Page 61 of Plot Twist

I gasped. ‘Noooo! Seriously?’

‘I’m only teasing. Your neck looked like it was getting sore and you were so out of it, you didn’t even hear the sprint alarm going off. I could see the four-poster bed just begging for you so I threw you on top of it. It wasn’t exactly how I’d pictured going to bed with you, mind you.’

The fizzing in my stomach cranked up a notch. Had he really imagined being with me? I thought of Eimear and her washboard stomach. Of course he hadn’t. He was obviously just a flirt, the way he was with every other female in Rathcliffe. Probably on the planet. I had to stop taking everything so literally.

‘Thanks,’ I said. ‘I feel so much better for it. How’s the writing going?’

‘I’ve had a bit of a breakthrough.’ Riley grinned. ‘I think what you said earlier helped, actually. I’ve been trying to work out what the Grand Gesture should be.’

‘I’m delighted for you,’ I said. ‘Although the grand gesture is a load of BS.’

‘I’ll have you know, Becca, it’s not a load of BS. It works.’

‘Oh, does it now? It’s not realistic, though. I mean, men usually just say “fuck it” and pull out a dating app instead. Move onto the next thing.’

‘I’m shocked and appalled that you feel that way,’ Riley said, clutching his heart. ‘You’ve never had a man fight for you before? Like, declare his undying love by hiring an aeroplane to spell out your name?’

‘Nope,’ I replied. ‘Because Grand Gestures don’t happen in real life. Have you ever done one?’

He thought. ‘Well. I spelled out Ivy’s name in Alphabet Letters last week.’

I laughed.

‘That’s cute. So, what are you thinking your Grand Gesture will be in the story?’

He shrugged. ‘Dunno. Maybe I’m better concentrating on something else.’

We sat inches apart on the bed. His fingers twitched and I looked up at him. He reached over and took my hand in both of his, like a sandwich. I remembered Ivy asking me if a ‘sandwich’ was actually a ‘sandwhich’, like a choice of what to have right from the start. I smiled.

‘Becca,’ he started in a low tone.

‘Do you remember Ivy talking about a sand-which the other day, like which sandwich would you choose? Because there’s always a choice of them. That was so funny. She’s so sweet.’

‘She is.’ He nodded, clutching my hand. ‘I’m glad you think so.’

‘I really do.’

I avoided his gaze. I didn’t know why but I couldn’t bring myself to look him in the eyes. My hand was almost certainly shaking in his and becoming all sweaty.

‘Look, I just wanted to say, I think you’re right about the whole thing with Jackie. I will talk to you about it all.’ Riley looked into my eyes as he spoke softly.

‘You don’t have to talk to me. I didn’t mean specifically me. I meant someone. Anyone.’

‘Right,’ he said. ‘But I do want to talk to you about it. Specifically you.’

I allowed myself to look at him. His eyes were incredible, dancing as he spoke. And suddenly they were coming closer towards me.

‘Eimear.’

I blurted her name out, my heart hammering in my chest. I had to get it all out in the open. This couldn’t happen until I was sure he wasn’t cheating on the flat stomach of Eimear with the not-so-flat stomach belonging to me.

‘Pardon?’

‘What about Eimear?’ I asked.

‘Why are you so focused on her? I don’t get it.’

‘You’re the one who’s focused on her,’ I replied.