‘Ambrosia,’ I tell her sombrely and she glares, then shuffles off, speaking into a phone.
‘Sorry about Katies, she’s my publicist,’ he tells me as we sit down carefully.
Publicist!! OMG!! I internally high-five myself. No girlfriend, just a stunning and terrifying female co-worker. I knew he was single, Iknew— Wait… I frown. ‘Um, are you saying Katies, like,Katiezzz?’
He laughs. ‘I am actually.’
I shake my head, starting to believe in my own fake head injury. ‘Wait, is her name Kate Teas? Or Kay Tease? Or like multiple Katies?’
He laughs again, his whole head thrown back. I’m making Milo Samuels laugh. It’s happening, we’re falling in love. It’s really happening.
‘It’s Katies, like multiple Katies,’ he confirms, his lovely eyes looking deeply into mine.
‘What do you do with your possessive apostrophes?’ I ask anxiously, suddenly feeling a lot like Jemma.
He shrugs. ‘Same as the Jameses, I guess?’
‘Blimey.’ I breathe out heavily. ‘That must be hell. Her parents must have hated her. I bet she has to explain it constantly. I bet she has to have a conversation every day about it.’
‘Almost certainly,’ he nods. ‘I’ve just started having them on her behalf.’
I laugh at this. God, he really is perfect! Jemma was totally wrong about this all being a fantasy. Milo Samuels is actually here in the flesh and he’s genuinely perfect. He’s funny, he’s sexy, he’s cool, he’s… going to be mine.
‘So,’ he begins. ‘Is there someone I can call? Do you need to go to the hospital? Because I could get Katies to call a car…’
‘Er—’ Crap. I really don’t want to go sit in A&E for the next ten hours, even if Milo were to come with me. It’s not exactly the most romantic of places and I really don’t want it to be our first date. Plus, I’m thinking there’s no chance Katiezzz would allow him to take off with me.
I glance over at her now, still on the phone but glowering across the room at us.
‘I don’t think I need to go to the hospital,’ I tell him confidently. ‘I think I just need to sit here for a few minutes.’ I try to look noble. ‘I just need torecoverfrom myfall, but if you need to go, I guess I can do that here, all on my own.’ I duck my head sadly, trying to subtly watch for his reaction. He looks outraged.
‘I’m not leaving you while you can’t remember anything!’ he says loudly. He glances worriedly over at Katiezzz. ‘It’s just that I’m technically here for work. I’m contracted to, er, do a thing and they’re expecting me.’
I want to shout at him that I know. Of course I know!! What mad people out there haven’t been watchingBook Boyfriend? Whoisn’tin love with this man?
I squint at him. ‘You know, youdolook familiar,’ I say very convincingly. ‘Do we already know each other?’ I grab his hand dramatically. ‘Are you my boyfriend?!’ He laughs and bites his lip, carefully removing his hand from mine.
‘Um, no. We’re not –I’mnot – your, er, boyfriend.’ He pauses, and I can tell he’s debating whether to tell me who he is.
‘Clara?’ Milo and I both jump at the sound, glancing up at a perplexed-looking Harry standing over the pair of us. He looks much more sober than the last time I saw him. When he was smeared with my lipstick.
I cringe at the thought.
‘Um, do I know you?’ I ask, feeling a surge of fury atHarry for interrupting this moment. Things were going so well! Milo was totally about to ask me out.
‘Huh?’ Harry’s brow creases and I can see he’s still notthatsober.
Beside me, Milo bounces up and out of the seat. ‘Do you know this woman?’ he sounds excited. ‘She’s lost her memory and doesn’t know who she is.’
Harry glances between us, his gaze landing on Milo. ‘Holy fuck, you’re— you’rehim!’ He looks at me, eyes enormous, and I make a face that I hope conveysshut the fuck up right now.
‘Oh, er, yes.’ Milo looks bashful and Harry steps closer, excitedly offering a hand.
‘Mate, you’re brilliant!’ he’s saying too loudly. ‘We all love you in my house. We’ve been watchingBook Boyfriendreligiously every week! I never want it to end!’ His eyes are adoring and it’s clear Harry isalmostas in love with Milo as me. He swallows, getting too close. ‘Honestly, you’re the coolest! That outfit you wore in the fourth episode was… I found the shirt on Asos but it wasn’t the right colour and the sleeves were all wrong and I—’ He swallows again, trying to regain some composure. ‘Anyway, yeah mate, we loveBook Boyfriend. My friend Jemma is the biggest fan of the novel version,Too Good to Be True, and Cla—’ He starts to wave in my direction and then sees my murderous expression, immediately shutting up.
‘That’s really kind,’ Milo says, still looking embarrassed. He glances down at me and then back at Harry. ‘So this is your… friend? Did you say her name is Clara?’
‘Er, yeah,’ Harry confirms, amusement plain on his face.‘Yeah, this is Clara.’ He turns to me, saying in a slow, baby voice, ‘Have you had a little accident, Clara? Did you bump your head?’
