Page 68 of How To Tackle A Crush
I take a deep breath and knock.
The door opens almost immediately.
The woman in front of me has Jack’s eyes. Same calm steadiness. Same quiet way of taking someone in without making them feel inspected.
“You must be Ava,” she says warmly. “I’m Miriam.”
“Hi,” I say, suddenly very aware of my hands and not knowing what to do with them. “It’s lovely to meet you.”
“Come in, love.”
She steps aside and I walk in.
This is not just a hotel room. It’s an impressive suite. A large living room opens up in front of me, all soft lighting and one enormous glass wall overlooking London like the city has been put there as decoration. A balcony sits beyond it. Two corridors lead off on either side toward bedrooms, I assume.
It feels oddly lived in already. A small pair of trainers near the sofa. A jumper thrown over the back of a chair. A half-finished colouring book on the coffee table.
“Jack said you might come up,” Miriam says. “Alfie’s been briefed.”
“Briefed?” I repeat.
“Oh yes. You’re apparently a dinosaur expert.”
Before I can ask what that means, I hear a small voice from the back of the suite.
“—but does she like velociraptors or T-Rex more?”
Jack appears from the corridor, carrying a five-year old against his chest like it is the most natural thing in the world. One arm secure around his back, Alfie’s legs hooked comfortably around his waist.
Alfie really does look like a miniature version of him. Same dark hair. Same thoughtful eyes. Just smaller. Softer. Wearing a dinosaur T-shirt and little cargo trousers like he’s about to lead a fossil expedition.
“—because if she likes T-Rex more then—” Alfie starts, then notices me.
Jack follows his gaze and then smiles when he sees me.
“There she is,” he says.
There is something about the way he says it that makes my stomach do something unhelpful.
Jack sets Alfie down gently and Alfie immediately stands very straight, like this is a formal introduction.
“This is Ava,” Jack tells him.
Alfie studies me with complete seriousness.
“Do you like velociraptors or T-Rex more?” he asks.
No hello. No small talk. Straight to the important matters.
I crouch slightly so I’m closer to his height.
“That depends,” I say. “Are we talking scientifically accurate velociraptors or film velociraptors?”
Jack makes a small surprised sound behind him.
Alfie’s eyes widen. “What do you mean?”
“Well,” I say, “scientists think velociraptors probably had feathers.”
