‘OK.’ He nodded. ‘Then what?’
‘I could show you the castle? Or, what about the theatre?’ She suddenly realised he could be interested in that.
‘Sounds great,’ he smiled in reply.
It was surreal showing Felix round the vintage and second-hand shops she normally went to. They did get one or two looks, but nobody actually stopped them. He seemed to be enjoying himself, helping her pick clothes and giving his honest opinion until, finally, Emma settled on a tie-dyed dress in golds, oranges and browns, really matching her colouring.
‘It looks amazing,’ stated Felix when she came out of the dressing room.
‘Sure?’ Emma chewed her lip with uncertainty. For a second, she was reminded of when she dressed for the interview with his PA and almost giggled to herself. Who would have thought she’d be here now, with Felix, shopping in a charity shop?
‘Yes, definitely, it suits you,’ he replied assertively.
‘Good, that’s sorted, now I’ll show you the sights.’
After enjoying a tour round the castle and calling at the theatre, they were in need of a well-earned sit down. Felix had loved looking round Lancaster’s small theatre. Although a rather modest building from outside, inside was surprisingly much grander and seeing the up and coming advertised performances reminded him of his early acting days. He had always looked back on his time in the theatre fondly.
‘Come on, lunch is on me,’ said Felix.
They snuck into the nearest pub, trundling to a cosy nook at the back.
‘I’ll go to the bar,’ said Emma, thinking he’d be wary about getting served.
‘No, I’ll go,’ Felix told her firmly. ‘What are you drinking?’
‘Oh, a white wine would be lovely, thanks,’ she replied. She watched him go, observing the reaction of the barman, whose face did seem to flicker with recognition, but didn’t act upon it. He probably thinks he’s his body double, thought Emma, grinning to herself.
Felix returned with her glass of wine and an orange juice, along with the menu.
‘Right, what to eat,’ he said, eyes scanning the list. Emma already knew what she wanted. She’d gigged a few times here with the band and was familiar with the menu.
‘I’ll have the steak and ale pie, please.’
‘Hmm, I think I’ll join you,’ replied Felix, after a few moments. He got up to order the food. This time when Felix was at the bar, the young lad serving spoke to him.
‘Has anyone ever told you, you’re a dead ringer for Felix Paschal?’ he questioned politely.
Felix just smiled. ‘Yeah, I get that a lot,’ then ordered their food.
Emma giggled to herself, amused by the way he’d handled the interaction.
After lunch they slowly made their way back to the carpark. On doing so they passed an antique shop window, a stunning Art Deco Tiffany lamp was on display, which caught Emma’s eye.
‘Oh, look!’ she gasped, pointing to it.
Felix stopped to see and knew immediately what she was thinking. ‘Should I buy it?’
‘It would definitely look the part. It’s what our house deserves. I mean,yourhouse,’ she quickly corrected.
Felix looked into those spellbinding amber eyes twinkling with joy and his heart skipped a beat. He liked the reference of ‘our’ house, it made him feel… connected to her. And at that point he knew. He knew Emma was the one.
‘Come on then, let’s bring it home,’ he replied, never feeling so happy.
The next morning Felix woke up in great spirits. Spending time yesterday with Emma had done him the world of good. Also, having a less busy working schedule helped. There were just two days left, time-tabled for the end of the week, which meant he had another free day. He got up early, showered, dressed and made his way into the kitchen, expecting to join Emma.
On entering though, the kitchen was empty. Feeling a touch surprised (and disappointed) he frowned, wondering where she was. He noticed the cellar door was ajar and went down the stone steps into the darkness. He called out her name, but there was no reply, so he decided to see if she was upstairs in the drawing room or library. But she was nowhere to be found. Perhaps she was in her bedroom? Beginning to feel anxious now, he tapped on her door. When there was no answer, he opened it and poked his head round. No, she wasn’t there either. His stomach contracted in fear. Where was Emma? His chest started to pound, hammering against his rib cage. All sorts of hideous scenarios flashed through his mind. He raced back down the stairs, shouting her name. Then, looking out of the hall side window, he saw her in the garden. She was stood by the flower beds, cutting roses, and his eyes closed in relief. Thank God for that.
Felix tapped on the glass to gain her attention. She turned round and waved at him. Just seeing her smiling face instantly calmed him. He waved back, then quickly hauled his jacket on and went outside to join her.
