‘Hang on, I’ll call theGuinness Book of Recordsbecause that’s going to be a very long list.’
‘Oh, you’re funny,’ she said, tickling him in the ribs.
‘Hey, I’m holding the baby. You can’t do that.’ He wriggled away. ‘Anyway, how was your day?’
‘Sit down, because I need to update you on lesbian hook-ups and police arrests.’
‘Blimey, you have been busy,’ he said, with a chuckle.
The next day, Regan had already taken two calls from an anxious Cleo, who was struggling with the guilt she felt thanks to Oscar pleading with her to drop the charges after his arrest for stealing money from her. Cleo’s accountant had done a sterling job of uncovering the deception and, now he’d been found out, Oscar was woefully apologetic and, as usual, was trying to manipulate Cleo. Thankfully she was standing up to him so far. Poor Cleo was also feeling guilty because Penny was still steaming like a volcano thanks to her generous but somewhat mistimed gift. Regan had juggled the calls in between customers, and now there was a lull she took a quick break from the stall.
She was on her way to do a coffee run when she spotted Alex looking in a shop window. She made a detour to join him; it was an ideal opportunity to put things straight between them. She was trying to take a leaf out of Charlie’s book and be the best she could be every day. It wasn’t going to be easy but she was willing to try.
‘Hiya,’ she said, coming up behind Alex.
He jumped. ‘Oh. Um. Regan. You okay?’ He was already backing away.
‘Yeah, can I buy you a coffee?’ He looked wrong-footed. ‘Come on, I’m not going to attack you. I promise.’
He checked his watch. ‘Okay,’ he said, but he sounded unsure.
Regan didn’t want to sit and reminisce with Alex. All she needed to do was assuage her conscience. They strolled towards the coffee shop. ‘How’s work?’ she asked, bored by her own dullness – but she was trying to be polite.
‘Yeah. It’s good. Busy since you left. I’ve been covering.’
‘Sorry.’ She said it automatically rather than because she was.
‘It’s okay. I think it’s impressed the bosses, so hopefully I’ll get something out of it in the long run.’
They continued their bland conversation in the coffee queue. Regan paid and handed Alex his cup. They walked out in silence.
‘Thanks for the coffee,’ he said. ‘I am really sorry about everything.’
‘Yeah. Me too. The coffee is really to say sorry about losing it that day. And hopefully bring an end to it all.’
‘You know you could come back to work,’ he said, pausing by a silver car.
‘No, you’re all right. I’m doing okay, thanks.’ She glanced at the car behind him. Something about it spiked her memory. ‘Are they different hub caps?’ she asked, distracted by the odd mismatch of the circles on the wheels.
‘Different wheels. I bumped the alloy and twisted it about a year ago.’
‘Right.’ Her lips had gone suddenly dry. ‘You could get that swapped to match the others for next to nothing,’ she said, trying to think on her feet. She might have put two and two together and got fourteen, but she had to go with her hunch.
‘Nah, I don’t think you can. Alloys are quite expensive.’
She shook her head. ‘I know this guy, Brian. He runsa tyre place. I’ll message you his number and he’ll sort it for you. Probably won’t even charge.’ She was sailing close to the wind now.
‘Really?’ He was frowning hard.
‘Yes. I’ll text you his details.’
‘Great.’ Alex unlocked the car. ‘Thanks for the coffee, Regan. It was good to see you.’
‘You too.’
Alex paused and jiggled his car keys, pulling Regan’s gaze away from the wheels. ‘You’re seeing someone, right?’
‘No. What makes you say that?’
