Broken Inside

41 - The Weekend Plan

Alex woke up the next day close to noon. She had trouble sleeping the night before since she was still on New York time.

Now that she was awake, she was feeling hungry. So she headed out searching for food around the apartment area. Alex was surprised how expensive food were in London! So she decided to cook her own lunch. She bought the cooking ingredients from a small groceries store at the corner. Then she headed back to her apartment.

She was walking past the newsstand opposite her building when she saw someone she recognised. It was Paul, flipping through the latest TIME magazine. 

Alex walked up to him and tapped his shoulder. She smiled when he turned around. "Lord Baker, nice to see you again."

Paul returned the smile. "Ms Smith. How are you?"

"Good, freezing," she replied with a chuckle. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh," Paul scratched his scalp and looked down the street, "I just fancied a walk, thought I'd get my hands on, uh, this." He showed her the magazine in his hand. 

"Do you live around here?" Alex asked him.

Paul seemed caught by her question. He looked down the street again, smacking his lips, and said, "A little way over."

Alex frowned a little. "You walked all the way in the freezing cold for a magazine?"

Paul chuckled awkwardly, scratching at his head again. Alex was beginning to think that he wasn't there by accident. "Well, I, uh, I should get going," he said to her and turned around to walk away.

"Oi!" the newsstand guy called after him. "You need to pay for that."

Paul turned back around and just realised that he was still holding the magazine in his hand. He quickly paid the guy and with an awkward smile at Alex, he started to walk away.

Alex bit her lips and then called out, "Lord Baker!"

Paul's head spun around and he looked at her expectantly. 

Alex smiled and asked him, "Would you like to come up for some coffee? Or tea?" She pointed at the building opposite the road. "I live right there."

Paul looked at the building and then at Alex. He smiled and said, "I'd love to." Alex nodded and they crossed the road together. Paul turned to her and said, "I'd prefer it if you call me Paul."

"Only if you call me Alex," Alex said to him with a grin.

Paul chuckled and said, "Fair enough." 

They reached the front door and Alex searched in her bag for the keys, while balancing the shopping bags in her other hand. Paul took the bags from her and she smiled gratefully. She found the keys and unlocked the door. Then she led Paul up the stairs to her apartment.

Alex hung her coat in the coat closet before taking the bags away from Paul. "You can hang your coat in there," she told him before heading to the kitchen. She placed the bags on the counter and then proceeded to boil some water for tea. 

Paul stepped into the kitchen and looked around. "Are you happy with the flat?" he asked her.

"Are you kidding?" Alex said, chuckling as she took down a couple of mugs from the cabinets. "This place is amazing." She turned around and smiled at him gratefully. "Thank you."

Paul smiled back. He looked casually hot in dark jeans and chunky grey sweater. Then he asked, "Can I help with anything?"

"Yes," Alex said and turned back to the cabinets. "You can help me find the teabags. I have no idea where they are."