Thank you once again for the lovely reviews, everyone! :)

Finally got round to editing this, having written the chapter last week. So here it is...enjoy!

Well, I don't really know how to sum up the rest of the day.

Humiliation had just taken a step further as the man with the beautiful eyes had spotted me lying in a heap on the staircase...

"Gabi? It's Troy, can you move at all?"

After realising who my witness was, I finally staggered to my feet to find that he was now right in front of me, staring in concern. "I'm okay...thanks," I managed to answer warily.

"Are you sure? You might have sprained or broken something..." he really seemed to care as he said the words; something which made me temporarily forget about the painful bruises forming on my legs from the fall. In that moment I was just caught by the genuine look in his eyes.

"Thank you Troy, but honestly, I'm fine. I'm sorry you had to see one of my clumsiest moments, though," I replied, stretching out a bit so I could prove I really was okay.

"One of?" he picked up on my words with a hint of a playful smile on his lips. "Is this a regular occurrence for you, then? Falling down stairs..."

I hadn't even realised quite how upfront I'd just been with him. I'd practically just confessed that my life was one big collection of calamities and accidents.

Which it is.

But usually I would try and save face somehow. And today, in front of Troy; I hadn't done that.

He didn't seem to care, though.

"Well..." I answered with a smile. "Maybe tomorrow I'll be falling up the stairs instead. It varies."

He chuckled, and I laughed back before turning around to look for the discarded bin bags I had just dropped. Troy seemed to spot them just as I did, and before I could say anything else he had gone to grab them for me.

"To the skip, right?" he asked with a grin.

"Erm...yeah, thanks," was all I could say as I watched him stride easily down the steps and towards the front door.

On the way, Troy turned to look at me briefly, as though expecting me to take another tumble. It was a fair assumption, of course. But luckily it didn't happen. I followed him silently, shamelessly admiring his muscles as he swung the bags of rubbish over his shoulders effortlessly.

We stopped at the skip and he tossed the bags into them; dusted his hands off and then looked at me again with a warm smile.

"Thanks," I said in a small voice. I felt ridiculously shy now and I didn't know why.

Well, okay. I did know why. And I'm not exaggerating when I say that everything about him still had me transfixed.

"No problem," he replied. "Got any other bags to bring down?"

It was another genuine, kind remark. I got the feeling that Troy would actually have willingly obliged if I'd just said, "yeah I've got ten more to chuck out if you're offering..."

But obviously I was now done with my clear-out and, I hoped, my dysfunctional moments for the rest of the day. Or at least for the next few minutes that I'd be in his company...

"No, that was everything," I told him. I stopped myself from repeating a thank you for what felt like the hundredth time.

"So..." he began again softly. "I'm thinking maybe I'd better escort you back to your flat? You know, just to make sure you get back in one piece."

His tone was teasing and his eyes were brighter than ever. I couldn't help but stand there and laugh at myself as well as his friendly jibe.

"I think it's only sensible of me to take you up on that," I agreed, trying and failing to straighten my face.

Troy gallantly offered me his arm, as though we were two teenagers making an entrance at the school prom.

I grinned anyway and let him lead me inside.

Unfortunately at this point, my luck turned against me again. I suppose it never really was on my side at all, though.

We got to the door of my flat, and it was only when I reached for my handbag out of habit that I remembered it wasn't with me.

Therefore neither were my keys.

I had locked myself out.

.HSM.

Sometimes, I can hardly believe my own stupidity. But I think today's latest incident showcased it particularly well.

"Er..." I began when I realised he was staring at me, waiting for me to head inside no doubt. I was trying to work out whether I could avoid admitting what I'd managed to do.

But it was impossible. I didn't even have my phone with me. I needed Troy's help again.

"Everything okay?" he asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Ah. I've...been a bit of a moron and locked my keys inside the flat," I explained, my hands covering my eyes in embarrassment.

"Oh," he replied in understanding. "You're really not like the average neighbour, are you?" He didn't sound like this fact bothered him too much. It certainly bothered me how many problematic situations I ended up in these days.

"I'm afraid not. Sorry. But if it's any consolation, I don't play loud music or throw wild parties. You'll be left in peace once I'm back in my flat."

Troy narrowed his eyes for a second, eyeing me with intrigue. "You...do know I wasn't complaining, don't you?" he asked gently.

I nodded. I'd been joking too, but he seemed to have taken my reply seriously.

"Come on, we'll go and get the landlord's number from my place," he said kindly, turning to walk back from the direction we'd come in. I followed him sheepishly, awkwardly.

I had no inhibitions about entering the home of someone who was still a virtual stranger to me. None at all. I felt at ease in his presence already, and I took that as a good thing.

My awkwardness was due only to how self-conscious I felt. Which wasn't a good thing at all.

He let us both into his flat, and I stood waiting as he did a quick search for the phone number I needed and, let's face it, the number that I really do need to memorise one of these days...

Within minutes he had offered me the use of his phone. I didn't get an answer from the landlord, so had to settle for leaving him a voice mail asking to borrow his copy of the flat key. I would just have to wait around now, until he turned up.

It's a very good job I don't need to worry about impressing the landlord. I think I'm a decent enough tenant; most of my disasters don't usually come under his radar. Mostly because he's not around enough to notice!

"Not answering his phone?" Troy appeared from his kitchen as I hung up, carrying two cans of lemonade. He rose one of them in the air, silently asking if I liked the drink, and I nodded before answering his original question.

"No," I answered, rolling my eyes. "Could have predicted that I wouldn't be able to get hold of him, I suppose."

"Yeah, he doesn't sound like the most reliable landlord?" he guessed, raising his eyebrows.

"That's one way to put it," I agreed as he handed me the lemonade. "I take it you had trouble getting hold of him yourself the other day?"

He nodded. "Well, I phoned him on Monday night and I didn't get a call back until yesterday morning, so..."

"Hmm...sorry, wish I'd warned you about him when I gave you the number now. I was a bit distracted at the time," I winced, remembering how he'd clocked me in my dressing gown and hair rollers.

Troy caught my eye and let out an amused chuckle. Obviously he hadn't forgotten that first introduction, then...

I found myself chuckling back when I saw that he was laughing with me, not at me. Then he gestured for us to sit down, walking over to the sofa.

"You know," he suddenly announced. "I just realised I haven't even asked you anything about yourself yet, and we've now met each other how many times?"

Three, including that bus journey...

But I wasn't going to answer his question, as though I was keeping count or something.

Because that is so not what I've been doing so far.

"Well," I replied. "You tell me about yourself, and then I'll answer your questions."

"Ah, I see how it is," he joked. "Okay then. Now...how to make myself sound like an interesting person..."

I laughed again while Troy rested his chin in his hand thoughtfully.

"You already know I'm a bus driver. But I assure you, my main goal in life is much less boring."

"Oh really? What's that, then?" I asked curiously.

"I'll tell you that if you let me in on what you do for a living," he bargained cheekily.

"Hey, that wasn't part of the deal!" I argued as he winked at me. I was very aware that I was still grinning like an idiot, but I was having too much fun to care. "Alright, fine. I'm a hairdresser. And I never wanted to do anything else, to be honest."

"I think that's great. It took me ages to realise what I really wanted to do. I wish I'd had enough passion for the right career years ago."

Now he was intriguing me. I was really interested to hear what his passion was.

"So what career do you want, then? You have to tell me now!"

He smiled, his eyes twinkling at me. "I'm actually working my way towards becoming an Architect. At the moment I'm just an assistant, so I've been on the buses part time as well, just to pay the bills."

Oh. My. God.

For years my mother has been doing her utmost to get me interested in dating one of the young, single employees at my father's company.

And it turns out that my new neighbour, who I am actually interested in...well, I don't even need to finish that thought process.

Ironic, or just a coincidence?

"My father owns an Architecture company..." I managed to utter, still stunned.

"You're kidding!" Troy was just as surprised, if his tone was anything to go by. "What's his name?"

At this point I could have written the script for what was about to happen.

"Richard Montez," I told him.

"That's my boss!" He looked totally astounded.

"Blimey..." I sighed. I sat there trying to recall whether my dad had ever mentioned an assistant called Troy. But I hadn't discussed his work with him recently.

And then another thought struck me. "So, you've been invited to the dinner party tomorrow night?" Although I was making an assumption, I couldn't imagine that he wasn't to be included as one of the eligible bachelors my mother had in mind for me.

"Yeah, I'm going. Ah, it's at your dad's house!" he exclaimed. Seemed he had only just worked that one out. "I can't believe you're his daughter. Will you be there too, then?"

Given that my headache hadn't lasted, I had no excuse not to go anymore. Besides, if Troy was going to be there...all of a sudden this dinner party didn't sound half as bad as I'd originally thought.

Except for one small detail.

My parents think I have a boyfriend.

And so I looked Troy in the eye and decided to tell him the truth. I know, it really does seem like I went mad, spouting out all this humiliating information about myself.

But if I didn't tell him, I'd have had to let him think I really was taken. And above all else, I certainly did not want him to think that.

"I was sort of ambushed into agreeing to go, actually," I explained. "My mum wanted to use the dinner as an excuse to pair me up with a 'nice young bachelor'. I told her I already had a boyfriend..."

"Oh. Right," I watched his face react to my words. Was it my imagination, or did he look...disappointed?

"Erm...I don't have a boyfriend, Troy. I sort of dug myself into a hole with that one because now she wants me to turn up with my imaginary partner and...oh God, why am I telling you all this? You really don't need to know my life story. Sorry."

My feelings of self-consciousness had returned and I knew that I sounded like a sad spinster.

"Gabi?" His voice broke the silence that followed my ramblings.

"Yeah?"

"I'll be your partner for the night."

This was my initial reaction: "..."

But it seemed he wasn't quite finished yet as he flashed those gorgeous blue eyes at me. "So...what do you reckon, neighbour? How about this for a plan: fake boyfriend, but real date?"

Once I'd picked my jaw up off the floor, I could only nod back in shock and delight.

So now I have a new partner in crime to keep my mother at bay. Also, I have discovered I like an Architect - despite previously thinking that any man with a job like my father's would bore me to tears.

And if I hadn't just retold that whole story to myself, I'd swear it was just a strange, surreal dream.

Hope you liked chapter four!

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