Tasha looked shocked as Anastasia tried to hurry them along.
‘Not Tasha. The publicity woman.’ Nora pointed.
‘Anastasia?’ Jay was looking confused.
‘Can we please stop faffing and pick up the pace?’ said Anastasia, trying to shoo them back inside.
‘It’s her who has been stalking you.’ Nora’s heart started to thump.
Jay let out a strangled laugh. ‘That’s a weird joke, Nora, even for you.’
‘It’s true. She uses the same words– faffing, and she referred to you as Mr P the same as the messages but—’
‘I don’t know what she’s on, but we need to leave.’ Anastasia waved at security to intervene.
‘Hey. No need for that.’ Jay turned to Nora. ‘Nora, I think you’re making wild accusations and that’s quite dangerous.’
Nora didn’t have to turn around to know that there were now two security guards standing close behind her. ‘I know it, Jay. Trust your gut.’
‘I can never trust my gut. I get IBS and—’ he said.
‘Well, trust mine then. My gut is never wrong.’
‘Apart from that horse you thought was going to win the Grand National that unseated its rider on the first fence.’
Nora had to concede that one. ‘OK, but aside from that. I know what I heard, and Anastasia called you Mr P. Does anyone else call you that, apart from your stalker? It’s too much of a coincidence.’
‘Jay, come on.’ Tasha tugged on Jay’s hand but he just turned to stare at her.
‘Tasha, what’s your take on it?’ he asked.
She twisted her lips. ‘Your friend’s a kook,’ she said in a poor attempt at a whisper.
Jay paused. Nora wanted to dig him in the ribs and nudge him into action.
‘You need to come now or I’m going to go to the party alone, and that won’t look good.’ Tasha let go of his hand and began to walk away. Jay looked from one woman to the other.
He had a decision to make. He made one step towards Tasha and that was all Nora needed to see. She forced her way past the security guys and out of the barrier, ignoring Jay’s yells behind her as she ran towards the main road.
By the time the black cab dropped her at St Pancrasstation her face was wet with tears. She loved Jay– completely and unconditionally– but it was all pointless. She’d stuffed it up and he’d chosen Tasha and there was nothing she could do about it. The only positive, the tiniest of tiny positives, was that perhaps the 37 per cent rule had been right. She’d just given up too soon.
She paid the taxi driver, solemnly walked into the station and made her way through the masses of people to stare at the departures board and try to work out which was the next train back to Melton.
She had her neck craned to look up at the board when she heard her name.
‘Nora! Wait!’ She heard it but she didn’t really believe it. She looked around her but couldn’t see anyone. Then, there was the briefest glimpse of a white jacket as Jay leapt in the air. ‘Nora!’
She tried to stay where she was, but the crowd was on the move towards a train and she was being carried with them. Maybe that was for the best. Just go with the flow.
‘Nora! I love you!’ That changed things. Nora spun around, as did a number of other people.
‘Who’s Nora?’ yelled a large, leather-clad, tattooed man with a Mohican.
‘Me,’ she squeaked.
‘Come on, love. Let her through!’ yelled the man, waving folk to one side so that Nora could make her way against the flow. ‘Oi! Move!’ he snarled at a suited businessman, who slunk out of the way to let Nora past.
‘Thank you,’ said Nora, as she squeezed through the crowd. She could see Jay jumping up and down.
