Page 47 of Her Lips Are Sealed

‘Shut the front door, you did not?’

Declan thrust the pizza box towards Ben, grabbed Morgan’s hands and began to shimmy with her to some music only he could hear. ‘Oh, yes we bloody did, and to celebrate we bought the biggest, juiciest, meat feast pizza Gino could squeeze into the box.’

Morgan laughed and took the pizza box from Ben. ‘You have no idea how hungry I was. I went to bed because I couldn’t be bothered cooking. You’re not included in that last statement, Josie; you never did anything that deserved my forgiveness.’ She winked at her and all four of them piled into the kitchen, where Morgan took out plates and tore off pieces of kitchen roll for them to wipe their mouths on.

Josie looked truly happy to be there and for the moment it was just five people enjoying the company of each other with no worries or fears about the darkness that lived on the fringes of their lives.

THIRTY

Lisa’s cat hadn’t come back in the night and she was worried. Pickles liked to go out but she also liked to come back in again for food and warmth. Getting ready to have a shower before work, Lisa had realised the cat was still outside and cursed. She was undressed, about to step into the shower, when she’d remembered about it and had to pull on her robe to go looking for her.

First, she leaned out of the kitchen window calling her name, but to no avail. Wondering if she dare go out into the communal garden naked underneath her robe and wearing a pair of mismatched slippers, she decided to take the chance. Normally she didn’t really bump into her neighbours, except for Mike and that was because he worked similar hours to her, but she wasn’t getting dressed again to go looking for the cat; she was already running a little late.

She opened the front door and jumped to see a guy standing there with a bedraggled Pickles tucked under his arm, smiling at her.

‘Oh hey, is she yours?’

Lisa looked at him then her cat and scooped her out of his arms. ‘Yes, she is, I was just going looking for her. Where have you been to get in that state?’ she admonished the cat before putting her down.

The cat darted into her flat, disappearing, no doubt to clean herself up.

‘Thanks.’

‘No problem, I was on my way to visit Mike and saw her all caught up in the barbed wire near the entrance to the field.’

‘Oh no, bless you that’s so kind of you. She keeps going mousing in the field and bringing them back to surprise me. God, I hope that’s put her off because I’m sick of fighting with her to save the field mice that she keeps dropping on my head when I’m asleep.’

He laughed. ‘Cats, who’d have them?’

He turned to walk away.

‘Thanks again.’

He turned back. ‘No problem.’

She went to close the door, but he stopped it with his foot. ‘This is a bit forward of me, but I’ve been here a few times and noticed you, only I was too scared to speak to you, but seeing as how Pickles has forced this interaction I was wondering if you’d like to go for coffee sometime?’

Lisa’s cheeks flared so hot she thought she might pass out with heat exhaustion, realising she was standing talking to a guy, a good-looking guy she didn’t know, and the only thing covering her naked body was the flimsy robe she was wearing. She tugged her robe even closer. ‘Erm, I don’t know what to say.’

He grinned at her. ‘Say yes, you only live once and it’s only coffee. If you don’t enjoy it, you haven’t committed to anything else. I promise not to bug you if you have a miserable time. It’s just life’s too short and I’ve been trying to pluck up the courage for quite some time and now I feel like an idiot. Sorry.’

‘I’ll think about it.’

She shut the door quickly, her heart was racing and she was so burning hot she thought she might actually pass out. He was very forward, but also very cute. She walked towards the kitchen where the cat was eating and thought to herself, what the hell. What harm could a coffee do? turned around, opened her door and shouted up the stairs, ‘Yes, I’d love to.’ Her voice sounded high-pitched and nervous, her hands were literally shaking but she’d done it, she’d been brave and taken the initiative for once in her life.

The guy leaned over the banister at the top, grinning at her. ‘Really? Well that’s great. Mike’s not in, I’ll come back to see him tomorrow.’

‘You could wait here while you message him and I’ll make you a coffee.’ She smiled at him, forcing herself to sound a lot more confident than she felt knowing that she was going to be so late for work but she was opening up today so it should be okay.

‘That would be great, I’m not interrupting you though, am I?’

She realised he was referring to her robe; the shower was still running. ‘No, I’ll get dressed while you message Mike, then I’ll make coffee. I’ve got time before work. Is that okay?’

He smiled at her and she let out a small, nervous laugh.

‘That sounds wonderful, thank you.’

He stepped inside, took out his phone and began to type a message.