking of requesting a vow of silence for any time he’s in the coffee shop, but I’m open to ideas.’
Julien’s pensive. ‘Can you petition for that vow to extend to the office as well? I’d love some peace and quiet.’
‘Absolutely, I’m sure we can come to an arrangement.’
‘Hey, not sure if you two know, but I am right here,’ Finn says, raising his hand. He spins around to tap his phone on the card reader to pay. ‘And to think, Julien, I was gonna offer you my drink, seeing as it’s now going to waste. Guess it’ll have to go to Rory instead.’
For a split second I feel bad for pulling Finn away from his friends, but he doesn’t seem too bothered.
‘All Rory needs is half a pint and he’s smashed, so I’m taking it. I accept your gesture of goodwill.’
‘I’ll just say bye,’ Finn says to me, lightly tapping my arm before picking up the remaining drinks and heading over to the table with Julien, neither of them spilling a drop amidst the constant jostling of people in their path. Finn takes about five times as long to say his goodbyes as I would, all dramatic expressions and giant gestures that make him look like he’s playing charades. Eventually he rejoins me by the bar and I motion him towards the door, which he holds open and makes me walk through first.
9
we found love in a hopeless place (the drinks fridge at Tesco)
A V A
Once we’re outside inthe waning daylight, we turn right and weave through narrow, cobbled alleyways to make our way in the direction of the Thames.
To my horror, Finn does not stop talking for the entirety of the eternity-filled four minutes. ‘Where are you taking me? Am I being kidnapped? I have 999 primed and ready.’
‘I told you,’ I say through slightly gritted teeth, wondering if I might come to regret my spontaneous decision. ‘Tesco.’
Walking with Finn feels a lot like walking with an exceptionally long-legged toddler. We hit a busier road, and opposite the Royal Courts of Justice, right where Fleet Street morphs into the Strand, is a dragon statue he’s taken an interest in, softly illuminated by the dregs of evening sunlight.
‘What’s this?’ He cranes his neck to get a better look.
‘It marks the entrance to the City of London from Westminster.’
His head whirls to face me. ‘How do you know that?’
‘I know a lot of things,’ I say, waiting for a car to pass so that I can keep walking. ‘But also, I Googled it once.’
He pulls himself away and follows me across the road to our destination; a tiny Tesco Express sewn into the patchwork oftwentieth-century buildings lining the street.
As we cross the threshold, it strikes me that there’s something innately intimate about being in a supermarket with someone, so I attempt to make the process as quick as possible, directing us to the drinks fridge.
