‘So what the hell are you?’ he asked.
‘What?’
‘He shrugged. ‘Look, you’ve moved the parameters of my world. I don’t know what the hell to make of you right now. If we’re not related-’
‘Stop saying that. Of course we’re not related. We never have been.’
‘Which leaves us… where?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Layla. Her heart was thumping.
‘Then I think it’s time we found out exactly what our relationship is. This new relationship, I mean. Don’t you?’
Oh Jesus. This was all moving faster than she had anticipated. Well, in fact she had anticipated a big fat nothing. That he would still see her as his little sister, that he would be unable to move on from that mindset. Instead, thanks to Precious’s intervention, Alberto seemed to be assimilating this new set-up with frightening speed. Was she ready for this? No. She wasn’t.
‘In that case, what do I call you?’ she asked brightly, defensively.
‘Huh?’
‘Should I call you something different? How about Albie?’
‘What?’
‘Bertie, then?’
‘I will kill you,’ he said, starting to smile.
‘Alberto then,’ said Layla.
‘That’s fine with me.’ He looked at her dubiously. ‘So… Layla. This is damned awkward. But if you want to, I guess we could date.’
Layla gulped hard. ‘In the middle of all this?’
‘Why not? Yesterday I could have died. That kind of puts things in perspective.’
‘Jesus, don’t say that.’
‘It’s the truth. And it’s made me think.’ He looked at her, and there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. ‘Maybe we should be grabbing life’s chances, not letting them pass by.’
‘Dating? I don’t know,’ said Layla. It seemed weird. She’d wanted this, had tried for it… she just hadn’t expected to succeed with such phenomenal speed. Now she was feeling the old Layla inside her, backing away, saying, No, let’s not do this. She knew damned well that he was more than she could handle. He was an upfront, in-your-face American, and she was a tight-arsed insular Brit. He was so bent he could see round corners and she was so straight it was ridiculous. But for God’s sake, she had started this. Not him.
‘If you don’t want to-’
‘No! I mean, I do want to.’
He nodded slowly. ‘Good. So… how about the day after tomorrow?’
Layla was sitting on the bed when Precious came in.
‘You’re quiet in here,’ she said.
‘Alberto thinks we should go on a date,’ said Layla.
They stared at one another. Then suddenly they both shrieked and hugged one another.
‘Oh Jesus, oh God help me, I’m not sure about this,’ said Layla, laughing.
‘Hey, it’s a date, that’s all. I wonder though, is this a London date, or a Manhattan date?’