Page 57 of It Was Always You

She shrugged her shoulders and snorted. ‘Oh, that? You wee dafty, it was just a bit of messing about.’

He huffed a huge sigh of relief. ‘Thank goodness. I was terrified I’d crossed a line. I’m so, so sorry. I was drunk and being an idiot.’

She smirked. ‘Clearly not enough of one if you were still coming on to me!’

He felt heat rising in his cheeks. ‘Shit, Lil. What you must think of me. You’re my best friend in the world and I just—’ He ran his hand through his hair.

‘Oh, give up, you nutter. Just forget it. I have.’

And just like that the matter was brushed under the carpet, leaving Adam with a tiny twinge of hurt that confused the hell out of him.

Lily left for another work trip the next day.

After what had happened when Lily was last at his house, Adam had taken the plunge and arranged a date with Sapphire. He regretted it immediately. Lily wasn’t there to help him figure out what to wear or where to take her. He hadn’t dated in so long he felt like a complete novice. At least with Lily here it felt more doable.

He was meeting Sapphire in Melrose where she lived. They had arranged their rendezvous at seven thirty outside a cocktail bar he had looked up online. Sapphire was slightly younger than him at twenty-six, but she sounded very sweet when he talked to her on the phone, although nerves were getting the better of him now. Initially he dressed in black jeans and a long-sleeved white shirt, hoping it wasn’t too formal or too dull.

When he observed his reflection, he shook his head. ‘You look like a sodding waiter.’ It was too late to change completely, so he yanked off the shirt and left it in a crumpled heap on the bed and swapped it for a long-sleeved green T-shirt. He felt sure that Lily wouldn’t have approved and wished she had been here to advise him. He also wished he’d washed the ketchup mark off his blue jeans in time. He huffed and made his way out to the car.

As he climbed into the driver’s seat, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out and opened the text from Lily.

Good luck, Adders. Hope it goes well

Yeah, right. He wasn’t getting his hopes up. In fact, he wasn’t sure he even had any hopes. He was shaking and struggled to get his key into the ignition. If he didn’t have a conscience, he would have texted Sapphire and cancelled. But unlucky for him he did have a conscience, and it wouldn’t let him leave her stranded.

He arrived and hung around outside the bar for a while. There was no sign of a woman fitting Sapphire’s description. He paced up and down a little and checked his watch a few times. Still no sign. He reached for his phone and realised he had left it in the dashboard tray in his car. After waiting for twenty minutes past the time they were due to meet, he jogged back to the car. His phone was reading three missed calls. There was no voicemail but there was a text message.

He clicked to open the message.

Adam, you seemed very sweet on the phone, and I hate to do this, but I can’t go through with it. My ex has been in touch and wants to meet to talk things through. We were together for five years and I think I owe it to both of us to hear him out. I’m so sorry. Please don’t think too poorly of me. All the best, Sapphire.

He ran his hands through his hair as a mixture of relief and disappointment washed over him. Dumped by text. Great. It gets better, eh?

He sent a simple message back that told her not to worry and that he wished her well. He drove home, stopping at the off-licence to pick up some crisps and a bottle of beer. Oh, what a pitiful life I lead.

As he flicked through the channels on the TV, he decided he needed to hear Lily’s voice, so he located her speed dial and clicked call.

She answered within a couple of rings. ‘Why are you ringing me?’ she snapped.

‘Hello to you too, best friend. Lovely to speak to you,’ he grumbled at her response.

‘Sorry, Adders… but again… why are you ringing me? Shouldn’t you be out with Sapphire? Oh God, don’t tell me she was a snorter too?’

‘I wouldn’t know.’

Lily sighed. ‘Oh, Adders, don’t tell me you chickened out.’

‘No, I didn’t. She did. She texted, bloody late too, to say that she’d had a change of heart about meeting me. I waited for her for twenty minutes, Lil. I feel like a total prick.’

‘Oh, heck. I’m sorry to hear that, and you’re not a prick.’ She was silent for a few minutes. ‘There will be someone out there, Adam. I know there will.’

‘I’m not even sure I want someone. I feel like I’ve had my shot at true love. Maybe you only get one chance to have it so good.’

She huffed. ‘Now you don’t really believe that, do you, Adders? I think there’s more than one someone out there for everyone. I don’t think we’re just destined for one individual. How unfair would it be if that were true?’

He rubbed his hand over his face. ‘When are you home?’

‘Middle of next week. We got the footage we needed. Oh, and I met someone.’