Page 13 of Falling Fast
‘Tomorrow?’ I blink. ‘But aren’t you …? I mean, don’t you need to …?’ My tongue trips over the words. ‘You know … go to Barcelona?’
‘Not until midday.’
‘Ah.’ I lick my lips, trying to make my voice sound normal again. ‘In that case, 9 a.m. is perfect. Thank you.’
‘Good.’ He turns to go.
‘Wait!’ Emika calls out, just as I’m about to sag over my desk and start banging my forehead against it. ‘Would you mind being in Ava’s video before you go?’
‘Oh, no.’ I hold my hands up as he turns round again. ‘It doesn’t matter. You look like you’re on your way out.’
‘What do you need?’ He ignores my protest, lifting an eyebrow instead.
‘It’s a first-day-at-work short,’ I say hesitantly, because apparently there’s no way out of this. ‘I thought it would be good if Corey could appear at the end, but he’s not here so …’
‘I can do it.’ He folds his arms and nods curtly.
‘You can?’ I feel a need to double-check because his negative body language is so confusing.
‘Yes.’
‘OK! Thank you. So, the idea is that I meet you in the corridor and you say “Hi” and “Welcome to Rask” or something along those lines … if that works for you?’
‘Sure.’
‘Great.’ I exchange a quick look with Emika, who gives me an encouraging thumbs-up. ‘In that case … shall we do it now?’
He inclines his head infinitesimally, which I choose to interpret as another nod, so I get up from my desk and lead him out into the corridor, lifting my chin as I go. I’m not sure whether I’m more resentful of his behaviour or embarrassed about mine, but it’s a disconcerting combination.
‘So I’ll carry the phone like I’m just casually walking along and then you come out of that door,’ I say, trying to emulate Vienna’s brisk manner as I point towards an empty store room. ‘Then it’ll be like we’re just bumping into each other.’
‘Fine.’
‘And it would be great if …’ I pause because I’m not entirely sure how to phrase this without giving offence. ‘If you could maybe try to smile when you come out?’
There’s a flicker of something in his eyes, something that on anybody else might be amusement. ‘I can smile.’
‘Yes. Right. Of course. I didn’t mean to imply –’ I order myself to stop talking before I make things even worse. ‘So you go that way, and I’ll go this way …’
I turn and walk off, taking a moment to gather my thoughts, before lifting my phone out in front of me.I can do this, I tell myself. It’s just ten seconds of film, at most. No big deal. Just ten seconds and then we can go our separate ways.
Ten loooooong seconds.
I turn around to check that Leif isn’t visible, then press record as I walk along the corridor, talking enthusiastically. ‘So that was my first day! I’ve had such a great time. Everyone is really lovely and … Oh!’ I feign shock as Leif appears around the door. ‘Hi, Leif.’
He tilts his head as he comes towards me. ‘Hi, Ava.’
I open my mouth to reply, but no words come out because suddenly I’m transfixed. His mouth is curving up at the corners in a smile that transforms his whole face so that he looks boyish and handsome and yet also … devastatingly sexy. My mind stalls and my steps falter. Now I understand why he does it so rarely. It’s too powerful. His cologne fills my senses again too, a combination of earth and wood and smoke and leather all rolled into one.
Oh fuck. It hits me that I’ve come to a complete stop to stare at him.
‘Ava?’ His smile fades into a look of confusion.
‘Sorry!’ I let out a shaky breath and snap back to myself. ‘I just … forgot my line – haha! Would you mind if we go again? I’ll get it right this time, I promise.’ I don’t wait for his answer as I hurry away, cringing internally.
People say you should be careful what you wish for, but how could I have anticipated a smile likethat? And ‘forgot my line’? I need to get a grip. He’s an asshole! A rude, monosyllabic asshole!
So how is it possible for him to be having this kind of effect on me?
