Page 58 of Be More Lucy

‘What are you two plotting?’ Em asked as walked in.

‘I’ll explain later.’ Lucy said.

‘I’d love to see the statue of Virginia Woolf in Tavistock Square. I adore her writing,’ Hannah enthused.

Mark looked amazed. ‘You’ve never mentioned that before.’

‘Haven’t I?’ Hannah barely took her eyes off Josh as she answered.

‘You and Josh can sample the delights of Bloomsbury,’ said Mark. ‘I fancy a trip to Spitalfields market. I need to get Mum a birthday present. Anyone else want to join me? Lucy?’

‘Thanks. I’d like that.’ Spending time with Mark would be far more enjoyable than watching Hannah and Josh together.

‘Jack? Em?’

Lucy’s heart sank. Please don’t say yes.

‘I’m happy reading the Sunday supplement and chilling here with Jack, thanks,’ Em said, giving Jack a look. Thank god for Em.

Jack raised his eyebrows. ‘I’m fine stopping here, apparently.’

Ten minutes later, the front door closed behind Mark and Lucy, leaving Jack and Em alone in the apartment. Em was washing up the breakfast things.

Jack leant back against the kitchen island and folded his arms. ‘What are you up to?’

‘I don’t know what you mean.’ Em looked at him with her best innocent face as she passed him a tea towel.

‘I wouldn’t have minded going to the market. We could look for some things for the house. But I got the distinct impression that would’ve been the wrong answer.’

‘Now Lucy and Mark are talking again. I think they need some time alone.’

‘In case you haven’t noticed, they’re both in relationships.’

‘With people who seem more interested in each other than their partners.’

‘You don’t like Josh then?’

‘I don’t like him openly flirting with another woman in front of Lucy. I thought he was alright until he started doing that. What do you think?’

‘He’s a good match for Lucy. And to be fair to him, Hannah’s the one who started the flirting.’

‘But he didn’t have to encourage her. Or are you saying flirting with other people’s partners is acceptable?’

‘Lucy flirts with me occasionally.’

‘But not seriously. I wouldn’t have been surprised if Josh and Hannah had started snogging one another’s faces off the way they were looking at each other this morning.’

‘I just think you should lay off the matchmaking. Be less Nancy!’ He said, putting down the towel and pulling her into an embrace.

Em sighed. It wasn’t worth arguing.

‘They’re all grown-ups,’ Jack said. ‘They can do as they please. What do you want to do now?’

‘We’ve got at least an hour’s peace and quiet.’

‘We could try out that roll-top bath you’re so obsessed with?’

‘Aren’t you bothered by Hannah flirting with Josh?’ Lucy had been biding her time to ask Mark. They’d casually chatted about work, business, the weather - everything but relationships - on the way to Spitalfields. Now they were walking side by side around the market, it didn’t seem intrusive to bring up the subject.

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