I still find it bizarre that he even wants my opinion.
‘I’ll go and order,’ he tells me. ‘Do you know what you’re having?’
‘I might go for the veggie one today,’ I reply. ‘I’ll get the table sorted.’
He comes back with a couple of bottles. On pizza night, a company turns up selling local ales and ciders. He’s opted for the latter.
It’s such a mild, balmy evening that I decide to dig the second camping chair out of the boot so we can both sit outside in the late sunshine while we’re waiting for our food.
‘You could do with a camping table, too,’ Charlie says. ‘I’ve got one somewhere. I think it’s in the shed.’
‘Really?’
‘Yeah, I’ll bring it over at the weekend.’
‘That would be cool.’
‘Useful for when you have company.’
There’s a short, awkward silence.
‘I’m sorry your friend’s not coming this weekend,’ he says.
I blush. ‘I do have other friends, you know.’
He chuckles. ‘Yeah,obviouslyyou have friends, Bridget. Lots of them, I imagine.’
‘It’s just annoying that my close ones are married with kids or they live in other countries.’ Bronte is in Sydney and Laura is in Key West.
‘Bet your friends overseas miss you,’ he says.
‘Probably not as much as I miss them.’
‘Why would you say that?’
I shrug. ‘They’re pretty settled.’
‘I bet they miss you as much as you miss them.’ He sounds sweetly protective.
‘Maybe.’
‘Definitely.’
I look at him and grin, loving the fact that we’re now officially friends.
He smiles into his cider bottle and then swigs from it.
‘Do you reckon she’s all right in there?’ I ask. April is currently rummaging around in my wardrobe tent.
‘As long as you don’t mind your clothes being trampled on.’
‘Nah,’ I reply. ‘What time will the pizzas be ready?’
‘Six thirty. I’m surprised she hasn’t started complaining actually. All those rice cakes, I suppose.’
She polished off half a packet of them on the way back here.
‘Do you want another cider?’ I nod at the drink he’s almost drained.
