Page 188 - The Midnight Library

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younger.

Nora could remember the day her dad died, when she was in the school
librar y staring as a blond boy from a couple of years below ran past outside
the rain-speckled window. Either chasing someone or being chased. at had
been him. She had vaguely liked him, from a distance, but without really

knowing him or thinking about him at all.
‘You all right, Norster?’ Dylan asked.
Norster?
‘Yeah. I was just . . . Yeah. I’m fine.’

Nora sat down again but le a bit more bench bet ween them. ere was
nothing overtly wrong with Dylan. He was sweet . And she was sure that in
this life she genuinely liked him. Maybe even loved him. But entering a life
wasn’t the same as entering an emotion.

‘By the way, did you book Gino’s?’
Gino’s. e Italian. Nora had gone there as a teenager. She was surprised it
was still going.
‘What?’

‘Gino’s? e pizza place? For tonight? You said you kind of know the
manager there.’
‘My dad used to, yeah.’
‘So, did you manage to call?’

‘Yes,’ she lied. ‘But actually, it is fully booked.’
‘On a weeknight? Weird. at’s a shame. I love pizza. And pasta. And
lasagne. And—’
‘Right,’ said Nora. ‘Yes. I get it. I completely get it. I know it was strange.

But they had a couple of big bookings.’
Dylan already had his phone out. He was eager. ‘I’ll tr y La Cantina. You
know. e Mexican. Tons of vegan options. I love a Mexican, don’t you?’
Nora couldn’t think of a legitimate reason for her not to do this, aside

from Dylan’s not-entirely-riveting conversation, and compared to the
sandwich she was currently eating and the state of the rest of her fridge,
Mexican food sounded promising.
So, Dylan booked them a table. And they carried on talking as dogs

barked in the building behind them. It emerged during the conversation that
they were thinking of moving in together.
‘We could watch Last Chance Saloon,’ he said.