The first person Max saw when she came round was Luke.
‘Hello, Max. Are you OK?’
Max lifted her head weakly from what felt like a pillow.
‘Where am I?’
‘You’re in hospital, Max. You collapsed.’
‘Oh Jesus… what happened?’
Luke stifled a giggle which, even in her confused state, Max realized was highly insensitive. She had never fainted or collapsed in her life. Was it a hernia? A tumour? The bastard.
‘Sorry, it’s in no way funny… it’s just, well, it’s a relief.’
‘What is?’
A nurse was standing over now.
‘Don’t worry, pet,’ came the Geordie voice. ‘You’re going to be just fine.’
Max felt a sense of panic rise within her. ‘What the hell is wrong with me?’
The nurse took Max’s hand, and she realized Luke had been holding her other hand all the while.
‘Well, pet, we had a look through your handbag for any medication you might be taking when this lovely man brought you in. We didn’t find any but there was an Ambi Pur car fragrance in there and it had leaked all over the place.’
Max could vaguely remember a hanging air freshener Lucy must have put in their car. Could it have fallen into her bag?
‘Your boyfriend here told us you’d had a cigarette just before you collapsed and complained it tasted of perfume. We did a few tests and it turns out your body had gone into shock after inhaling the liquid. It’s dangerous stuff to have in your body and you got a massive hit of it, petal.’
Max looked at Luke, whose lovely eyes were smiling at her – but kindly.
‘And the good news is,’ he told her, squeezing her hand, ‘you are a hundred per cent back to normal.’
‘That’s right, pet. Your heart rate is back to normal and everything is fine – you just blacked out as your body went into shock. Are you feeling OK?’
‘Yes, thank you,’ Max said as the nurse smiled. ‘Oh God,’ she said, almost under her breath after the nurse had left them.
‘What? Are you OK?’ Luke looked concerned.
‘Yes, I’m fine. Apart from the fact you must think I’m an absolute moron. I can see why you laughed. I’m an idiot.’
Luke was laughing again. ‘I think you are who you are and I like who you are very much.’
‘Quite right, Luke. Nothing like getting to know someone on a first date.’
Luke’s eyes were dancing with hers. ‘The nurse called me your boyfriend. I like the sound of that.’