It Had to Be You by Ellie Adams

bistro-cum-bar on the edge of Sloane Square. When she arrived there was a man sitting at one of the tables outside. He looked familiar, so Lizzy took her chance.
    ‘Toby?’
    She didn’t know what blinded her first: the dazzling veneers or the bright red trousers. ‘Hello darling,’ he said, getting up and kissing Lizzy rather clammily on both cheeks.
    ‘I’m Lizzy,’ she said.
    ‘Hope so, otherwise I’ve just kissed some random bird in the street, hahahahaha!’
    Next door’s table looked up at the foghorn laugh. ‘I took the liberty of ordering you a G & T,’ he told Lizzy.
    She sat down. ‘Fab, thank you.’
    Toby flashed her another toothy smile. He looked a lot older than he did in his pictures, and his blond hair was alarmingly bouffant. Lizzy had a horrible suspicion he might have blow-dried it.
    Toby crossed one red chino leg over the other. ‘My workmates were quite impressed when I said I was going out with Headbutt Girl tonight. One of them said, “You’d better not be late, mate, or she’ll break your nose as well, ha ha ha!”’
    Lizzy managed a feeble smile. ‘I don’t normally go round doing that sort of thing. And technically I think it was more of a bang than an actual break.’
    ‘It didn’t scare me off, I like strong women.’ He rested on his elbows and leant in. Lizzy got a faceful of pungent aftershave. ‘What did you do to make Justin do a runner like that? There must be more to it than meets the eye.’
    ‘Well um, I really don’t know. I guess we weren’t right for each other.’
    ‘Whatever you say.’ Toby shot her a knowing look. ‘I bet you’re a right handful.’
    Lizzy changed the subject. ‘Have you been on the site long?’
    ‘A while,’ he said breezily. ‘You?’
    ‘This is my first time.’
    ‘A virgin, then! Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle with you.’
    ‘Ha ha,’ she said. He
was
joking, wasn’t he?
    Toby ran a hand through the bouncy hair. ‘I don’t want to sound boastful, but I’ve had a pretty good success rate.’
    ‘Oh really?’
    Lizzy’s ironic tone was completely lost on him. ‘You get a lot of lonely women on these kinds of sites.’ He gave a wink. ‘Let’s just say they need plenty of love and attention.’
    What a charmer! Lizzy was just wondering how soon she could leave without appearing rude when Toby grabbed her hand.
    ‘You look like a woman of the world; can I be upfront with you?’ He fixed her with what was clearly meant to be a penetrating gaze. ‘Shall we just forget about the drinks and go and screw?’
    Lizzy thought she’d misheard him. ‘Sorry?’
    ‘I’m bored wasting time on all this wining and dining bollocks. You and I have a strong sexual connection, Lizzy. Why don’t we just cut the crap and get down to it? My place is only round the corner.’
    Lizzy wrenched her hand away. ‘I’m sorry, but you’ve got this all wrong. I’m sure deep down you’re, er, a really nice guy, Toby, but you and I are definitely
not
having sex.’
    ‘Really?’ He looked crestfallen. ‘But my apartment is really nice.’
    ‘It’s still a no, I’m afraid.’ Lizzy picked up her handbag. ‘Thanks for the drink but I’d better get going.’
    ‘Was I too full-on with all the sex stuff?’ he shouted after her. ‘We can start again if you like. What’s your star sign?’

Chapter 13
    ‘Hello, Haven!’
    ‘Lizzy, it’s Tam.’
    ‘Hey Tam!’
    Tamzin was Lizzy’s friend from another PR agency. ‘Are you free tonight?’ she asked Lizzy. ‘We’re doing this new photography exhibition on the Kings Road. It’s bound to be full of pretentious dickheads, but we can catch up and have a few glasses of bubbles.’
    Lizzy looked longingly out of the window. It was another gloriously sunny day. ‘I’m meant to be going to hot yoga.’
    ‘Oh don’t give me that. There’s free booze!’
    Sod it, her exercise regime could start tomorrow. Lizzy reached for a pen.
    ‘What’s the address?’
    ‘You do look funny,’