‘Oh.’ She wassuchan idiot. ‘Again, I’m really sorry.’
‘I’ll post it to you, if you like.’
‘That’s very kind, thank you, but could I get it from you in person?’ The thought of it arriving in the post at their flat and for some reason Max opening it was hideous. And oh, of course, she was supposed to be going to Melting this evening because Raf had organised drinks for Noah to cheer him up because he wasn’t enjoying having to be inactive due to his broken leg. Her brain was working slowly from the shock of being caught. ‘I’ll see you this evening in the pub anyway? We could do the handover at the end of the evening maybe?’ That would definitely be when it would be easiest to make sure no one else noticed; she could just stay behind after the others left.
‘Of course.’ His lack of enthusiasm was in stark contrast to how he’d been speaking to her only last night.
And oh, of course. When he’d suggested he could post it, he’d probably meant that he didn’t want to see her any more after this.Becauseof this. She really shouldn’t feel as gutted about that as she did now feel. Ridiculous. The main thing had been to get the secret back, not to become close to him.
‘Thank you.’
Raf didn’t answer.
‘I’ll call you later,’ his mum told him.
‘Great. Bye, Mum.’
‘I amsosorry,’ Georgie told Raf’s mum again when they’d finished the call.
‘I think Raf’s the one you should be apologising to the most,’ she said.
‘Yes, totally, absolutely,’ Georgie grovelled. ‘So, would you prefer me to lock up or you?’
‘I’ll do it. I came to collect some things for my aunt and it will take a bit of time. And, frankly, I don’t really trust you now.’
‘No, of course not. Huge apologies again. Bye.’ Georgie backed herself out of the room, across the hall and out of the house as fast as she could.
So. Embarrassing.
At least she was going to get the secret back, though, which was a huge relief. And then maybe tomorrow she’d make her call, and then think about next steps.
And she would just have to not think about the fact that she might have lost Raf’s friendship, because it wasn’t like it was going to have been going anywhere.
Ankita was already in the pub when Georgie arrived that evening. She was wearing black wide-legged jeans and a really nice, simple cream top. Her classic style was similar to that of Raf’s mum. Georgie shuddered slightly just at the thought.
‘You okay?’ Ankita was staring at her.
‘Yep, totally.’ Georgie didn’t even know why the thought of Raf’s mum had made her shudder. It didn’tmatterthat obviously Raf and his mum were both going to despise her forever. It did not matter at all. It did not matter that Raf probably wouldn’t want to speak to her again. All that matteredwas getting the secret back. And it wasn’t like that kiss had really meant anything because everyone knew that Raf was really not up for proper dating. And she didn’t want to date a grieving widower. So,really, it did not matter. As long as she hadn’t upset him; she really wouldn’t want to have done that because he was very nice.
Itdidn’tmatter.
It still felt awkward being here in the same room as him, though.
Beth arrived as Ankita got back to their table with a bottle of Prosecco and four glasses. Served by Raf. Mortifying.
Georgie poured for everyone and then clinked her glass hard against the others in a bigCheers. She was going to get her secret back and she’d made an appointment to hopefully get to the bottom of whether the secret was right, and she was pushing Raf out of her mind.
‘Are you sure everything’s okay?’ Ankita asked her, as she practically downed her glass in one. ‘You seem a bit antsy.’
‘Yes, definitely.’ She coughed as the bubbles caught in her throat.
‘Okay. Great, then.’
‘How are things with Noah?’ Georgie asked, because she did want to know, and also to divert the attention away from herself.
Their conversation wandered along, punctuated by smiles and some cackles of real hilarity when Ankita was talking about the details of her (disastrous) second-and-final date with Noah.
And then Poppy and Declan turned up.
