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hope I m not interrupting, I said. Is what s-his-name here? I didn t mean to interrupt
anything. I pushed off from the counter. I can go. I should go.
No, Will said, grabbing my arm to stop me. He s not here.
Oh.
I, um, he said, hesitating, I told him I wasn t interested.
You what?
He shrugged. It just wasn t going to work.
Why not? I asked. I thought you got on well. He was nice&
Will bit his lip. There just wasn t any spark, you know?
Spark? I asked.
You know, no excitement. Will s eyebrows knitted. It wasn t easy. It just felt like hard
work, I don t know& I just didn t feel it.
Oh man, it wasn t anything to do with me bailing out of dinner, was it? I asked. I
thought you two were getting along and didn t want me hanging around.
Is that why you left?
Not really, I said, still feeling a bit drunk. I mean, I didn t feel too well, but I m not
sure it was anything I ate. I don t know what it was& I just felt& I scrubbed my hands over my
face. I don t know how I felt. Then I blurted out, I tried to fuck some guy at the club, but I
couldn t.
Will frowned. Why not?
I don t know. I don t know what the fuck is going on with me today, I told him. I m
drunk.
I can tell.
I m sorry.
What for?
I shrugged. For just showing up here. For ruining your date tonight.
You didn t ruin it, he said.
I shrugged again, not really believing that. Can I crash here?
Will nodded and smiled. Sure. He walked to the fridge and taking out a bottled water,
he handed it to me. Drink that.
You always look after me, I murmured.
He put his hand to my face. Of course I do.
I grabbed his face and pulled his forehead to mine. Don t give up on finding someone, I
told him. You deserve someone who s better than that Grant guy.
He looked at me, long and hard, like he was going to say something important, but
instead he pulled away from me. I ll just grab you blanket, he said quietly.
I dropped my hands from where I was touching him and as he walked down the hall, I
made my way to his living room and all but fell onto the sofa.
When I woke up, my shoes were off and I had a blanket over me. The shades were drawn
to keep out the sunlight, and the smell of toast and coffee was coming from the kitchen.
Even hung over, I smiled.
* * * * *
You re kidding, right? I asked.
Nope, Will said with a smile. I m swearing off men.
Because of a few lousy dates?
He sipped his coffee to hide his smile. And I m not going out just to watch you pick up
random strangers.
Then pick up random strangers with me, I suggested.
No thanks.
He pushed his plate over to me and I picked at what was left of his lunch. So you won t
come to the club with me tonight?
No.
But it s Friday!
Don t care. Still not going.
I sighed. Well, then I won t go either.
You what?
I shrugged and sipped my soda. I told you what happened last time. I don t fancy having
another freak-out in a bathroom cubicle. And I don t fancy seeing that Pringles-ad guy in a hurry.
He must think I have erectile dysfunction problems.
Will smiled at the waitress who was standing at our table. I d like to apologize for my
friend here.
She was an older woman, maybe fifty, with a hard face and badly dyed black hair. She
spoke with a Russian accent. It s okay. You don t need to apologize for erectile problems. I can
give you the name of a doctor. He help my husband. The woman clenched her fist. No
problems now.
Oh dear Lord.
I don t have erectile problems, I said quietly. Thank you for the offer. I m glad your
husband can& that his& I clenched my fist, but then looked at it as though my own hand had
betrayed me. Will burst out laughing, and I shook my head. That s not what I meant. Oh God.
I looked at the waitress. I m glad your husband s okay now, I said, then I glared at Will. I
think we need to go back to work.
I paid the bill while Will cheerfully discussed dysfunction issues with our ever-so-
descriptive waitress.
Hearing how rock-hard her husband was now and how his gonads would draw up before
he shot his load damn near made me hurl.
Will thought it was fucking hilarious.
He laughed all the way back to work, and he chuckled to himself for the rest of the
afternoon.
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