It didn’t happen. Eleanor is a snob and she took one look at Mum’s cut-off shorts and bare midriff, stuck her nose in the air and scarpered into the house. She declined Mum’s offer of a casserole that evening (no thank you, we’re very fussy about what we eat) and Ryan wasn’t allowed to come to my pool party (my Ryan is a very chesty child. I don’t want him catching a chill). The dinner party invites never materialised.
Mum said she wasn’t going to mention how the house next door became vacant as it was quite grisly. The elderly neighbours had died in the house – the old fella in the armchair downstairs and the old girl in their bed – and the bodies weren’t discovered for at least three weeks (and only because Mum rose the alarm due to the lack of banging. When she played Dad’s T. Rex at top volume and there wasn’t so much as a tap on the wall in return, she badgered the local coppers until they investigated). She wasn’t going to tell Eleanor for fear of upsetting the woman, but it all slipped out over the garden fence when they were both pegging the washing out.
‘I do hope the smell hasn’t lingered,’ Mum said as Eleanor grabbed her half-full washing basket and scuttled back inside.
Ryan and I weren’t destined to be friends. Our mothers certainly weren’t. But Ryan was sent to the all boys’ prep school so I, being a girl, became a bit of a novelty. I haven’t been able to get rid of the dude since.
‘Ladies.’ Ryan flashes a charming grin as he saunters over to our table. Luckily both Lauren and I are immune to the magnetism that seems to draw women to him. We’ve seen Ryan at his worst (his worst being the time he threw up an entire kebab in the gutter on the way home from the pub, retching so hard bits of meat flew out of his nose. You can’t fancy a bloke after that).
‘The lovely Kelsey not with you?’ Lauren’s voice is dripping with sarcasm, which isn’t like Lauren at all. She likes to tease and she can be a bit cheeky but she isn’t usually quite so harsh.
Ryan grins down at us. ‘It was a good night last night, wasn’t it? What did you think of Kelsey? She’s a right laugh, isn’t she?’
Lauren and I exchange a look. It’s one thing slagging the girl off behind Ryan’s back, but we can’t do that to his face. Honesty is good within a friendship. Total honesty not so much. Because as much as I defended Kelsey earlier, I have to admit that she was really, really annoying. And not just because she’s as thick as piggy poop (who am I to judge? My specialist subject during the pub quiz is our drinks and keeping them topped up). Kelsey seemed to have a fondness for chewing gum and chomped on it like a cow constantly, with disgusting sound effects. She was also fond of swearing, which isn’t such a bad thing (we all like a good swear, right?) but when you have a sentence with nine words and six of them are swears, you have a bit of a problem.
I’m surprised at Eleanor, to be honest. She usually sets Ryan up with dull girls from well-to-do families. She isn’t so much helping Ryan to climb the social ladder – she’s dragging him up the ladder against his will. But Ryan seems to like this one, so as his friend, I have to support him – right?
‘She was funny. Especially with that Legos thing.’ It’s the only thing I can think of to say. My only other thoughts of Kelsey are the monotonous slapping of chewing gum against teeth.
‘Laos,’ Ryan says. ‘She meant Laos.’ He nods knowledgably, as though the answer had been on the tip of his tongue last night. We all know he’s Googled it since. ‘But you liked her, yeah?’
‘Yes. Absolutely.’ I look at Lauren and she nods vigorously.
‘Great girl. Loads of fun. I hope you’re bringing her next week.’
‘Brilliant.’ Ryan’s grin widens. ‘Because I’ve invited her to join us. She’s on her way.’
Lauren and I eye each other as Ryan backs away towards the bar. We can’t leave now – it would be too obvious – but we don’t want to stay either.
‘One drink,’ Lauren hisses once Ryan has turned away from us. ‘We’ll drink up quickly and then make our excuses.’
The door opens and we both turn, groans ready to rumble from our chests, but it isn’t Kelsey this time. It’s a bloke; big, balding and not chewing gum.
‘Here we go.’ Ryan sets the drinks down on the table and sits himself down opposite us.
‘Thank you.’ Lauren takes her glass and gives her throat a little clear. ‘You know, Ryan. We can’t actually stay long tonight. I think we’ll have to go after this drink.’ Lauren takes a huge gulp of her drink, downing almost half of it in one go.
‘Oh? Why’s that?’
‘I’m not feeling too good.’ Lauren rubs at her stomach. ‘And Delilah’s hurt her knee quite badly.’
‘Have you?’ Ryan turns to me, concern wrinkling his brow. ‘What’s happened?’
‘She fell flat on her face,’ Lauren says and I nod.
‘Went down like a sack of spuds.’ I flash my plaster as proof.
‘She thought she was going to need stitches,’ Lauren says. ‘In fact, I think we should go now. You need to rest that knee. It was all swollen and nasty earlier.’
I look longingly at my pint, but then I think about Kelsey working her way through an entire packet of Wrigley’s and I push the thirst aside. ‘It is pretty sore, actually.’
Ryan suddenly bursts out laughing and I throw him an evil glare. My pain is amusing to him?
‘Will you two relax?’ Ryan titters to himself as he raises his pint to his lips and takes a sip. ‘Kelsey isn’t really on her way. I was just winding you up.’
‘What?’ Lauren and I both cry, which only makes Ryan laugh even more.
‘Why would you do that?’ Lauren asks.
Ryan chuckles. ‘Entertainment. Purely for entertainment. It was obvious that you two didn’t like Kelsey – the feeling’s mutual, by the way – so I thought I’d wind you up.’
‘Kelsey didn’t like us?’ The cheek! We invited her onto our team, put up with her vile gum-chewing and she didn’t like us. ‘Why not?’
Ryan shrugs. ‘She didn’t really say, but if it’s any consolation, she didn’t like me much either.’
‘She said that?’
‘She said we had no chemistry, which is pretty much the same thing.’
My spidey sense starts to tingle. ‘Did you bring her to the quiz to put her off, knowing she wouldn’t like us?’
‘Maybe.’ Ryan takes another sip of his pint. Sneaky git. ‘So what’s this special meeting all about then? What’s so urgent that you’ve made Lauren miss ogling the hunky fitness freak?’
So this is it. I take a fortifying sip of my pint while I determine if there really is no other way around this. Nope, there isn’t.
I spill all to my friends.
Chapter 5
Project Wedding Date
Text Message:
Lauren: Got my invite for Lydia Jenson’s wedding. That’s 5 people from our year at school who have got/are getting married!
Delilah: You got invited???
Lauren: Want to be my plus one?
‘So let me get this straight.’ Ryan observes me for a moment, drumming his fingers lightly on the table top. ‘Ben is engaged so you want a boyfriend to take to Francesca’s wedding so you can prove that you’re over him? Even though you’re not?’
‘Exactly.’ Why can’t Ryan be this smart when it comes to the weekly pub quiz?
‘I think it’s a great idea.’ Lauren looks stunned at this admission, as though she never thought in a million years that she’d agree with my crazy plan. Which is fair enough – I’m stunned she’s agreeing with me too. ‘It really is. It’s about time you got back out into the dating scene.’
‘Whoa, whoa. Hold on there, missy.’ I hold up my hands before Lauren gallops way ahead and has me married off before you can say ‘catch the bouquet’. ‘I’m not looking to get back into the dating scene. Not really. This is going to be purely superficial. I want it to look like I have a boyfriend, that’s all.’
Lauren observes me for a moment and I begin to squirm under her scrutiny. ‘
Wait a minute. I know what this is really about.’ Lauren nods as she confirms her thoughts internally. ‘You’re hoping that by turning up at the wedding with somebody new, Ben will finally realise what he’s missing out on and fall at your feet, begging for forgiveness and another chance!’
‘I am not!’ Am I? Well, maybe a smidgen. But that isn’t my main motivation. ‘I just want to prove to Ben and everyone else that I’m over him.’
‘So you’re going to dupe some poor sod into thinking you’re in a relationship with them before parading him in front of your ex?’ Ryan asks. ‘Why do you even need to have a boyfriend – real or otherwise – to parade in front of Ben?’
I should have known Ryan wouldn’t understand. He’s never been in a relationship long enough to have his heart broken. He’s been dumped – plenty of times – but never by someone he truly cares about.
‘You should have seen the pity on Francesca’s face when she realised what a loser I am. Ben’s moved on and I’m still stuck in the same place I was nine months ago. Imagine how I’m going to feel when I see that look replicated by the hundreds of guests Francesca will have invited. There’ll be people there who I used to know through Ben and I don’t want them to feel sorry for me. I just want to be able to walk into that church with my head held high.’
‘I don’t see why you can’t go to the wedding on your own,’ Lauren says, frustratingly not getting my point at all now that the idea of a real, bone fide boyfriend has been snatched away from her.
‘I can’t turn up alone! I’ve told Francesca that I’m proper loved up with my gorgeous boyfriend.’
‘So say you broke up. Couples do, you know.’
I wonder whether Ben and Eden will break up. The thought gives me a warm, glowing feeling inside. I hope she dumps him so he’ll know how it feels to have your heart torn out, tossed on the floor and stomped all over.
‘I can’t – won’t – turn up on my own. Francesca’s changing the seating plan and everything. Plus, Ben’s going to be there with Eden. I need to show him that I’m over him.’
‘But you’re not,’ Ryan – unhelpfully – points out.
‘Which is why it’s even more important to pretend that I am.’ Duh.
‘I think “important” is pushing it,’ Lauren says.
I stick my chin out. ‘It’s important to me.’
Lauren’s face softens and she takes hold of my hand. ‘Then we’ll help you. Let’s find you a hunky temporary boyfriend.’
‘Thank you.’ I’m relieved I don’t have to do this alone. I haven’t dated anyone other than Ben in almost four years and I don’t know where to start.
‘So where’s good to meet men?’ I’ve been out of the game for so long that the rules are fuzzy.
Lauren swivels her head left and right. ‘How about the pub?’
I look at the other patrons of The Farthing – most of them are over fifty. Some over eighty. Not quite what I’m after.
‘Not them,’ Lauren says, seeing me eyeing Kenneth, one of our fellow pub quizzers. ‘Who do you flirt with every week?’
Lauren and I look at each other, goofy grins on our faces. ‘Dan!’ I leap out of my seat. I can’t believe it never occurred to me before. Dan the Barman is the perfect contender for shiny new boyfriend. He’s quite a bit shorter than I am but he’s cute and funny and extremely flirtatious. He’s been working at The Farthing for ages – a couple of years at least – and we’ve always had an easy rapport. I’ve never taken our flirting seriously as I was either with Ben or still hung up on him, but maybe now the time is right.
I’m locked into my seat for the next hour or so through fear. Dan is just metres away behind the bar, laughing at something one of the regulars has said as he pulls a pint. He has a nice laugh; throaty and a little bit evil, like there’s a naughtiness hidden behind his cute exterior. Yes, I bet Dan can be very naughty indeed.
‘Are you going to go and talk to him or not?’ Lauren takes a pointed look at her watch. ‘We have to get up for work in the morning.’
‘When has that ever stopped us before?’ There have been many late nights in The Farthing over the years, whether it happened to be a work night or not. ‘And yes, I am going to talk to him. When I’m ready.’
‘What’s the rush anyway? Apart from thirst?’ Ryan lifts his empty glass and gives it a shake. ‘Francesca’s wedding isn’t for another six months – why do you need a boyfriend right now?’
Lauren and I exchange a look. Duh! ‘Because I need it to look authentic. I’ve told Francesca that I’m in a relationship now. I can’t turn up with a bloke I’ve only been on two dates with, can I?’
‘I suppose not.’ Ryan shakes his glass again. ‘So you’d better go and chat to Dan then. Grab us a pint while you’re there.’
Mentally prising away the fear glue, I force my body out of the chair and make my way to the bar, which has filled up considerably. The landlord has jumped behind the bar to help out, meaning I’m in danger of being served by Colin instead of Dan so I hang back, pretending to study the lunch menu scrawled on the board beside the bar.
‘You’re a bit late for food,’ Dan says, leaning his elbow on the bar. ‘Can I offer you a packet of nuts instead? Or a packet of cheese and onion?’
You can offer me much more than that, me laddo.
‘Oh, no. Thank you. I’m not hungry.’ It takes an age to spit that handful of words out. I’m suddenly tongue-tied and flustered, the flirty side of me overshadowed by nerves. Can I really do this? Can I bag myself a date with Dan the Barman?
‘Thirsty then? Because I don’t have much more to offer.’
I bet you do, tiger. Let’s start with those skinny jeans. Get them off, right now.
‘Um, yeah. Two pints and a red wine please.’
Why am I such a dweeb? It’s not usually like this between us, I swear. It’s the pressure. It’s putting me off my stride.
‘How did you do last night?’ Dan has grabbed a couple of pint glasses and is busy filling one with lager.
‘Do?’
‘The quiz.’ Dan nods towards the back of the pub, where The Know It Ales are still celebrating their victory twenty-four hours later. Smug gits.
‘Oh. Terrible. Really terrible.’ There’s no point sugar-coating it. Everybody knows we’re never destined to make it any further than the very bottom of the leader board.
‘Never mind.’ Dan places one full glass on the bar and starts to fill the other. ‘Did you have a good weekend otherwise?’
‘Yeah, pretty good.’ I hope Dan doesn’t ask me to elaborate. Other than taking part in the pub quiz, I’d done little more than lounge in my pyjamas and watch a film with my folks. Mum let me choose a musical for us to watch, as long as it was either ‘Annie’ or ‘The King and I’ so she could gush over the shiny heads of Daddy Warbucks or King Mongkut of Siam (she has an obsession with bald celebrities). I don’t want to tell Dan this, obviously, as I need to appear fun and alluring if I want to secure a date.
‘You?’ It’s better to steer the focus away from myself and my rather sad weekend. And quickly.
‘I was working mostly. It’s lucky I love my job, hey?’ Dan winks at me as he places the second pint on the bar. He turns away from me to pour Lauren’s glass of red wine. I don’t have long left. In a few seconds I will pay up and return to my table dateless.
‘What do you like to do when you’re not working?’ Please say something interesting. Don’t be a stamp collector or a wanderer of antique markets (apologies if you are either of these things, but they don’t float my boat and I don’t think I have it in me to pretend convincingly).
‘I’m in a band.’
Oh. That’s pretty cool, actually. ‘What do you play?’
‘Drums.’
I picture Harry Judd from McFly. Nice. Very nice. ‘Are you any good?’
‘Me or the band?’
I hand over the money and give what I hope is a coy one-shouldered shrug. ‘Both.’
Dan smile
s. His eyes crinkle up and an adorable dimple appears in his right cheek. Swoontastic, right? ‘We’re pretty good. At least I think so. You should come and hear us play some time.’
‘I’d love to.’ I probably answer a tad too quickly. He’s barely finished his sentence, which makes me appear overly keen, but so what? Dan has asked me out – sort of – which is exactly what I want.
‘Great. We’re playing The Wheatsheaf on Bolan Street on Friday. Do you know it?’
‘Yes.’ I will Google Map it. ‘What time?’
‘We start at nine but we’ll be there earlier than that if you’d like to meet for a drink before.’
Yes, yes, yes!
Delilah James, you have yourself a date. Project Wedding Date is under way.
Chapter 6
The Worst Date Ever
Text Message:
Delilah: Have you SEEN the new barman?
Lauren: Hot, right?
Delilah: So hot!
Lauren: He has a dimple. I love a dimple
Delilah: Dimples are so cute and did you see his bum when he bent down to pick up that 50p?
Lauren: Good call dropping that, by the way
I’ve never seen Dan outside of The Farthing. I only ever see him outside of the bar when he goes on the odd glass-collection round. He seems much shorter in The Wheatsheaf. Not Santa’s helper-short, but he only just reaches my chin and I’m not even wearing heels. I’d agonised over outfits this evening – did I go for a dress, trousers or skirt? Casual or dressy up? Heels or flats?
‘That one’s easy,’ Lauren had told me. She’d helpfully popped round after work to help me prepare. ‘Dan’s a bit… vertically challenged, remember.’
So I’d gone for a pair of nude ballet pumps (thankfully), black skinny jeans and a floaty top. Not too casual but not too smart either. It was the Baby Bear of the fashion world.
‘You made it! Brilliant!’ Dan holds out his palm and I look at it for a moment before it dawns on me that he wants me to high-five it. I place my palm on his briefly before snatching it away. ‘Let me get you a drink and then you can meet the guys.’
The Wedding Date Page 4
