Chapter 2
NOAH
‘Get home safe.’ I flashed a half smile at my date, then leapt on the train, willing the doors to close quickly.
Once I was safely out of the station, I breathed a sigh of relief. That date was the longest two hours of my life.
My phone buzzed and when I saw that it was Colin, my friend and the ‘matchmaker’ responsible for setting me up with Ingrid, I sighed. He’d had such high hopes for tonight, so I knew he’d be disappointed.
‘So?’ he said as soon as I answered the call. ‘How’d it go? She’s already messaged to say she’d love a second date. Shall I set something up?’
I paused, searching for the right words before deciding I just had to tell him straight that I wasn’t interested.
‘I’m grateful for you arranging the date, but I’m not the right guy for her,’ I said diplomatically.
‘What?’ Colin bellowed so loudly I had to hold the phone away from my ear. ‘Why not? She thinks you’re great. Tall, dark and very hot were her exact words. What’s the problem? She works in IT like us; she’s attractive.’
‘I’m sure she has some nice qualities, deep down. It’s just…’
‘It’s just she’s not Alicia.’ Colin huffed.
‘What?’ My jaw tensed. ‘What does Alicia have to do with anything?’
‘Admit it. You’re still hung up on her. You’re still holding out hope that you two will get together even though she has zero romantic interest in you and has kept you firmly in the friend zone for decades.’
‘This isn’t about her,’ I said, defensively. ‘Just because I didn’t have a connection with Ingrid tonight, that doesn’t automatically mean it’s because I fancy my best friend. Which just to clarify, I don’t.’
‘It’s me you’re talking to,’ Colin scoffed. ‘You were obsessed with her at school, then college, even when you went to different unis, and you’re still obsessed. You’re thirty now, mate. It’s time to get over her.’
‘Ingrid was rude to the barman, which was an instant red flag,’ I countered, aware that I hadn’t directly replied to his comment about my supposed ‘obsession’ with Alicia, which was obviously stupid.
‘And she literally spoke at me for the entire date. It wasn’t a conversation.
It was one long monologue about her job, how pissed she was that she hadn’t had a pay rise, how her boss didn’t want to give her time off to go to the doctor’s about an itch she had “down below” as she called it.
And that was before she committed the cardinal sin of trying to discuss politics. I’m relieved I made it out alive.’
‘Oh,’ Colin said. ‘Sorry. I didn’t realise. I thought you were just… My mistake. Maybe Ingrid was nervous.’
‘I get that.’ I nodded. ‘Dating is tough, but there’s no way I’m putting myself through that again.’
‘Fair enough. I’ll speak to Shania and see if she’s got any other friends she can set you up with. Give me an hour and I’ll get back to you.’
Colin hung up before I had the chance to tell him there was no need.
We’d been friends since we were eleven and I knew he meant well, but I really didn’t want to be his pet romance project.
For some reason, when I’d moved to his neck of the woods in North London a year ago and started my new job as an IT technical support worker at the same firm as him, Colin and his wife Shania decided to make it their personal mission to find me a girlfriend.
And so far, it’d been wildly unsuccessful.
I’d tried, but I hadn’t connected with any of the women. I’d considered going on second and third dates, just in case, but decided against it. That wouldn’t be fair to them or me.
It was fine though. I wasn’t fussed about being single. I liked my own space. Doing what I wanted to do whenever I wanted to do it. And despite what Colin and Shania thought, if I wanted a date, I could find my own.
Once I got home, I shrugged off my jacket, toed off my shoes, then jumped in the shower.
Just as I was about to crawl into bed and switch on the TV, my phone rang.
Colin really was persistent.
But when I glanced at the screen it wasn’t Colin calling. It was Alicia.
‘Hey!’ I answered on the second ring a relieved smile spreading across my face. ‘Two phone calls in one week? You feeling okay?’
‘Ha, ha, very funny!’ She laughed and the sound made my chest expand. ‘I have news, so I thought it was better to do it on a call.’
‘Wait. Don’t tell me. You’re engaged?’ I joked.
When Alicia, or Ali as I preferred to call her, had phoned me a few days ago, she said she’d found the one and proceeded to gush for twenty minutes (yes, I counted) about how amazing her date with some city stockbroker went.
Of course I’d made enthusiastic noises and tried my best to act interested like I did every time she’d had two dates with a guy and swore blind that he was her forever, which happened far too often for my liking, but, hey, that was what best friends did, right?
Then when everything went to shit, I’d be there to listen to her sobbing down the phone about how she couldn’t believe they hadn’t called et cetera and reassure her that all men weren’t ‘bastards’ – which she’d inevitably declare at some point during her rant.
I thought it’d be the same story with her date last night, but for a change she actually sounded happy, so something major must’ve happened.
‘No, silly! Of course I’m not engaged.’
‘Wait. You’re not calling to tell me I’m gonna be an uncle, are you?’ I joked.
‘Nooo! It’s hard enough looking after myself. I’m not ready to be a mum yet. I’m excited because I’m going to the Love Hotel! In Santorini!’ she screamed.
‘Come again?’ My brows shot up. ‘What happened to Ned or Jed, the date you had yesterday?’
‘You mean Johnnie. He ghosted me. Wanker,’ she hissed.
‘Sorry.’ I shook my head. I hated the fact that I wasn’t surprised. Somehow Ali seemed to end up dating dickheads who never appreciated her. I wished she realised her worth.
‘But it doesn’t matter, because like I said, I’m going to the Love Hotel, baby! Woohoo!’
‘That’s… cool.’ I swallowed hard. ‘I don’t get it though. Did you win the lottery? And if so, where’s my Ferrari?’
‘No!’ Ali giggled. ‘They’re running some new dating trial thingy and although I’ve got to wait for the official confirmation, it looks like I’m going to be a part of it!’
I paused.
I was happy for her, but also a little jealous.
Not because she was going to find the love of her life.
God, no.
Like I’d said when Colin made that ridiculous statement earlier, Ali and I were best friends. She was like a sister to me.
Did I have a crush on her once upon a time? Yeah. But that was just a phase. Puppy love. I’d had loads of girlfriends since then. Okay, not loads. But I’d had hookups, dated and had relationships and the fact that they hadn’t worked out categorically wasn’t because I was hung up on my best friend.
Ali didn’t see me like that and the feeling was mutual.
Like I said, I was glad she’d get to go to the Love Hotel. They had an almost flawless track record for finding the perfect match for their guests, so I was sure she’d finally get to meet her Mr Right.
When I said I was jealous, I meant that I envied her because she’d get to go to the hotel and to Santorini.
‘I’m excited for you. And a little jealous,’ I admitted.
‘What? Why?’
‘You know I’ve always wanted to go to Santorini. And the Love Hotel resorts always look incredible.’
‘You should totally apply!’ she suggested. ‘I know they’re looking for guys too. There’s bound to be loads of other single ladies there. Unless… wait. How did your date go? Was it today or tomorrow? Sorry, I forgot.’
‘It was tonight, and nah, I’m still single.’
‘Sorry to hear it didn’t go well, but seriously though, if you’re interested, I could ask Sammie if you could apply too.’
‘Maybe…’ I said. A flashback of the many times I’d had to sit at a table like a third wheel whilst Ali cosied up to her latest boyfriend popped into my head and my stomach tensed.
This would be different though. If I went, I’d also have a date.
There’d be no more staying single so that I’d be available just in case like I’d stupidly done when we were at college. Like I’d said to Colin earlier, I’d moved on.
Ali and I were friends. That was all we’d ever be and I was totally cool with that.
‘Actually, yeah,’ I added quickly. ‘That’s not a bad idea. Like I said, I’ve always wanted to go to Santorini, and it’d be great to see Stella tie the knot.’
Stella was Ali’s sister’s best friend, so I’d known her for years.
‘And you’ll get to meet your Mrs Right.’
‘Yeah,’ I said, wondering why I didn’t mention that part first. I mean, obviously that was the main objective. And if it got me out of going on any more of Colin’s questionable blind dates that was a bonus.
‘Great! I’ll call Sammie right now. Just think – soon we could be in Santorini meeting the loves of our lives!
And it’ll be great for us to catch up in person too.
Feels like it’s been ages. You’re always busy!
It’s been sooo long since I’ve seen your face.
I still don’t know why you hate video-calling. ’
‘It’s just… I prefer the phone, that’s all,’ I said. ‘Then I can talk to you without worrying about my flat looking a tip or if I have food stuck in my beard.’
‘You have a beard?’ She gasped.
‘Maybe,’ I teased.
‘At this rate, if we passed each other in the street, I’d probably walk straight past you!’
The last time we saw each other face to face was when Ali had come to see the new flat I’d started renting about twelve months ago.
‘Nah. I look pretty much the same,’ I said. It wasn’t entirely true, but I was sure she’d still recognise me, despite the changes to my appearance. ‘You know what it’s like with a new job and stuff. Plus, I could probably get to Santorini quicker than getting the tube and train to Norbury!’
‘The ten-hour journey would totally be worth it though,’ she joked.
The truth was, it probably took less than an hour and a half to get to the town in South London where she lived, but, well, like I’d said, stuff had got in the way and we hadn’t met up.
It was normal not to see your friends often once you were in your thirties. That was what I told myself when I moved out of the flat that was only a few streets away from Ali’s.
Anyway, the past was the past. If Ali asked Sammie if I could take part in the Love Hotel experiment and I got a place, maybe we’d have time to see each other face to face.
Until then we’d speak on the phone like we always did.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?