Me-Before-You-by-Jojo-Moyes

I opened my eyes, just to see if he was mocking me.
‘What’s the matter?’ he said. ‘Come on, tell Uncle Will.’
‘No.’
‘My mother is going to have the cleaners running around like lunatics in there
for at least another hour. You’re going to have to talk about something.’
I pushed myself upright, and turned to face him. His house chair had a control
button that elevated his seat so that he could address people at head height. He
didn’t often use it, as it frequently made him dizzy, but it was working now. I
actually had to look up at him.
I pulled my coat around me, and squinted at him. ‘Go on, then, what do you
want to know?’
‘How long have you two been together?’ he said.
‘Bit over six years.’
He looked surprised. ‘That’s a long time.’
‘Yes,’ I said. ‘Well.’
I leant over and adjusted a rug across him. It was deceptive, the sunshine – it
promised more than it could actually deliver. I thought of Patrick, up at 6.30
sharp this morning to go for his morning run. Perhaps I should take up running,
so that we would become one of those Lycra-clad couples. Perhaps I should buy
frilly underwear and look up sex tips online. I knew I would do neither.
‘What does he do?’
‘He’s a personal trainer.’
‘Hence the running.’
‘Hence the running.’
‘What’s he like? In three words, if it makes you uncomfortable.’
I thought about it. ‘Positive. Loyal. Obsessed with body fat ratios.’
‘That’s seven words.’
‘Then you got four for free. So what was she like?’
‘Who?’
‘Alicia?’ I looked at him like he had looked at me, directly. He took a deep
breath and gazed upwards to a large plane tree. His hair fell down into his eyes
and I fought the urge to push it to one side for him.
‘Gorgeous. Sexy. High maintenance. Surprisingly insecure.’