1.Check out Steve (Dr Who) Dennison on pub crawl tonight
2.Go to The Coffee Corner for take-out on way to shop tomorrow morning to check out the manager, Stéphan Marcell
3.Enter into an email relationship with Stevie Barnes, Steve Berry, Ste Parker, Steve Masterson and Stephen Fitzpatrick
4.Arrange dates with one or more of the above
5.Get very drunk tonight. And probably tomorrow night too
6.Buy bacon for sarnies on Sunday morning. Buy ketchup for Clare
Next on the list? Steve Berry. He’d emailed a few days ago and I got distracted by the whole Steve ‘Dr Who’ Dennison thing and meeting Stevie. The man deserved a reply…
But then my phone beeped.
* From Nick
Hi from a freezing Edinburgh. Windy city? It’s like a constant hurricane! I swear I’m so battered by the wind that my body is about to come out in bruises! Are you still on for Thursday? Can’t wait to catch up with you xx
Aw, bless him. I’d kiss those bruises better. Whoa there, Sarah! Where on earth did that come from? You seriously must stop thinking about Nick like that. He’s not a Steven. You’re not allowed to lust after him. You’ve got a list of Stevens to contact and you’re about to get in touch with one of them.
But making contact with Steve Berry didn’t seem quite so urgent anymore.
Chapter 22
I turned the music up a notch to try and drown out the depressing sound of rain hammering against the shop window. ‘My first quiet day,’ I said to Mum. ‘I don’t like it.’
She put down the vase that she was dusting. ‘You’re not worried are you?’
I shrugged.
‘Don’t be, sweetheart. Shops always have a mix of quiet days and busy days, sometimes for no apparent reason, but I think we can put today’s lack of customers down to the weather. Would you go shopping in this rain?’
I smiled, feeling reassured. ‘No chance.’
I glanced at the clock. Two hours and forty minutes to go until I’d meet the Bay Trade guys. And see Nick again. Butterflies! Stop doing that! He’s not Steven!
‘That’s the dusting done,’ Mum said. ‘I might just tidy the stock room. Shout if you need me.’
‘Thanks, Mum.’
With no customers and no orders to create, I decided to check my emails then Facebook. Nick had updated his Facebook status.
Nick Derbyshire
Looking forward to a night on the beers with the Bay Trade guys and the lovely
Sarah Peterson :)
Skye Harris The LOVELY Sarah Peterson? Is there something you want to share with us Mr Derbyshire? Are you finally off the list of Britain’s Most Eligible Bachelors?! :)
Nick Derbyshire LOL! I wish :) See you tonight
My heart thumped faster. ‘I wish…’ ‘I wish…’ What did that mean? What did he wish? Did he wish he were with someone as in anyone? Or did he wish he were with me? It could be taken both ways. Seriously people, make your messages clearer!
I read the message over and over again, butterflies going mad in my stomach. What was happening to me? Every time I heard his name or thought about him, I fell to pieces. I couldn’t have fallen for him. It was wrong. He was wrong. Argh! HE IS NOT CALLED STEVEN!!!!!!
I wiped my sweaty palms down my coat and tried to ignore the gymnastics routine in my stomach as I thanked the doorman who held the door of The Old Theatre open for me at about quarter past seven. Thankfully the rain had subsided so I didn’t have frizzy hair to add to my traumas. Nick had texted me just as I left the shop to say they’d probably be towards the back on the first floor and to remind me they were meeting at seven. Despite my preference to be punctual, I’d been too scared to risk being first.
I took a deep breath and headed for the stairs. Hesitating at the stair head, I could see what I figured had to be the Bay Trade crowd, given the mix of ages, but no Nick. My phone beeped and I fished it out of my bag.
* From Nick
Running a bit late. So sorry. See you really soon xx
Damn! I’d have to approach someone. Scary! I stared at the group, trying to decide who looked the most approachable. A tall, slim woman with long blonde wavy hair caught my eye and headed towards me. ‘Are you Sarah?’ she said.
I nodded.
‘I thought so. You look just as lovely as Nick described. I’m Skye.’
‘Hi.’ Eek! Nick’s best friend. And he described me as lovely, did he? I blushed.
‘I’m so pleased you’ve come tonight,’ she said. ‘I know Bay Trade doesn’t sound like the most exciting of concepts but I promise you it’s great fun and fantastic for business too.’ She beamed at me and ushered me towards the bar. ‘Nick’s running a bit late I’m afraid. Domestic crisis. He asked me to look out for you. Can I get you a drink?’
‘It’s alright, I’ll get it.’ I reached for my purse, not wanting to impose.
‘Nonsense. Put it away.’ Skye laughed gently. ‘You can get me one later if it makes you feel better. Now, what would you like?’
‘Dry white wine please.’
I studied Skye while she placed the order. I instantly felt comfortable in her presence. She reminded me of Elise. She wore the same sort of clothes — long floaty cream dress, bolero-style turquoise cardigan, some chunky silver and turquoise beads and a turquoise flower in her hair — and was the same tall, slim build. The only difference was the blonde waves instead of Elise’s auburn ones.
‘What sort of domestic crisis?’ I asked tentatively while we waited for the drinks. I suddenly had a vision of a wife and children at home that he’d conveniently forgotten to mention.
‘I’m not sure of the full details,’ Skye said. ‘Something to do with his new puppy and some feather pillows I think.’
I heaved a sigh of relief that I hoped wasn’t obvious to Skye. ‘Nick says you paint?’
‘Yes. I’m an artist first and foremost but I also love making jewellery and have probably spent more time doing that than painting recently. I enjoy anything creative. Except floristry. Tried it once and I killed all the flowers so I’m definitely no competition for you.’
I smiled. ‘Did you make that?’ I pointed at her necklace.
‘I did. And these.’ She pushed her hair behind her ears to show me some stunning silver and turquoise earrings.
‘They’re gorgeous. I might have to join Bay Trade to get bartering with you for a pair of those.’
‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘I really hope you do join us because I have to say, with compliments like that plus a glowing reference from Nick, I already adore you.’ Glowing reference? Look just as lovely? What had he been saying about me? My heart raced.
Skye was the perfect hostess, introducing me to various members of the group and asking me lots of questions about my background, my business, and how I was finding life back in Whitsborough Bay after so many years in big cities. She couldn’t have done more to make me feel at ease. She made me laugh with anecdotes of nights out with Nick. Each time she told a story involving him, I found myself hanging onto her every word. It was obvious that Skye — and everyone else in the group — thought the world of him, which made me like him even more.
About twenty minutes later, I saw Nick out of the corner of my eye and my legs went momentarily wobbly. He made a beeline for me, grinning. ‘You came!’ He gave me a hug and a peck on the cheek then looked embarrassed as he pulled away. ‘Sorry. It seems like I haven’t seen you in ages. Was that a bit full-on?’
‘No, it’s fine,’ I reassured him. More than fine. Do it again please! ‘I liked it,’ I added. Oh-oh! Where did that come from?
He looked momentarily surprised then winked and said, ‘In that case, I’ll have to do it again.’
‘Feel free,’ I responded before I could stop myself. It must have been that large glass of wine on an empty st
omach. I should have had some toast or something before coming out instead of taking so long to get ready. Stupid woman.
‘I…’ Nick clearly didn’t know how to respond.
‘So, tell me about this puppy,’ I said.
His shoulders visibly relaxed. ‘He’s a six-months-old Golden Retriever called Hobnob. He went on a bit of rampage while I was out today. Shredded my pillows. There were feathers everywhere. I half expected to find some dead geese in the house. Then he managed to grab a spare toilet roll and trailed it round the house like in those Andrex adverts.’
‘Did you get it cleared up okay?’
‘Yes. It took ages. But that wasn’t the worst. When I was ready to come out, I discovered he’d taken a dump in my best pair of shoes.’
‘No!’
‘And do you know how I discovered that?’
‘You didn’t—’
‘Thank God for socks is all I can say. Even so, it was pretty grim. The shoes and the socks are now in the bin, my best jeans are in the wash, and I had to jump in the shower again. That’s why I’m so late, the little sod.’
‘Nightmare. What’s he doing now?’
‘When I left, he was in his bed feeling very sorry for himself. I hope he’s still there reflecting on his behaviour when I return tonight. I can’t be too hard on him, though. I’ve been away for two weeks on the trot so he’s been living with my sister and probably wasn’t impressed that I’d finally brought him home then had the audacity to nip to Sainsbury’s. I think it was a dirty protest for being such a rubbish owner. Do you have any pets?’
‘Two cats. Kit and Kat are brother and sister but thankfully they’ve been pretty well behaved despite all the disruption they’ve had with three homes in less than two months.’
‘What do you think it says about both of us that we’ve named our pets after chocolate biscuits?’
‘I dread to think,’ I said. ‘I used to have a goldfish called Smirnoff so that probably isn’t a good sign either.’
Nick laughed. ‘You’re not going to believe this but I had a hamster called Guinness. Speaking of which, I must do a trip to the bar. You’ve got an empty glass so that needs rectifying.’
Nick reached for my glass and his hand gently grazed mine. We both looked up and directly into each other’s eyes. Had he felt that jolt of electricity too? It felt even stronger than on the beach. I watched as his forehead creased, probably with the same confusion I felt. This wasn’t meant to be happening. But I didn’t think I could stop it. I didn’t want to.
‘Bar,’ muttered Nick, disappearing very quickly into the crowd.
We moved from the pub to The Bombay Palace. The hours whizzed by as we talked and talked about anything and everything… except whatever it was that seemed to be happening between us. Something had definitely started on his sister’s wedding day, continued at the pub, deepened on the beach and, now… Well, there was no denying it. I wasn’t just falling for him; I’d fallen. And no matter how much I believed in the tape, there was no room in my mind for thoughts of any Stevens; my mind was filled with Nick.
Bob wanted to settle the bill for the whole group as a goodbye gift before emigrating. While some of the group were busy pinning him down so he couldn’t hand over his credit card, I leaned on the table and allowed my thoughts to drift into a fantasy of a romantic walk home with Nick. I’d shiver in the cold night air. He’d put his arm round me to keep me warm. I’d rest my head on his shoulder. He’d gently kiss the top of my head and tell me he’d had an amazing evening and it was all thanks to me. I’d tell him I’d had an amazing evening too and was sorry it was at an end. He’d stop, take my face gently in his hands, tell me it was just the beginning and not the end, and kiss me. And it would feel nothing like the asexual kiss I’d shared with Stevie. And it wouldn’t matter that he wasn’t a Steven. It would be perfect.
‘Sarah. Hello. Wake up!’ Skye waved her hand in front of my face. ‘Penny for them?’
‘What? Er… I was just thinking of something I have to do in the shop tomorrow.’
‘Must have been pretty something serious. You were miles away.’
Pants! ‘Er, it was… erm…’ Think! Fast! Nick’s looking at you! ‘It was a bouquet a customer wanted and I… er… don’t think I have the right colour gerberas.’
‘Well, I reckon that’s a big fib and you’re really thinking about a man,’ Skye said, her eyes twinkling mischievously. ‘I’ve seen that look before. And you hardly touched your food. Must be love.’
My cheeks flushed and I cast a nervous glance at Nick. He laughed and put his arm round me.
‘Of course she’s thinking about a man,’ he announced. ‘She’s thinking about me, what a great evening she’s had in my scintillating company and how she can’t wait to do it again.’
We all laughed, nervously in my case. Sitting so close to Nick, my head against his chest, I felt weak at the knees. He smelled so good. He felt so good. I could hear my heart thumping frantically and wondered if he could hear it too. He released his hold. Was it my imagination or had he held me a little more closely and tightly than needed? Had he been aware that the words he spoke in jest were true?
Bill finally settled, everyone got their coats and headed outside. ‘Would you mind if I walk you home?’ Nick asked.
‘I’d love that,’ I said, perhaps too quickly.
‘No need for that,’ piped up Bob. ‘I’m just round the corner from Sarah. Tony and I are both heading that way. We’ll see her home safe.’
I opened my mouth to protest but what could I say? Nick lived in the opposite direction. If I created a fuss, it would be obvious that I wanted to be alone with him and I’d feel pretty damn stupid if I’d misread the signals from him and he was just being a gent with his offer; not saying it because he wanted to be alone with me too.
‘Okay, if you’re sure you don’t mind…’ I caught Nick’s eye and he smiled sadly and shrugged his shoulders. That intense look was there again and I knew. I just knew. He felt the same way as me. He wanted to be alone with me. Auntie Kay and Elise were right.
Bob, Tony and I reached Smuggler’s View and parted. I stood on the doorstep for a moment, imagining what I’d be doing if it had been Nick who’d walked me home instead of the talkative twins. Would he have kissed me? If he hadn’t made a move, would I have dared kiss him? Oh well, I’d never know. I opened the door just as my mobile beeped. Spotting his name on the screen, my heart skipped a beat. I opened his message and grinned.
* From Nick
I had an amazing night thanks to you. I think you might have guessed that I hoped to walk you home so I could give you one of these in person so here’s 3 by text instead — xxx — I know I’m not a Steven, but if you give me a chance, I promise I’ll treat you better than 20 Stevens! I think we could be great together. Hope you feel the same. Let me know if you do. Goodnight, Sarah xxx
Aware I was letting all the heat out, I quickly closed the door then leaned against it as I read Nick’s text over and over again. By the time I found my way to the sofa, my face ached from smiling.
Kit and Kat appeared and rubbed round my legs. ‘Mummy will give you a fuss in a moment,’ I said. ‘First, I have a very important text to write.’
* To Nick
I’ve been trying to ignore my feelings cos of the Steven thing but I do feel the same. How about a rain check without Bob and Tony to cramp our style? Come to the shop at 5.45 tomorrow if you’re free. Can’t wait to see you again and collect those kisses in person. Steven who? xxx
Chapter 23
Beep… beep… beep…
I groaned and rolled over in bed, groped around on the bedside cabinet for my mobile, and blindly pressed a button to snooze the alarm. Relief flowed through me that the most hideous sound in the world had ceased, quickly followed by panic; I’d fallen asleep before Nick replied. No!
I
sat up and squinted at the screen, expecting to see a little yellow envelope. But it was blank. I switched the bedside lamp on and stared at the phone again. Still blank. My heart sank.
I reluctantly heaved myself out of bed and padded across the landing to the bathroom. Maybe he’d just turn up after work. I didn’t say he needed to reply. Yes, that was it! He’d pick me up at 5.45.
But I didn’t feel convinced.
At work that morning, I found myself constantly staring at my phone. I checked my inbox. I checked it wasn’t on silent. I checked my inbox again. Because I didn’t want to explain to Mum what was going on, I kept making excuses to nip to The Outback. I realised I’d better stop when she said, ‘I take it last night’s curry didn’t agree with you?’
Shortly before eleven, I breathed a sigh of relief when a text envelope appeared with Nick’s name. Yeah! He’d made contact. I was so relieved he’d finally texted that I almost didn’t care if he couldn’t make it. With shaking hands, I clicked on the message.
* From Nick
Hi Skye, are you free for coffee at some point today? Have a dilemma and could do with your advice
I leaned against the counter and re-read the short message. Skye?
* To Nick
Hi Nick, Sarah here. You’ve just sent me that text — not Skye. You OK? Anything I can help with? :) xx
I had a bouquet to make but I couldn’t bring myself to work. Instead I just stared at the screen. Dilemma? What sort of dilemma? Could it have anything to do with me? I willed him to reply. Quickly.
* From Nick
Sorry about that. Mustn’t have scrolled down the S section far enough. I’m fine. Hope you’re OK and didn’t have a sore head this morning! Have a good week
No kisses? Not even a smiley face? No confirmation to meet up tonight? No acknowledgement of the text I sent him? No mention of the text he sent me? What was he playing at? I shoved my phone back in my pocket and stormed towards the flower buckets to get what I needed for my bouquet.
‘Hey! What have the flowers done to upset you?’
I spun round to face Mum. ‘What?’
Searching for Steven (Whitsborough Bay Trilogy Book 1) Page 18
