‘Sorry, I can talk now. I’m just having lunch with a friend.’
‘Sorry for interrupting you,’ I said. ‘I was thinking about you. I wanted to say hi.’
I had no right to wonder who the friend was, or feel envious of them, but I couldn’t help it.
An unreasonable jealousy attacked my stomach. This was exactly why I never wanted to fall in love – or into infatuation. The craziness was creeping up on me already. I couldn’t fully control the emotions he stirred in me, but I was in too deep already to care.
‘I wanted to call you last night,’ he said. ‘But I didn’t want to put you in an awkward situation. How did your first day go in the new job?’ Lovely of him to remember in spite of all the gin and tonics. He placated me without even realising.
‘It was fine. Thanks for asking. Are you working today?’
‘Yeah. Well, right now I’m standing here in the pissing rain talking you. My shirt’s soaked through. I must be mad in thehead.’ I could hear the smile in his voice, as I tried to envision him in my mind.
‘Sorry! Go back to your lunch. I only called to say hi.’
He cleared his throat. ‘I’ll text you later, if that’s okay?’
‘Perfect.’ I looked forward to it.
I tried not to spend the afternoon and early evening checking my phone, but it was practically impossible.
I was infatuated with John Kelly and I couldn’t understand it.
Never had a man had such an effect on me before. I’d always been so cool; I was practically cold. Yet this man set fire searing through my veins.
At seven-thirty, my phone vibrated with a text message.
John: Good to hear from you earlier. If this text doesn’t deliver, we’ll have to try smoke signals next.
I beamed from ear to ear, but waited half an hour before replying.
Lucy: Don’t light any fires on my behalf. I’m in enough trouble as it is.
John: Nowhere near enough trouble yet.
Lucy: I can see you are going to be a bad influence on me.
He had influenced me profoundly already, whether he realised it yet or not was another thing.
John: I’d like to be.
Before I could reply, he sent another message. He cut straight to the point, like only a man could.
John: What do you want out of this?
What did I want? Everything I never believed in.
Lucy: I’m in no position to want anything, I need to sort my life out. You’ve turned my world upside down and the repercussions are going to be chaotic. I’ve got a feeling I’m going to need a friend when the shit hits the fan.
There it was, heart straight out on the sleeve. No point beating around the bush. Let’s face it, it wasn’t like I was going to bump into him in my local Sainsbury’s anytime soon.
John: I’ll settle for friends. For now.
Chapter Six
THURSDAY 12TH JULY 2012
Clara and I were out for dinner at our local Prezzo. It was busy for a weeknight, but we managed to get a table for two in the window overlooking the city.
