Page 75 of One Last Thing
‘So, what’s the plan for today?’ Marisa continues, checking the baby monitor.
‘We have most of the day off until the evening, so I’m going to—’
‘Let me guess, check your work emails?’ she says drily.
‘Actually, no,’ I say to her surprise. ‘I was thinking of going for a swim and read my book and have a light lunch somewhere.’
‘Hang on.’ She raises her hand. ‘Are you telling me you’re going to act as though you’re . . . on holiday?’
‘I’ve been considering it.’
‘Wow. I’m impressed. I wonder what’s brought on this change. Could it be the excitement of a holiday romance?’ she says, winking at me.
‘I’m going to regret telling you anything about Nico, aren’t I.’
‘Without a doubt. Okay, so a relaxed day, and then what’s going on tonight?’
‘It’s the first day of the Saint Vincent festival,’ I tell her brightly, a flurry of excitement bubbling through me as I anticipate the day ahead. ‘There’s a parade in Collioure later,street bands, dancing, all of that sort of thing. Dad used to love it, we’d go every summer at the end of the holiday. I wasn’t surprised when Nico told us that was today’s task.’
‘I’m sorry, did you say “dancing”?’ Marisa checks with an impish smile. ‘Please tell me you somehow get involved.’
‘Obviously not,’ I say flatly.
‘Whatever, in my head, I’m picturing that scene fromStep Up 2.’
I squint at her quizzically. ‘The end one?’
‘Yes.’
‘That’s at night and in the rain. And everyone is a professional street dancer.’ I quirk a brow. ‘How did you get there in your head when I said summer street parade?’
‘Leave me alone. I want to imagine you in a crop top dancing in the rain with this Nico guy in a tank top and backwards cap, falling in love with every slick, snazzy step.’
I wince. ‘Snazzy?’
‘I’m sleep deprived,’ she says apologetically.
‘Marisa, this whole vision . . . you’re completely off. I mean, tank top? Really?’
She shrugs. ‘He sounds like the kind of guy who could pull it off.’
‘And neither of us are professional dancers.’ I hesitate. ‘I don’t think.’
‘Maybe he has a secret talent for breakdancing,’ she mutters wistfully. ‘And a secret penchant for tank tops. Guess we’ll see. Has he asked you out yet?’
‘You need to calm down. I don’t know if he looks at me in that way anymore.’
‘Oh please, there’s always a frisson between people who were childhood sweethearts. It’s an unspoken rule. You never fully shake your first love.’
‘I don’t think that’s factually correct.’
‘Could you please admit that you have feelings for this guy?’ she begs impatiently. ‘The way you’ve been talking about him, Megan, I can literally hear it in your voice.You like him.’
There’s a squeak from the baby monitor and I witness Marisa tense and then after a few moments of silence, her shoulders relax again.
‘Admit it,’ she repeats in a quieter voice.
‘Okay, yeah, fine, I think . . . I like him. He’s been so great throughout this whole experience and it sounds like he was really there for my dad when he needed him, you know? He’s gone out of his way to help carry out all his wishes. Dad must have trusted him.’
