Twenty minutes after leaving the river, Mila and I are sitting in a very quiet McDonald’s with Big Mac, fries, and a shake—hers, chocolate, mine, strawberry.
Her hair is still damp, but she doesn’t seem to care. Her smile is bright, and she’s not taken her eyes off me yet.
I thankfully had a spare T-shirt in my boot from my last visit to my parents’ that my mum just had to wash, so I’m not having to sit in wet clothes.
Mila takes a sip of her shake. “All right, I need to know… what’s a typical date with you? I used to assume it would be straight up dinner but after tonight…”
I’m a little stunned that she’s thought of that. “Depends on the woman.”
“Where would you take Indie?”
“I wouldn’t take Indie anywhere.”
Her shoulders slump. “I wasn’t actually asking you to take her out.”
“I know. I’d take you to an escape room… then for food.”
She sits straighter. “Have you done one?”
“Not yet. Have you?”
“No, but we have to go. I bet we’d ace it.”
“We’ll go one day. What about you? What’s your idea of a perfect date?” I ask.
“Honestly, anything other than the same old restaurant, a quick fumble, and fucking Formula One.”
“Don’t look back, Mila. You’re moving forwards now.”
“That’s true. I do sometimes wonder how he’s doing. I mean, he knew we were wrong in the end, but I’d like to know if he’s happy.”
“That’s understandable. Have you contacted him?”
“No, definitely not. I’d like to think that he’s moved on and one day we can catch up.”
“Do you think you could do that?”
She shrugs. “Maybe. He’s one of my oldest friends, but even your best intentions aren’t always realistic. Not many people manage a friendship after a breakup. Anyway, this isn’t putting Liam behind me.”
“Is he completely behind you?”
“Yes, totally. I’m learning more and more about myself all the time. I would never settle again. Liam was a great first boyfriend for the first eighteen months. We should have left things after the first breakup… and would you stop making me talk about him?” She laughs and adds, “I don’t want this night to be tainted with my old life.”
I agree. This night feels so different to any other we’ve spent together. Not just because we’ve been skinny dipping. Something has changed, and I don’t think we could ever go back now. The flirting, the fact that we’ve been naked together. Everything before tonight was the before. Everything that happens from now will always be the after.
“All right, no more Liam talk.”
“Will you tell me about your past, though?” she asks.
I raise a brow.
“Come on, you know all about my last relationship. Have you ever been in anything serious?”
“Not really serious. My longest relationship was just over a year. Ellie. She was sweet, liked to read, but we weren’t right together.”
“Why? Would she not skinny dip in the river at night?”
“Oh, she definitely wouldn’t have done that. Good thing I have you.”
“You’re so lucky.”
I chuckle and pick up my burger. “Modesty becomes you.”
“You created this monster with your compliments of beautiful and stunning.”
“Good. You should always think that about yourself.”
I understand that we all have things about ourselves that we don’t like and are desperate to change, but when I look at Mila, I see perfection. Her flaws are swallowed by her beauty, her fierce nature, and her loyalty to her family and friends.
“The world would be better if everyone did,” she says.
I’m not particularly worried about the rest of the world.
“Do you miss your family?” she asks.
“I do. It’s easier now than when they first moved.”
“You didn’t fancy the commute from where they moved to?”
“It’s another thirty minutes on top of what I travel now.” And I couldn’t leave you.
“I can’t wait to come to work with you. I want to see you in action.”
I can show you action. “You’re going to love it. Mel is great, and so is just about every one of my colleagues.”
“Just about? Who’s the office twat?”
Grinning, I reply, “Andrew. He works in HR. If you’re not politically correct, you’ll be in his office.”
“Better reserve a chair in there now.”
“I don’t know. For a man who prides himself on being moral, he’s a sucker for a pretty face. I think you’ll be fine.”
“Pretty now, too, huh?”
“That was underselling it, and I apologise.”
She laughs. “Do you think people are made for each other?”
“Where did that come from?”
“Ugh, from the earlier talk. I’d always thought so, but now I’m not sure.”
“People aren’t made for another particular person. If they were, relationships wouldn’t be messy or require work. I think it’s luck, pure luck—being in the right place at the right time—that you find the person you can’t live without.”
We moved because the company my dad works for wanted him to open a new office here. My dad initially turned it down and they were going to offer the job to someone else. Mum called him at the last minute to tell him to go for it.
Five more minutes and it would be another family living in my house, and I may have never met Mila.
“A lot of people get lucky,” she says.
“A lot of people deserve to.”
“Do you think those who haven’t found anyone are unlucky?”
“Not at all. Not everyone finds love early. It doesn’t matter how many years you share with that person; it’s how you spend that time that counts.”
The smile she gives me takes my breath away. “I like that. I’m greedy, though, and I want at least fifty years spent right.”
“Of course, you do. Better meet him quick.”
She picks up her shake. “Lucky is my middle name.”
I’m hoping mine is, too.