Matty's POV
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Olivia is in my car. And I never imagined it would happen. I turn my music up slightly, her voice gets to me. It's very American. She's discussing patients with me and I couldn't think of anything worse.
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"My favourite is when they get better" she says and I never realised she talked this much. Did she always talk this much? I thought she was a listener not a talker.
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"I can tell" I say softly, indicating and heading to the car park.
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I reverse in a bay and she watches me. I pull the handbrake up and she looks down at the console seeing lots of stuff I haven't even managed to get rid of yet. Let's be honest Matthew, I tell myself, you keep Taylor's hair bands and her empty coffee cup with her lipstick marks on the side next to yours in the car so that you can pretend you're still together. You're delusional.
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She looks away quickly and opens the door getting out, almost smacking the next car with the door. I wince but conceal it, when she faces me I show her my best smile. I lock up and begin walking with her out to the town.
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"What would you like to eat" I say openly once she's finally quiet.
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"How about sushi" she suggests and internally I groan. Fucking sushi? Im literally dying for a steak, or a huge burger. Has she ever glanced at me in the hospital and seen me tucking into some sushi? No ? That's because I don't eat raw fish like a hip millennial who's into conservation and poetry. Not that's there's anything wrong with conservation or poetry, I'm just getting wound up.
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"Or how about a bar" she says next and I encourage her.
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"Done" I say and we head into the big 8. It's practically rammed but I guide her to the back where it's much quieter. I suppress the memory of being in here with Taylor and our friends.
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She flicks through the menu, and I'm interested to see what she orders. I wait patiently knowing I'm having a steak and a beer. Just one.
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"I'm gonna have the lasagne" she says and I try not to laugh.
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"What" she questions me.
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"Sure?" I laugh.
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"Yes vegetarian lasagne and a pineapple juice" she says nodding at me, as if to say well go and order it then.
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Veggie lasagne, isn't the whole point of lasagne to have beef in it? Or am I wrong? Taylor would know. I remember her cooking me Lasgane and it tasting like beef and heaven.
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I stroke my hair back, standing and heading to the bar. I order from the friendly man who remembers me from before. He taps away at the till screen and then looks up at me.
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"What's your table number" he asks me, and I realise I didn't even notice any numbers on our table.
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"Oh" I say softly looking dumbfounded.
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"It's all good, whereabouts you sitting" he says a genuine smile on his face.
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"Round the back by the darts" I say and he nods.
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"No problem we'll find you" he explains and I smile paying up.
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I head on back to the girl that orders veggie lasagne when out to eat. Putting my best game face on, it's tedious. Trying to charm somebody that you just have no desire for. I lounge back in my chair, meeting her eyes.
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"So you're a vegetarian?" I ask, looking up at the art on the wall behind her, briefly. Taylor would notice it if she were here, wherever I've taken her before she always comments on the art.
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This is a print, an original unknown artist I think briefly as she's going on about the benefits of being a boring vegetarian. Don't get me wrong it is admirable, and it is for a great cause but I could never do it myself.
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"It really is easier than you think" she explains.
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"So tell me when you cook what do you have?" I say and she laughs at my ignorance.
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"Food Matthew, pasta and vegetables" she explains as one option. Please don’t call me Matthew I think, but I let it slide for now.
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"Ok what's your best dish" I ask cheekily. She thinks for a moment, watching me briefly and then sips some pineapple juice.
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"Black bean enchiladas" she says smiling. It's killing me that somebody would remove meat from an enchilada. But I haven't tasted it so I will reserve judgement.
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"Ok do you eat fish" I ask and she laughs again.
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"I'm a pescatarian yeah" she nods.
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"A pescatarian eats fish I'm guessing" I laugh and she nods simply. I imagine a life where we have fish and chips every other night for supper. Doomed this is just doomed.
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"I'm guessing you like meat Matthew" she laughs.
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"Just Matty" I tell her looking up at the art. The lines that the artist has used to delineate the models face. Long sweeping strokes that curve into her cheekbones.
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"What's up with that?" Olivia asks and I snap back into the here and now. Looking down at her expression which is curious and guarded again. I've been short with her again because she's annoying but if I'm going to make this work I must be patient.
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"I just prefer Matty, do you have a preference with your name?" I ask her smiling again.
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"No" she says curtly and so I decide I need to change tact, change conversation altogether. Taylor openly calls me Matthew all of the time, in front of everybody and that's probably the problem here.
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"The print" I say my eyes flicking up to the eyes in the picture above where Olivia is sitting. She turns in her uniform and has a look.
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"The eyes are like yours" I say softly. They're not. But girls love stuff like that.
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"What makes you say that" she says looking back at me.
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"There's a resemblance, and if I were to draw you that's how I would imagine I would draw your eyes" I say and she looks at me, speechless.
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"I've imagined" I begin softly leaning in slightly and she mirrors my movement, this is just between us two.
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"How I would draw your hair" I continue leaning across the table and briefly stroking her hair away from her face. It's bolt straight, so boring to draw. She doesn't flinch she almost leans into me further.
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"And how I would draw your..." I begin my hand travelling to her jaw and lips before I withdraw my physical contact.
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"Your lips" I finish sitting back. She's absolutely speechless and I don't think any man has ever come onto her quite like I have.
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"Told you I would find you" the barman says looking at Olivia and realising it's not Taylor. I give him a warm smile as he sets the food down.
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"Thanks man, you would think I know the table numbers by now" I say and he laughs.
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"Yeah next time man" he says and he walks off to get on with his job.
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Olivia eyes me briefly and I explain that I know the bar staff pretty well. She rolls her eyes and I focus on my grill. No phones I tell myself just itching to check if Tay has messaged me again. But that would be breaking all of the rules here.
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“How’s your vegetable Lasagne” I ask her having cut into my steak. It’s cooked to perfection, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms on the side. Steak cut chips and peppercorn sauce.
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“It’s nice” she says and I get the feeling she doesn’t give praise freely, she eyes my steak disdainfully and I feel briefly uncomfortable eating meat in front of her.
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“How’s your steak” she asks in an attempt to be nice.
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“It’s wonderful” I remark looking up at her and she smiles nicely.
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“So you’ve got a busted lip still” she says just coming out with it and I swallow my mouthful slowly.
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“I do don’t I” I say grinning place my fork down and push my brunette curls back.
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“Can I see it” she says slowly and if she wasn’t a nurse I would think her very odd.
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“Jay’s got one hell of a swing” I say standing up, walking over to her side of the booth. She shuffles over and I slide in next to her, leaving my food for the time being.
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She touches my lip and I wince slightly. I most probably should have got it stitched.
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“This needs dissolvable stitches” she says after checking it out.
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“I’ll do it tomorrow in the suite” she says, dismissing me from her personal space.
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I pull her chin back to mine and she regards me with wide eyes. Holding onto her jaw I kiss her. Nice and slow, Matthew, I tell myself.
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She closes her eyes and I locate the clock by the bar. Glance at the time, 9:55 pm. I give this five minutes and then I’ll be back in my chair eating my steak.
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Olivia kisses me like her life depends on it, and I feel bad because I’m just here to make her feel something for me. I glance up at the time again, 9:56, I push my hand through her hair massaging her upper back lightly with my hand. This woman works hard, her shoulders are in knots.
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And 9:57, time to disengage. I pull my lips away from hers, my hand trailing down her lower back.
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“I’m gonna go and eat my steak now” I smile down at her and she looks up at me breathless. It’s on, I tell myself lounging back in front of her, she eyes my abs where my shirt has ridden up. I glance at the clock and it’s exactly 10pm.
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“Hey, I think we should get desert” I tell her pretending I didn’t see her eyeing me up, casually eating my food.
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“Well it’s already 10pm” she says and I really hold myself back from laughing.
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“It’s only 10pm” I tell her grinning.
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“See I have left my car at the hospital. And I have a shift at 9am tomorrow” she explains. Oh my God, kill me now.
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“I’ll pay for your car to be parked overnight” I tell her.
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“No that’s okay I’m in the staff car park and it’s free” she explains.
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“What’s the problem then?” I smirk at her.
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“How am I getting home?” She asks laughing. This really is it for me, make or break. Get the girl or don’t, my bet is that I will be taking her home. Not to my own house, God forbid. I laugh thinking about how I can get access to Taylor’s house, at any time that I want now that I’m on the security system. Not that I would ever break Taylor’s trust. I’ll be taking her to Ross’ where I’m staying.
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“Olivia, I’ll take you anywhere you want to go” I tell her and I place my knife and fork next to each other on my plate. Sip my beer and sit back, turning my gaze to the flatscreen which is showing the news.
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“Anywhere?” She asks laughing.
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“Sure are confident aren’t you Matty” she laughs.
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“Canada, st tropez, Tenerife wherever I can take us there” I joke, it’s corny and I wouldn’t in a million years but it makes her laugh.
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“Okay, we get desert, now. I would like the vanilla ice cream. And then it’s down to you where you take me” she says and I groan internally. Not the most boring of ice creams, Olivia. No.
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“Okay deal” I say instead, wink at her and head on over to the bar.
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