‘I know – and don’t you ever forget it.’
‘I won’t, and to prove it I’m going to knock us up a couple of bacon butties to keep us going, and then you can help me choose my outfit.’
‘You need an outfit for the cinema?’ Elle asked bemused. ‘But it’s dark!’
Pippa raised her hand to her chest. ‘One must look good always,’ she projected in a dodgy Shakespearean voice.
‘Come on then – let’s get breakfast.’ Elle threw back the covers as her stomach gave a loud rumble.
‘Your phone just beeped again,’ Pippa said.
It was a response from Noah:
It was good to see you too x
Elle’s eyes widened.
Pippa squealed. ‘Oh my lord!’
ChapterTwenty-Nine
Slumped on the settee in her faithful old trackies and sloppy sweater, Elle was half watchingVirgin Riverwhile continually staring at Noah’s last message. It all seemed very surreal. Over their bacon butties, Pippa had declared this was fate and Elle’s life was all coming together. It wasn’t going to be long until Noah was signing books at the library and even the very thought of it was putting Elle in a spin.
She could hear Pippa bounding down the stairs just before her friend shouted, ‘Close your eyes! I’m dressed to impress.’
Elle squeezed her eyes shut obediently and waited.
‘Ta-dah! How do I look?’
When Elle opened her eyes, she saw Pippa had plumped for a hoodie, jeans and Converse, which was not her usual attire.
‘You’ve taken me a little by surprise, I have to admit. It’s not your usual sexy knock-’em-dead kind of look.’
‘Ha, that’s where you’re mistaken!’ Pippa had a glint in her eye. Unzipping her hoodie she disclosed absolutely nothing underneath but a black satin push-up bra that showed off her ample cleavage.
Pippa gave her shoulders a little shimmy.
Elle rolled her eyes. ‘Only you.’
‘But,’ Pippa added, zipping her hoody back up, ‘he isn’t going to know what assets I’m hiding under here unless things get steamy – and then I’ll knock his socks off. In the meantime, I’ll sport a toned-down look and leave it to Aiden to make a move.’
‘Very good plan. Put the ball in his court.’
‘Exactly,’ she said, grabbing her bag off the chair. ‘What time are you leaving for Irene’s?’ Hearing a car horn beep, she looked out of the window. ‘That’s Aiden now.’
‘I may as well head out as well.’ Elle got to her feet and switched off the TV. ‘Have a fantastic time, and I hope everything isn’t as fraught as last night.’
‘Thank you.’ Pippa hugged Elle. ‘Say hello to Irene for me, please. And I can’t wait for my roast. You’re a keeper!’
After grabbing her coat and waving at Aiden, Elle watched them drive off up the road. Heavy rain and thunder had been predicted for later, but at the moment, Elle was enjoying the calm before the storm.
* * *
When Elle arrived at Irene’s house, she had a massive smile etched on her face. It was no wonder, given that she’d been thinking about Noah from the time she left home until the time she reached Irene’s front door.
Hearing Irene chit-chatting away to someone inside, Elle rang the bell.
‘You wait there,’ Irene commanded, leaving Elle wondering who she was talking to.
