Page 64 of Be More Lucy

Three dots appeared. She hadn’t expected him to respond so quickly.

I thought you liked men who were past their fuck by date x

One kiss back. And he was trying to be amusing. It was looking promising.

I didn’t say that. I said I seemed to pick them x

Three dots again.

Could you pick me? Xx

Two kisses. Was that significant, or had it just been a slip of his thumb? But the request to choose him made it look deliberate. Did she really want to give Mark another chance? She took another gulp of vodka. Absolutely.

I could but you’re 1500 miles away xx

Should she have been more enthusiastic? She was thinking about sending another text when a new message appeared.

Can I call you? Xxx

Three kisses now. She smiled to herself.

I suppose so. You’re going to wear that x button out otherwise xxxx

Another speedy reply from Mark:

Give me two minutes and technically it’s not a button xxxxxxxxxx

Lucy smiled to herself:

Picky xxxxxxxxxxxx

No dots this time. But he had said to give him two minutes.

Exactly two minutes later, her phone rang.

‘Why did I have to wait two minutes?’ Lucy asked as soon as she answered the call.

‘I needed to get comfortable,’ Mark said.

‘What does that mean?’

‘We could be talking for a while. We always used to.’

‘Where are you?’

‘Lying in bed. Where are you?’

‘Sitting on the sofa enjoying the view.’

‘Are you on your own?’

‘Yes, just me. You?’

‘Yes. There’s no one else here. It’s eerily quiet.’

His voice had a slight slur to it. ‘Have you been drinking?’ she asked.

‘I’ve had a couple of beers. Actually three. I wouldn’t have been brave enough to phone you otherwise.’

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