by M A Comley
“I feel sick thinking about doing fifty star jumps and a hundred squats after eating that lot. Can we take a rain check on it?”
“I wasn’t suggesting we go to the gym for a workout right now.”
“Good. Do you do any sports?”
“I occasionally go rock climbing.”
“Wow, really?”
“I take it you’ve never tried it?”
“No, I don’t think I’m likely to either.” She was scared of heights. Her last experience had scared the crap out of her and put her off dealing with height issues in the future.
“You should try it. Will you give it a go with me beside you?”
“I doubt it. I can come with you, but as for being tempted, I don’t think I could ever go down that route, I’m sorry.”
“That’s another date then. How about at the weekend?”
She covered her eyes and shook her head. “I’m sensing you’re not going to take no for an answer.”
“Excellent. I know just the place, not far from Bath. It’s an adventure theme park. Have you ever been on a zip wire?”
“That I haven’t. We go, on one condition.”
“Name it.”
She looked him straight in the eye and said, “That you don’t stand there and force me to do things against my will.”
He held his hand out for her to shake. “Deal, I promise. Once you see all those around you enjoying themselves, you’ll be gasping to have a go.”
“I think I’d rather stick pins in my eyes, we’ll see.”
“Wear leggings and trainers just in case, okay?”
“All right. Stop hassling me,” she replied light-heartedly.
“Now, what shall we have for dessert?”
“I couldn’t possibly eat another thing. You go ahead, though.”
“Are you sure? Mum always says I have hollow legs and could eat as much as an elephant on a good day.”
“Fill your boots in that case.”
The waiter magically reappeared to clear their plates and took his order. Within five minutes, Matthew was tucking into a rich sticky toffee pudding. He offered her a spoonful laden with sponge and custard that proved too tempting to resist.
“Oh, my giddy aunt, that’s to die for. Maybe I’ll have a lighter meal next time and leave room for a pudding.”
He inclined his head. “Next time? You’ve made my day.”
“I’ve had fun this evening.”
“Me, too. The best fun I’ve had with my clothes on in a long time. Jesus! Did I really say that?”
They both laughed. “I take it you meant you like to go swimming, or were you referring to something else entirely?”
“No, that’s correct, one hundred percent. Phew…I got out of that one.”
And that’s how the next few hours shaped up. It was a relaxing evening for both of them. They laughed for most of it. It wasn’t until she saw the time on the restaurant wall that she gasped, “Hell, it’s eleven-thirty, I have work in the morning.”
“So do I.”
“Yeah, but you’re the boss, you can have a snooze at your desk whenever you want. I need to concentrate, otherwise I could be booking people in to Pontins at Skeggy instead of a luxury resort in the Maldives.”
“Is that likely to happen?”
“Who knows? There’s always a first time. I won’t tell you what I did after receiving the flowers you sent me. It was enough damage for my boss to send me home early today.”
“Whoops! They were worth it, though, yes?”
“They were beautiful, and you shouldn’t have.”
“You’re worth it.”
“How do you know that?” she pushed.
“Some people shine like stars and others stick out like a nail that needs striking. I think you’re the former.”
“Why, thank you, kind sir. I hate to call an end to such a wonderful evening, but needs must.”
“Do we truly have to say goodbye?”
Her eyes widened, and the words tripped over her tongue as they flew out of her mouth. “Yes, the time isn’t right for anything else, not yet.”
“There’s hope for the future then?”
“I need to ring for a taxi, they’ll probably be chocka at this time of night with the pubs kicking out.”
“I’ll drop you off.”
“In your car? You’ve drunk as much as I have.”
“My chauffeur. I’ll give him a call.”
Her hand darted across the table. “I couldn’t put you out like that.”
“You’re not.” He placed a finger to his lips. “Stan. Yep…we’re ready to leave now…see you in five.” He hung up and clicked his fingers for the bill.
“Are you sure you won’t let me pay my share?” She thought she’d better offer, even though she didn’t have the funds to fork out if he turned around and said okay.
“I insist, this one is on me. Why don’t you bring a picnic on Saturday, how’s that?”
“Deal. I love a picnic. It probably won’t be up to your standard, but I’ll do my best.”
“I don’t have standards, as such.”
He paid the bill with his card, and they left the restaurant. The air outside was chilly. He slipped off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. His touch and closeness affected her more than she realised. She leaned her head against his chest and devoured the smell of his cologne with its musky, woodland tones.
A limousine showed up to spoil the mood. He took her hand and led her down the steps. The chauffeur hopped out of the car, but Matthew waved his attention away. “I’ll do it.”
Once they were settled in the luxurious leather seats, holding hands, she felt a million dollars and somewhat special.
He kept up the conversation all the way back to Trisha’s, speaking about insignificant details that went on during his working day and his life in general. She listened intently where she feared other women would have switched off. There was no two ways about it, he fascinated her.
The driver drew the car to a halt outside Trisha’s. Lucy sniggered as she spotted the curtain twitch in the lounge. She knew Trisha would pounce on her as soon as she entered the house, wanting to know the ins and outs of what had gone on during their date.
Matthew exited the vehicle and held out his hand to steady her once she stepped out. He walked her to the front door. She hitched off his jacket and returned it to him with a smile of appreciation.
“Thank you for being an utter gentleman this evening.”
“I’m glad you’ve had a nice time. You deserve to be treated like a princess, beautiful lady.” He leaned in and placed the gentlest of kisses on her lips. “When can I see you again?”
“I thought we were meeting up on Saturday?”
“But it’s only Thursday now. What will I do with myself tomorrow?”
“I don’t know. I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
He kissed her again. A kiss that left her breathless. “Okay, I won’t push it, you win. Shall I pick you up from here?”
“If you like. What time?”
“The earlier, the better, I want to spend the whole day with you.”
“Shall we say ten o’clock?”
“Ten in the morning sounds perfect. Remember there’s a dress code, definitely no high heels.” His gaze dropped to her feet.
“I promise. Thank you again for such a wonderful evening.”
He kissed her a third time and nuzzled her neck as he hugged her. “The pleasure was all mine.”
He waited until she entered the house. The door was snatched out of her hand.
Trisha stood behind it in her PJs and dressing gown. “So, how did it go? And wow, by the way, I’ve never been in a limo, what’s it like?”
“I’ll tell you all about it over a cup of coffee and then I must think about going home.”
“No way. Stay here the night. I’ll put the kettle on.”
She slipped off her heels and looked through the spyhole in the door to
see if the car was still there. It wasn’t. Her heart sank with disappointment.
Lucy wound her way through the house and into the kitchen.
Trisha drew out a chair at the table and placed a hand on her shoulder, forcing her to sit down. “Tell me. I’ve been on tenterhooks all evening.”
“He knew you were there.”
Trisha nearly dropped the mug she’d picked up. “No! How could he know that? My disguise was undetectable.”
“Hardly, not if he spotted you. Don’t worry, he was fine about it, totally understood and even admired us for our savvy behaviour.”
“Wow, most men would’ve been up in arms about something like that. He definitely sounds like a keeper, that one.”
“I hope so,” she said in a dreamy tone. “I deserve this. All those years of misery, it feels strange to be so happy. What if he’s too good to be true?”
“Stop erecting barricades before you’ve even had the chance to get to know him.”
Lucy hugged her dear friend. “You’re right. It’s just…well, at the moment, everything seems too good to be true. I’m wary, that’s all.”
“You have a right to be, let’s face it. But then, look at it another way: after all these years of loneliness, you also deserve to be bloody happy. My advice would be to go with the flow for now, what harm can it do?”
“I hear you. That’s one life-changing decision out of the way. Are you prepared for the second one?”
Trisha frowned and crossed her arms. “Go on,” she said hesitantly.
“I’ve decided to take you up on your offer and move in.”
Trisha screeched, closed the distance between them, lifted Lucy off the floor and spun her around and around.
“Oh shit! You’d better put me down before I puke.”
Trisha swiftly dropped her to the floor. “Oh no you don’t. That’s bloody marvellous news. You know what? Shame on me for not suggesting it earlier. I got the impression it would’ve been too soon for you.”
“Don’t blame yourself. I think you’re probably right, the timing would have been off the mark before.”
“I don’t care. You’ve come to the right decision in the end. When do you want to move in?”
“I have to speak to my landlord first, he’s bound to make me see out my notice. Maybe I can say it’s a family emergency or something. Leave it with me, and I’ll get back to you. I feel I’m heading in the right direction at last and I can’t thank you enough for having the patience with me and for shoving me in Matthew’s direction.”
“You’re welcome. You deserve the best after what you’ve been through. No one recognises that more than I do.” She hooked arms with Lucy and steered her through into the lounge. “Now, I want all the juicy gossip about your date, and leave nothing out.”
Lucy laughed. “So much for going home and going straight to bed, I might as well have stayed out with Matthew.”
“You used that as an excuse to leave? Bloody hell, it wouldn’t surprise me if he doesn’t regard you as a modern-day Cinderella.”
“I feel like one, I swear I do. I kept wanting to pinch myself.”
“Aww…it’s natural, love. One thing that’s puzzling me.”
“What’s that?”
“I don’t suppose you asked him why he’s single, did you?”
“I did. Not sure I got a satisfactory answer to that particular question.”
“He was cagey about it?”
“Hard to tell. I might be doing him an injustice. He brushed it aside and said there are some pretty bad women out there these days.”
“Putting yourself in his position, with his wealth and status, I suppose he’d definitely attract the wrong type. How the hell would you differentiate? A bugger of a job, eh?”
Lucy nodded and exhaled a large sigh, unsure whether she should reveal what was running through her mind next or not. “Umm…I’ll tell you one thing he said that absolutely took my breath away and made my heart flutter.”
“Sounds intriguing. What was that?”
“He mentioned love at first sight and asked me if I believed in it.”
“Whoa! Jesus, this guy definitely seems to be too good to be true. No wonder you seem a little confused, shall we say?”
“I’m not sure if confused is the right word, maybe cautious.” She threw her hands up in the air. “I don’t know. Let’s just say the few hours I spent with him have left me with more questions than answers, I think. There I go again, unsure even if I’ve said the right thing.”
“It’s late. Why don’t you sleep on it, and we’ll try and make sense of it tomorrow?”
“I think that’d be the wisest plan of action.”
“Dare I ask if he asked you out on another date?”
She sniggered. “He wanted to see me tomorrow. I put him off, but then he suggested we go to one of those adventure parks on Saturday. I agreed, even though it’s not my type of thing. I told him I’d take a picnic along.”
“Why agree if you don’t fancy it?”
“Because he seemed so excited about showing me his rock-climbing skills.”
“Will you have a go at it?”
She shook her head, adamant with her response. “No way, you know I have a fear of heights, going back to what happened. I’m not sure I’ll ever get over that.”
“You might do, in time. If he’s such an expert, maybe he’ll give you the courage to try it.”
“Would you?”
“Not sure. It’s not something I’ve ever had to think about really. See how the day pans out. You might feel differently about things once you’re there.”
“Maybe. My eyelids are drooping, do you mind if I go to bed now?”
“Not at all. Give me a shout if you need anything. I’ve put another clean towel on the spare bed for the morning.”
“What would I do without you?”
“I’m sure you’d cope.” Trisha smiled and led the way upstairs.
They hugged at the top and went their separate ways.
In bed, it took Lucy several hours to drop off to sleep as the evening’s activities ran through her mind. Her final thought was questioning if all this was real.
3
At work the following morning, the door opened, and in walked a delivery driver carrying the largest orchid plant she’d ever laid eyes on. It was a dusky lilac colour that she instantly fell in love with.
“I wonder who that’s from, as if I couldn’t guess,” Shirley teased once the driver had placed it on Lucy’s desk.
“Oh my, isn’t it stunning? One question, how the hell do I look after it?” she asked, petrified the exquisite plant would be dead by the end of the following week.
“It needs special care, I think. You’d better look it up on Google. You’re so lucky. Not every man would think about sending someone he’d met a few days earlier such a thoughtful gift. That’s two days on the trot.”
“I know. Hard to believe, isn’t it? I know that look, and no, I haven’t opened my legs for him, if that was going to be your next question.” She wagged a finger in her boss’s direction and took the plant out into the staffroom. That’s where she noticed the card sticking out of the pretty pink pot.
To the most beautiful woman I know—thank you for a magical evening.
Shirley burst into the room and swiped the card from her hand and read it. Her gaze met Lucy’s, and there were tears brimming in her eyes. “Bloody hell. Some women have all the luck.”
Lucy tutted and reclaimed the card. “Early days yet. I’m definitely not getting carried away.”
“Quite right, too. Although saying that, it took my Keith over five years to buy me a bunch of flowers. Not very romantic, that one. Do you know what he bought me our first Christmas together?”
“I can’t even begin to imagine.”
“A set of bloody saucepans to replace the castoffs my mother had given me. Can you believe that?”
Lucy laughed so hard her stomach hurt. “I’m sorry, that’
s hilarious.”
Shirley rolled her eyes. “You could at least pretend to show me a little sympathy. Do you want a coffee?”
“Thanks. Is it all right if I research the care of this thing?” She pointed to the plant gracing the table against the wall.
“Go for it, it’s not as if we’re run off our feet. I hope trade picks up soon. This year has been a dead loss so far.”
Concern pulled at Lucy’s brow. “We’re going to be all right, though, aren’t we?”
“Who knows what tomorrow will bring once Brexit kicks in?”
Lucy nodded and left the staffroom, wondering if she should consider searching for another job while she was on the internet. She hated the thought of leaving Shirley in the lurch, but these days, with all the uncertainty looming in the world right now, it was something she needed to be conscious of. Maybe she’d leave that until she got home this evening instead. It wouldn’t feel right searching for a new career while her boss was paying her to do her job. Instead, she stuck to her original task and put ‘how to care for an orchid’ in the search box. A flood of advice filled her screen. She jotted down a few relevant details about giving the plant ample water but allowing it to dry out as opposed to letting it sit in water to maintain its good health and well-being.
“Any luck?” Shirley placed a mug of coffee beside her.
“I think so. Only time will tell, I suppose. The advice sounds a tad contradictory. I don’t think they’re the easiest plants to keep alive, but I’m willing to give it a shot.”
“I’m sure you’ll cope. Well, are you going to tell me how your date went last night? Judging by the gift, I would hazard a guess it went okay.”
“It was the perfect evening. Even with Trisha loitering in the background for the first half an hour or so.”
“What? Why? Were you that nervous of being alone with him? Didn’t you meet in a public place?”
“Yes, we met in a public place.” She twirled her mug on the desk and stared at its contents. “I haven’t dated in years. She was concerned about me. As it turned out, she needn’t have been. He was an absolute gentleman, and the hotel was the flawless setting which helped to make the evening go well.”
“Now for my next major question: when are you seeing him again?”
