The Girl Who Read The Dating Manual

rule three: silence is never the answer

            I smiled and nodded my assent, before opening the door to the bathroom. “I gotta go. Night, Lil.”

            She smiled at me, and I started for the door. Outside, snowflakes gently fell from the sky and landed on the glistening pavement, and I jumped over cracks and puddles as I walked, feeling myself shiver and my teeth begin to chatter at the cold. I hugged myself tighter and shoved my pink fingers into my pockets, feeling my nose and cheeks blaze bright red. My breaths came out in puffy clouds as I walked.

            I’d always found England beautiful, in a strange way. With its glittering lights, cold snowflakes and puddles of mush, it had an odd combination of beauty and sleet. But there was something about it that I’d always found pretty, even if, most of the time, it was cold and unforgiving.

            I turned left and veered through the breezing doors and into the apartment building, which read on the top in brass letters, Winchester Apartments. I could still hear the mocking words printed on the brochure, when they tried to sell you an apartment. Do it the Winchester way!

 

            But the Winchester way seemed to involve debauchery and elegant suits, and it was a world I’d never partake in. It was strange to think someone as handsome and kindhearted as Will could be the offspring of Genevieve and William Winchester, Senior. Where Genevieve was cold and posh, Will had this warm gentlemanly way to him. And where William was precocious and somewhat irritating with his smarmy remarks and joking manner, Will was always warm and welcoming. It seemed the only thing he shared with his father was a name.

            I sighed and started up the stairwell, my thoughts caught up on his parents. Even the first time I’d met them hadn’t gone off well, but they’d treated me much better than they had upon the announcement of our engagement. Genevieve Winchester had treated me as if I were some kind of summer fling for her somewhat reckless son, but she had definitely flipped a lid when he’d walked in with me on his arm, as I’d sported a glittering engagement ring on the fourth finger of my left hand. She’d looked ready to have a coronary.

            I’d never expected Will to choose me over his parents and the rich life, but he had. Even with the threat of disinheritance, he had chosen me over the money. That’s how I knew it was real. Because he wanted me over the chance of a lavish lifestyle. And that’s why I’d never looked back.

            I slotted the key into the hole and twisted, before leaning on the door and pressing in until it swung open under my touch. Inside I could hear the strains of some song, but other than that it was silent. I shut it behind me, and jumped when I saw Chance sitting at the counter flicking absently through his phone.

            He looked up at me through his long lashes, and slowly locked his phone and slid it into his pocket.

            “Where are Ava and Jamie?” I asked, realizing this was the first sentence I’d said to him since the airport terminal more than a year ago.

            “They went out,” he told me, his voice sounding deeper than I remembered. “They went to grab some pizza for dinner.”