Practice Makes Perfect (A Romantic Comedy)

Chapter 25

So it turns out Ricardo Parker has been annoyingly right about many things.

Including, apparently, his ability to just shut off any feelings he had for me.

If I'd thought at all he'd be awkward around me the day after our . . . thing, I was wrong. He'd left me a note already, telling me he was still willing to be my date to the wedding, and adding he hoped we could still watch The Chase together. The note was sweet, of course, but it just served as a reminder of the rejection once again.

Welcome to The Friendzone, Abigail!

The abandoned belongings from my bag were also there - three tampons (cringe), four lipglosses, an emergency Mars Bar, and the book I'd been reading on the subway. The juxtaposition of a romance novel, perched next to that note just completed the humiliation. That little added je ne sais quoi I didn't know it needed.

Anyway, when he wandered into the living room on Friday evening, everything just felt . . . Normal. And yet, at the same time, completely wrong.

There was banter and laughter, and still the odd bit of that damn Eye Contact. There was no mention of the previous night's events. Although the chemistry that I now realised had been there between us from the outset still lingered; the scent of what could have been.

But the anticipation was gone now. Ric had well and truly extinguished the flickering flame before it properly had a chance to spread. The firefighters who were on call at this time the previous evening had now been told to stand down. "No risk of burning loins here, lads. Let's go home."

I was so disappointed.

Lou has finally went back to a Tam-less flat, and I decide to join her for a couple of days. I feel it's necessary to put some space between me and Ric.

Kim has even deigned to temporarily end her self-imposed pre-holiday detox to join our extended pyjama party. She says she's there for the gossip, but I suspect it is more related to the fact we promised copious amounts of cake and prosecco. A girl can only live on cabbage soup and kale for a limited amount of time, after all.

Both girls cheer when I tell them I've finally told Declan where to go, as well as blocking him. "It's about bloody time!" Lou announces, clinking her glass against mine so hard that I fear they'll both shatter. That would be such a waste of good prosecco. "Did you tell Ric?"

I shrug, tears threatening once again."No point, really. For some reason, he's convinced I'm not over Declan, and that I'd drop him like a shot if he reappeared."

"I don't understand this at all," Kim says, swallowing a giant bite of lemon drizzle cake. "Wasn't it Ric who was so sure that you and Declan wouldn't be getting back together? He basically warned you of that before you moved in, right?"