Thirty Six

Traffic choked the street outside. I raised my voice to talk to Nina. 'Where're you going? I was thinking of calling you.'

Nina kept walking so I maintained pace next to her. Her hair bobbed up and down with each stride. I couldn't handle my shoulders being tickled like that, but it looked cool. She half glanced at me, one eyebrow raised. 'Thinking of calling?'

'Yeah, well - no - I mean - you know... I was going to call you.' I might have done. No I was going to, probably.

She didn't drop that questioning I-don't-believe-you look. I guess I couldn't blame her, but then again, things with Lisa were kind of unexpected. If it weren't for that I might have called. But even after Lisa and I had... there's a good chance I'd have called because I'd need Nina's help keeping tabs on Lisa from a distance. 'Let's get a coffee or something.' I suggested.

See? Even me, Mr anti-caffeine man, suggested coffee. Not a drink, not a morning tea, but coffee. Why? Guess I thought it would sound cooler than inviting her to play lunch.

Nina kept on walking, her conversation skills reaching a new low.

I tried again. 'Usually when I talk to people, I say something, then they say something, and then I say something.'

She stopped and swirled around on me with a frown. It was kind of a turn on, seeing her all worked up, but despite the stare of death, she still didn't speak.

I raised my shoulders. 'Have I done something to upset you?'

She tapped her foot on the pavement as shoppers weaved their way around us. 'Have you, Des?'

What's with that? I don't know - do I? That's why I was asking. Or maybe she knows. But how? Had Lisa rung her already - maybe she couldn't contain her excitement after last night?

'Look...' I wasn't sure how much to say. 'I didn't mean for things to turn out like this...'

Nina poked me in the chest. 'You were looking at me like I was... I was your sandwich and that guy was about to bite me. So we've gone out a couple of times - I'm not your property.'

'Oh,' I said, clarification dawning. Is that all she's upset about? I sighed in relief. 'Sorry.' [Des tip: it's always best to start with an apology, even if you dont mean it: it takes the heat out of things.]

Nina relaxed a little. I motioned to a spot out of the main pedestrian traffic and she followed me over. The micro break gave me time to collect my thoughts enough to unleash the Des charm.

'It's just, well I know what Gary's like, and I thought we kind of made a connection. You know, with the...' - I didn't want to mention her former boyfriend - 'the... you know on the beach... and the A3 arse and everything.'

Nina smiled. 'Des, I'm not sure I'm ready for... something.'

'Me neither. I've never been good with somethings. Too awkward. But I'm ready for cake. Come on... c-a-k-e. No wait - mudcake. You know you want it.'

Nina grinned, her perfect teeth just showing. 'With cream?'

'Of course with cream. We'll order whatever has the most cholesterol in it.'

Nina laughed and fell into step beside me.

Damn, I even impress myself sometimes.

Thirty Seven