I laugh and point to my messy hair. “Yeah, I sure look like it this morning.”
He laughs back. “Unicorns suit you just as well as black dresses do, don’t worry.”
“In that case I’d better send it back and get a refund. That dress cost me a fortune.”
We smile at each other in silence and I feel really comfortable for morning one in a new city and new apartment, with someone I’ve only just met.
I gesture to his paperwork.
“I thought Ant was buried deep in work whenever he gets the chance, but I think you might surpass him. Quite an achievement.” I mirror his words. “Take it as your affirmation. You must be the best of the best.”
“Thanks,” he laughs “I always try.”
I take another sip of coffee. “Ant says you’ve been working alongside him at Nevilles for three years. He says you’re great at it.”
“I’ve been living with him for three years now too, and I’m grateful for it. I wouldn’t have made it through them otherwise. I was in a bad state when I worked on the first project for him, but I still managed to work forty-eight hours straight to meet the deadline. It was a last-minute finish, but it was worth it. We landed him the deal he wanted, and our friendship came off the back of it.”
“Wow. Forty-eight hours straight must have been pretty intense.”
He shrugs. “To be honest it was a much-needed distraction. I was desperate to get my mind off Jo.”
So, that’s the name of the woman who broke his heart – Jo.
“I’ve heard that losing her really hurt you,” I confess. “You must have been close.”
“Yeah, we were.” He gives me a distinctive chuckle as he rolls his eyes. “Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ve heard all about it from everyone already.”
“Mainly Ant.”
“And Vickie and Georgina, no doubt.”
I grin. “Yeah, and a bit from them too.”
I love how Gerwyn talks so openly, so easily. It’s a stark contrast to Ant.
I manage to catch sight of his tattoo now, and it’s a stylised pair of roses twisted together with the stems going up his forearm. He sees me looking.
“Yes,” he confirms with another chuckle. “It’s about Jo. Young love, hey?”
I pull up the sleeve of my PJs in solidarity, my own tattoo easily visible without the emerald bracelet covering it up.
“Yes. Young love, hey?” I repeat.
Our eyes meet and there’s a lovely connection there, like we’re already best friends. He must read the empathy in my stare.
“Looks like your breakup hurt you as bad as mine did?”
“Yeah, it hurt like hell. Losing Jack messed me up a lot. I was an absolute wreck, even though I tried not to show it. Stand strong and all that, right? Only it wasn’t working. Not behind the scenes. It was the main reason I ended up moving to Malvern. Jack proposed to Susie and their wedding day was getting closer. I couldn’t handle it.”
“Yeah, I can imagine.” He takes a sip of his coffee as I take another of mine. “Was there someone who became an absolute crutch when you were at your lowest?”
I smile, remembering the times I ugly cried so hard my nose bubbled snot.
“My best friend, Michelle. She was great. Even though she was Jack’s sister.”
“Ouch. That’s pretty awkward.”
“Yep. She did well, though.” I look again at his tattoo. “How about you? Who did you turn to?”
I know who he’s going to say before he says it.
“Ant.”
I feel so proud of Ant to hear that.
Gerwyn looks proud along with me as he keeps on talking.
“He picked me up from the bottom, but he didn’t stop there. He got me back on my feet and then lifted me higher, right up onto the ladder at Nevilles. He brought me to Berlin with him just a few months after we met, and I’ve been along with him ever since. Both at work and at home.” Gerwyn’s face shows he adores my boyfriend nearly as much as I do. “I should have moved out a long time ago, but Ant curses me with a don’t be so fucking stupid whenever I mention it. He says I’d be here most of the time anyway, so we may as well live in the same apartment. Same goes for Malvern. Plus, it’s not like I have any reason to be anywhere else. I’m hardly Mr Popular.”
He lightens his sad joke with a smile.
I remember Ant’s words last night – not many people get on with Gerwyn – and get a pang at the thought of the awesome guy in front of me being lonely. He’s way too nice for that.
That’s probably why people are constantly on a quest to pair him up with someone.
I’m already praying he’ll like Janie, because she’s definitely going to like him.
“Ant is an incredible guy, Cass,” Gerwyn says. “I know it may not always seem like it, and he has his… issues, but look above all that when you need to. He really is incredible.”