This Man (20 page)

‘I could remedy that.’

I shudder at the thought. How can he spark such reactions by being on the end of the phone? ‘How’s your new apartment?’ I need

to

change

the

direction

of

conversation quickly.

‘Full of Italian shit.’

‘Funny. Where are you?’

He sighs. ‘At The Manor, you said you would call.’ He sounds slighted.

Yes, I did say I would call, but it’s only been twenty four hours – ish, and I’m majorly uncomfortable with the fact that I really,
really
wanted to call him.

‘I got carried away sorting my room out.’ I did. And it’s a good job done. I’m ignoring the fact that I purposely kept myself busy.

‘What are you doing today? I want to see you.’

What? Just like that? Christ, hasn’t he had enough of me? Obviously not, but is this a good Idea? Damn, I want to see him.

I’m much too young for him. And I wouldn’t trust him as far as I can throw him. With his looks, confidence and talent in the pleasure department, he’s a sure fire way to a broken heart. I need a reliable, trustworthy man – a man who’ll look after me and walk on hot coals for me. I silently laugh. My expectations are ridiculously high, but given my last two relationships, I’m sticking to the plan. If Jesse wants to see me, it should be on my terms. I can’t be seen to be desperate.

‘No can do,’ I say dismissively. ‘I’m super busy.’ Doing sweet fuck all! Damn, I want to see him.

‘Busy doing what?’ He’s shocked. Why wouldn’t I be busy? I have a life.

‘All sorts.’

‘Are you fiddling with your hair, by any chance?’ His voice is full of humour.

I pause, mid-twiddle. How has he cottoned on to that? ‘I’ll call you tomorrow.’ I inform him. Will I? I’m just about to hang up when I hear that cold, unfriendly voice I hate so much. What the bloody hell is she doing there? I’m uncomfortable with how uncomfortable that makes me feel. Why should I care?

‘Ava, wait a minute.’ He must cover his phone because the voices become muffled, but it’s definitely her. I bristle all over, which is crazy stupid. ‘Sarah, just give me a second, will you?’ He sounds slightly pissed. ‘Ava, are you there?’

I should just hang up. ‘Yeah,’ Damn me!

‘You’ll call tomorrow.’ he says. It‘s a statement, not a question.

‘I will.’ I hang up quickly. That was
not
how I wanted to end the conversation. He pretty much told me to call, and I agreed.

That is not being on the front foot.

I huff my way out of bed and take myself to the shower. What am I going to do all day, anyway? Kate’s not home and the house is spick and span, as usual. I need something to divert my unreasonable, jealous frame of mind.

Chapter 14

‘Fucking hell!’ Kate’s stood in my bedroom doorway, open mouthed and wide eyed. ‘What happened?’

I tuck my black shirt into my capri pants and marvel at how easily I locate my black, suede heels and gold belt. I really am very organised this morning.

‘How’s your Gran?’ I ask, feeding my belt through the loops of my trousers.

‘Still senile. What did you get up to while I was gone?’ She starts plumping a pillow on my bed.

I gesture around the room, with a what-do-you-think look, leaving out the fact that Matt called and I agreed to meet him. Oh, I’ll also omit the Jesse call that resulted in me sulking for the best part of yesterday.

How ridiculous!

‘What time did you get back?’ I ask. I’d given up waiting and pigged Kate’s half of the wine after I called and discovered that she was stuck at junction nineteen of the M1.

‘Ten. All of the commuters returning to the city were clogging the roads. I’ll do the train next time. Can I borrow you after work?’

‘Sure, what for?’

‘I’ve got a cake delivery I need some help with.’ she says.

‘No worries. Pick me up from the office at six.’ I grab my black bag from my newly organised

bag

cupboard

and

start

transferring my things from last week’s bag.

‘Will do, have you heard from the God?’

My head snaps up, and I find Kate grinning from ear to ear as she folds up my bed throw. I narrow my eyes on her before presenting myself to the mirror to put my gloss on.

‘You mean the Lord. He called.’ I disclose casually, popping my lips and catching her reflection. She’s still grinning.

‘What?’ I gasp.

‘Have we established an age?’

I scoff. ‘No, I keep asking and he keeps lying. It’s obviously an issue.’

‘Well, the man’s landed himself a hot bird of twenty six. He probably can’t believe his luck. He’s thirty five, maximum.’

‘He hasn’t landed me. It’s just sex.’ I correct her, rather unconvincingly. I collect my bag, leaving Kate tweaking my bed covers as I head to the kitchen, pour myself some orange juice and take my phone off charge.

Kate waltzes in as I’m feeding myself my pill. She flicks the kettle on. ‘You can’t beat a good screw with an Adonis to get you over a relationship. He’s your rebound fuck.’

I laugh. Yes, that’s exactly what he is.

Not that I needed any distractions to get over Matt. That was pretty easy.

‘Correct,’ I agree. ‘I’ll see you after work.’

She leans over the banister as I run down the stairs. ‘Six o’clock!’

It’s a usual Monday morning again, but most unusual is that everyone is here.

There’s always at least one of us out of the office on site visits or appointments. I’m in the kitchen with Patrick, filling him in on Mrs Kent’s new house.

‘Have you ever asked her if she would change the theme? It may influence whether it feels like home. It would potentially save Mr K a fortune,’ Patrick laughs. ‘Not that I’m complaining, of course. She can move every year for the rest of her life, for all I care, as long as she keeps contracting you to jazz the place up.’

I frown. ‘Jazz? I do more than jazz the place up, Patrick. I don’t know. She insists on modern everything, but I’m not sure it’s really her thing. I think she gets bored. That or she loves having the workmen around.’ I raise my eyebrows on a laugh.

‘Now, there’s a thought,’ Patrick laughs with me. ‘The old goat is seventy, if a day.

Maybe she should get a toy-boy. God knows, Mr K has plenty on young scrumpet scattered around the globe. I have that straight from a very reliable source.’ He winks at me, and I smile fondly at him.

I know Patrick’s referring to his wife, Irene. If it’s happening in this town, Irene knows about it. She’s a self-confessed busy body, know-it-all and gossip. If she doesn’t know about it, then it isn’t worth knowing about. I don’t know how Patrick puts up with her. It must be exhausting to be subjected to her oral cavity on a daily basis. Luckily, she only swings by the office once a week before her wash and set.

Nodding

and

concurring

is

manageable for the half hour she spends bringing us up to date on her hectic social life, and that of others. I try my very hardest to arrange appointments for a Wednesday around noon, when I know she’ll be in. Patrick is friendly and jolly; I love him. Irene is terrifying; she scares the crap out of me.

‘How is Irene?’ I ask politely. I really don’t care.

He throws his hands up in despair. ‘She drives me insane. The woman has the attention span of a toddler. She’s ditched playing bridge and has now informed me that she’s enrolled in some Kumba dancing nonsense. I can’t keep up with her.’

‘You mean Zumba?’

‘That’s the one,’ He points his chocolate digestive at me. ‘It’s all the rage, apparently.’

I chuckle at the thought of Irene in a leopard print leotard, jigging her over generous rump all over the place.

‘Oh, Van Der Haus wants to meet you on Wednesday,’ Patrick winks. ‘They really want you, flower.’

‘Really?’

He laughs. ‘You’re too modest, my girl.

I checked your diary and pencilled in twelve thirty. He’s at the Royal Park. Is that okay?’

‘Absolutely,’ I don’t need to check because Patrick’s already took the liberty of doing that for me. And damn if it isn’t going to get me out of enduring this week’s update from Irene. I push myself away from the kitchen worktop by my bum and head for my desk. ‘I’m going to finalise some

drawings

and

email

some

contractors.’

His mobile starts ringing. ‘What does she want now?’ I hear him grumble.

As I’m getting ready to run over to the deli to grab some lunch, Tom prances up to my desk. ‘Delivery for Ava!’ he screeches at me, placing a box on my desk.

What’s this? I’m not expecting any catalogues. ‘Thanks, Tom. Did you have a good night on Friday?’

He gasps on a grin. ‘I met the scientist.

Oh my, but the man is divine!’

Not as divine as mine!
I shake my head in shock at my own wayward thoughts.

Where did that come from?

‘So, that would be a yes?’ I confirm.

‘Yes. Tell me who that man was?’ He plants his hands on my desk, leaning in towards me.

‘What man?’ I blurt, far too quickly. I retreat in my chair to get some distance from the interrogating presence of my nosey, gay friend.

‘Your reaction speaks volumes.’ His eyes narrow on me as my face burns up.

‘He’s just a client.’ I shrug.

Tom’s scrutinising stare moves to my fingers that are currently playing with a lock of my hair. I release it, quickly picking up a pen. I need to work on this lying business. I’m truly rubbish at it. His tongue moves into his cheek as he straightens himself and walks away from my desk.

What’s wrong with me? So what! I’ve been fucking a handsome, thirty-something man. Or is it forty-something? He’s my rebound fuck. I yank the box open, finding a single calla lily on top of a book that’s wrapped in tissue paper.

‘Giuseppe Cavalli. 1936-1961’

Oh? I open the cover. A note slips out.

Ava,

To me, you are a book I have opened.

I can’t put it down. I need to know more.

Jx

Holy shit!
What does he want to know?

There’s absolutely nothing
to
know. I’m just a normal mid-twenties girl. He could start with telling me a few things, like how old he is, for a start. Is it normal to send gifts to someone you’re fucking? Maybe it is for a mature man. I don’t have time to think about this at the moment. I’ve got a heap of emails to respond to and furniture deliveries to chase. I throw the book in my bag, pop the lily in my top drawer and dart over to the deli for lunch, before cracking on.

At six o’clock, Margo hisses and bangs up to the pavement to pick me up. I battle with the rusty handle and finally climb in, pushing a dozen cake magazines and empty Starbucks cups to the floor before I can settle myself on the seat.

‘You need a new delivery van.’ I grumble. Considering how crazy tidy Kate is at home, Margo is the pits.

‘Shhhh, you’ll hurt her feelings.’ She grins. ‘Good day?’ She eyes me warily.

My shoulders slump spectacularly. I got zero work done. Instead, I spent all day thinking about a certain stunning creature of an age I don’t know. I get the book and note out of my bag and hand it to her across the van. She takes it from me, uncertainty marring her pretty, pale features, as she opens the front sleeve and the note slips onto her lap. She picks it up, scans the words and gapes at me.

‘I know.’ I say in agreement to her stunned face.

She reads the note again, her gaped mouth closing and turning into a grin.

‘Yikes! The Lord is deep.’ She thrusts the book back at me and pulls into the traffic.

‘He is.’ I start thinking about pillow talk, but just as fast, I stop thinking about pillow talk.

‘Just how good in bed are we talking here?’ Kate asks casually, keeping her eyes on the road.

My head snaps to the side to look at her, but she won’t return my stare. ‘Very.’ I reply. The best, amazing, mind blowing! I want to do it again and again and again!

‘Will this be a pin-ball rebound?’

I sigh. ‘Yes, I think it will. And not just because of the sex.’

She reaches over and squeezes my knee, smiling thoughtfully. She knows what’s happening here.

We slow at the entrance of a residential street, and Kate brings Margo to a stop.

‘Right, get in the back.’ she orders.

‘What?’

‘Get in the back, Ava!’ She reinforces her instructions with a batting of my knee.

‘Why?’ I know I’m frowning heavily.

Why on earth does she want me in the back?

She points down the street and realisation dawns on me. I look at her, completely wide eyed.

She has the decency to look a little apologetic. ‘I’ve strapped, padded and cushioned, but this street is a fucking nightmare. That cake took me two weeks to finish. If it goes over, I’m fucked.’

I turn my gaped mouth away from Kate and look down the tree lined street, with parked cars on both sides and room for one line of traffic down the middle. That’s not what’s bothering me, though. It’s the vicious, black, rubber speed humps dotted every twenty yards that have my attention.

Oh God, I’m going to be tossed about like a penny in a tumble dryer.

‘Can’t we carry it?’ I ask desperately.

‘It’s five tiers and it weighs a ton. Just hold onto the box. It’ll be fine.’

I exhale, unclipping my seatbelt. ‘I can’t believe you’ve got me doing this,’ I grumble, climbing into the back of the van and wrapping my arms around the tall cake box. ‘Couldn’t you assemble it on site?’

‘Nope,’

‘Why?’

‘I just couldn’t. Hold the fucking cake!’

she yells impatiently.

I tighten my grip, spreading my legs to keep my balance, and lay my cheek against the box. We’re positioned at the mouth of the road, engine revving and looking like something out of a comedy sketch.

‘Ready?’ she calls back.

I hear Margo crunch into gear. ‘Just bloody get on with it, will you?’ I snap.

She’s giggling as she slowly starts creeping forward. A car horn starts honking impatiently from behind.

‘Fuck off, you tosser!’ Kate yells as we hit our first speed hump.