Chapter 42
Chapter Forty-Two
EVIE
Of course, the train stopped in a tunnel right outside Liverpool Street Station. I tapped my foot and kept looking at my watch. Ten to twelve.
‘Come on. Come on. Come on,’ I muttered.
The man next to me looked very tempted to change seats.
I closed my eyes and said a silent prayer to St Christopher.
I was pretty sure he was the patron saint of travellers, although I suspect he was all about keeping people safe rather than getting them to their destination in a timely fashion.
When he was around, people relied on mules and donkeys, which back in the day were probably a lot more reliable.
It was a sure sign of anxiety when my mind started to charge off down these idiotic tangents.
We sat for what seemed like forever. Every time I looked at my watch another minute had passed.
It was now four minutes to twelve. Finally.
I almost cheered aloud. Like a geriatric dinosaur, the train lumbered into motion and slowly, oh, so slowly, rumbled into Liverpool Street station. Bah! It was exactly noon.
I was up and at the doors at the first chink of light from the platform. The second the doors parted, I flew out of them, frantically casting about for the yellow Way Out sign. I raced towards it, feeling damp patches gaining purchase under my arms. Bugger, I was going to arrive hot and sweaty.
I careered up the escalator, taking the left side for once, forcing my lungs to keep breathing with the unfamiliar exertion. I petered out before I reached the top and had to slink back into the lane on the right.
Breathless, I arrived at the top. And because I was too quick off the mark with my Oyster card after the previous person, I ran into the barrier full tilt. ‘Oof,’ I said, trying again.
Stepping out into the grey pallor of February in London, I consulted the map on my phone. Five-minute walk. Ha! I could walk quicker than Google. It was now six minutes past. I set off at an Olympic pace, run-walking, puffing in sync with each step.
At ten minutes past, I reached Horizon 22 and stared up at the skyscraper towering overhead and was immediately cast back to New York. My head tipped back and my neck craned to look up the vertiginous wall of glass.
I hurried into the building, following the signs to the lift to the fifty-fifth floor. There was a queue. A huge queue. Of course there was. This was my life. I looked at my watch. Twelve minutes past.
Noah would wait. Wouldn’t he? I caught my lip between my teeth; how long would he wait?
I’d wait all day but … he’d probably give it half an hour and assume I wasn’t coming.
I could have texted him at that point to tell him I was on my way but …
hey, this was all my romcom dreams coming true and I wasn’t going to spoil the great romantic reunion by forewarning him.
Besides, he could sit and stew for a minute or two. I was worth it.
At 12:17pm the lift doors opened and I managed to squeeze in with the last of the other visitors. Even before the lift began its lightening ascent, my stomach was already on a spin cycle.
Nerves jittered in every synapse as the doors opened.
I looked around at the large, bright space and like a homing pigeon immediately spotted Noah. He was there, sitting hunched on a bench looking down at his watch as if it held all the answers to the universe.
Something inside me settled and I took a moment to drink him in. It was like a lava flow stopping, the waters receding, the storm abating – everything felt calm again. My steps were steady as I walked over to the bench and stood next to him waiting for him to look up.
‘Is this seat taken?’ I asked.
His head jerked up and I saw the flash flood of emotions race across his face as he recognised me. He jumped up. ‘Evie. You came.’ A look of wonder filled his eyes.
I nodded, all the butterflies in my stomach exploding into life. ‘I did.’
‘Sorry it’s not the Empire State Building.’
I almost shrugged, but stopped myself in time. ‘It’s more than adequate.’
He stared at me, as if he were inventorying my face, or maybe that was projection, because that’s what I was doing with his.
He smiled. ‘It’s so good to see you.’
This was going to take forever.
‘Noah,’ I remonstrated. ‘Are you going to kiss me or not?’
He laughed out loud. ‘Evie Green, I’ve missed you.’
‘Enough with the talking,’ I complained. ‘I—’ I never did remember what I was about to say.
When his mouth covered mine, his hands cupping my face, it was just like Christmas should be, a beacon of light and hope in the dark midwinter. The sun came out inside me, and I wondered if I was glowing like a Dr Who regeneration.
My fingers touched his face, mapping his features so that I wouldn’t forget them again.
His hands slipped down my neck to my shoulders where he pressed me against him. I could feel his tenderness as his mouth roved softly over my lips, searching to make sure that nothing had changed and that I was still me.
I softened against him, sighing into his mouth.
At last, he pulled away and rested his forehead against mine. ‘I missed you. I’m sorry I left without saying goodbye. I’m sorry I was a complete idiot.’
‘You were but … you’re my idiot, so I forgive you.’ I paused and smiled solemnly up at him. ‘And it only hurt so much because you were right.’
‘No. No, I wasn’t. I’ve realised that sometimes taking risks and having fun with them can pay off.’
‘Whereas I’ve found that taking responsibility for myself and facing up to the future also pays off.’
‘You’ve Been Scammed is brilliant. I’m so proud of you.’
‘Top goal scorer at Fulham. I’m proud of you.’
‘I’ve been thinking that the sum of our differences might just equal a great team. What do you say?’
‘Noah!’ I punched him in the arm. ‘I fancy the pants off you. We’re compatible and you’re hot.’
‘Thanks. You’re not so bad yourself.’
‘I know. So enough of the mushy stuff. Are you going to take me out for a drink and then take me home?’
‘Sounds like a plan,’ said Noah, putting an arm around me and kissing my face. ‘Can you wait long enough to get your hands on my body to take in the view, or are you in a hurry?’
I tilted my head and gave him a considering look before sighing. ‘I’ll manage.’ I dropped my hand and squeezed his delectable butt and grinned at him. ‘Just to keep me going.’
He kissed me again. ‘Don’t ever change, Evie Green. I love you just the way you are.’
The L word was as unexpected and shocking as a battery jump start to my heart but then the thought settled, and I tried it out for size. It fitted perfectly.
I grinned at him. ‘Funnily enough, I love you just the way you are, too.’
‘By the way. I still have your Christmas present.’ He pulled the Tiffany box from his pocket. ‘You never opened it.’
‘I didn’t feel I should.’
‘I bought it when I realised I loved you … before I chickened out.’
I tugged on the white ribbon to open the box. Nestled inside was the gold key pendant.
‘Oh, my God. This is … too much. This was…’ My eyes are so wide I think they might pop out of my eye sockets. ‘I can’t…’
‘It’s all right, we can go halves for lunch,’ he said, reminding me of our conversation when I’d looked up how much professional football players earn.
‘Okay, it’s a deal,’ I said.
He put his arm around my shoulders and the two of us sauntered over to the huge glass windows to share the view together. There was a lot to see but it looked as if we had all the time in the world.