Chapter 19 #2
Alyssa narrowed her eyes. She did remember him mentioning that, although he hadn’t looked particularly pleased about it. Though he probably was pleased Good Old Devan could be abbreviated to GOD. It was an upgrade from being a BUM.
‘He’s been doing a lot to try and regenerate Hartglove too, although he’s a bit bashful about it. The town is proud of him.’
Not like a certain daughter, who completely denies all ties to it.
‘I was never convinced by those two,’ said Pearl.
‘Devan and Sylvie. They were always perfectly nice to each other, but I never once saw them being lovey. Not even when they were newly married. It was as though the spark was missing. No one was surprised when they got divorced. She wanted to explore other avenues, although I never hear about Devan dating. Well, not until now …’ Pearl seemed to ponder it for a moment, then beamed as though she’d solved the world’s problems. ‘Maybe he’s been waiting for his perfect match.
Wasn’t he sweet on you, when you were both younger? ’
Alyssa blinked. Her young infatuation had been all-consuming.
Did her mother honestly not remember? If she hadn’t, perhaps the rest of the town had forgotten too.
And yet she’d been too humiliated to come back to Hartglove for twelve whole years because of it.
Had she built up that one excruciating night of being publicly dumped to be more than it was?
Everything that had followed in her life had been coloured by it.
Alyssa composed herself and waved a hand.
‘It was nothing. We weren’t compatible.’ She tried not to think about the nights they’d lain on his bed, listening to Coldplay, singing out of tune and giggling when they’d got the words wrong.
Watching their favourite romcoms, because they’d both loved a love story.
A grand gesture. A happy ever after. They had had so much in common.
She’d never met anyone who she’d felt more connected to, other than her former best friend.
And all along, he must have been sleeping with Sylvie, when he wasn’t even sleeping with her.
Because Good Old Devan had the good grace to only stick his penis in one girlfriend at a time.
Well, she wasn’t a hopeless romantic anymore.
‘This love app of his must think you have plenty in common now,’ said Pearl. ‘It’s matched you together, of all the people in the world. Can you imagine? Onlookers say you have chemistry.’
‘Dynamite,’ said Alyssa, sarcastically, thinking about all the ways she’d like to see him spontaneously combust. ‘Anyway, there can only be half a dozen people on the app, if it’s thrown us together.
Or Devan the app master engineered it.’ Her parents had chosen to be matched to each other, and she knew it was possible.
Though presumably both parties would need to consent to that.
‘Or maybe it’s fate.’ Alyssa’s mum tapped her finger on her nose. ‘Because “fate isn’t written in the stars. It’s written in our hearts.”’
Alyssa tried not to groan. She recognised it as something she’d once said on Instagram, quite possibly tweaked from Shakespeare, because he’d been good at these things. The post had got a lot of hearts but so had pictures of her breakfast.
They left the quinoa bar soon after that, Alyssa feeling hungry for some proper tea.
As they walked down the high street, the sun now glinting through the clouds, another shopfront caught Alyssa’s eye.
It looked more modern than when she’d last seen it, but its name was the same.
I Scream for Ice Cream. She, Devan and Sylvie had all loved going there, sometimes as a trio, but often just her and Devan.
They’d been suckers for The Peanut Butter Triple Beast, with extra whipped cream.
It had tasted like bliss, and so had Devan, every time she kissed him after they’d shared one.
Then, as though fate was an actual thing, there he was.
Walking out of the ice-cream shop like the last twelve years hadn’t happened.
Only he was broader now, and his hair a little untidier.
His eyes crinkled at the sides when he smiled, and sometimes he wore glasses.
He was wearing them right then, and the winter sun seemed to be dazzling him.
As he stopped to adjust them, he spotted her.
Had she been staring? She straightened herself and closed her surprised mouth.
Thank goodness her mother hadn’t spied him.
He held his ice-cream milkshake towards her in offering, a single straw sticking out.
They’d always gone for two straws when they’d shared a drink, though they’d never cared whose was whose.
Alyssa shook her head. Was he really standing there, and what were the chances?
Maybe he’d followed her. Or could he track her on the app?
As if he’d want to. Even if he wasn’t with Sylvie anymore, this was just work – for both of them.
She bowed her head and kept walking. Did she feel a little different, seeing him and knowing he wasn’t married now?
She wasn’t sure. But she wasn’t going to stick around to find out.
They’d be thrown back into the thick of their love tasks soon enough.
What could ’Appy Together possibly come up with next?
From: teijo@
To: alyssa@
Greetings Miss Heart
Thank you for completing your latest questionnaire.
’Appy Together has now chosen Love Task Three. What a treat you and Devan have in store. ALONE TIME! ;-)
I’ll keep you posted with dates, as it will depend on the weather. When the time comes, we’ll set off bright and early. Devan too.
Road trip!
And you’ll need to pack for the whole weekend, with plenty of warm spare clothes. (I’ll try not to forget the essentials. Again.)
Kindest regards
Teijo
P.S. Excited to see from Instagram that you’ve discovered a quinoa bar. I’ll be sure to pack some more nutritious quinoa meals for you. Have you tried it with spinach and figs?
P.P.S. You must tell me whether you used to be called Beryl. What’s the mystery about your Hartglove history? Ooh, that’s a great name for a newspaper exclusive!