Page 67 of Love Me Till Wednesday

Pete looked puzzled. ‘Technically, the Sweeney chased people, but we’re the ones on the run here.’

‘I wouldn’t overthink Ed’s analogies if I were you.’ Lisa looked out of the back of the hearse. ‘I can’t tell if we’re being followed. I’ll text Jules to see if anyone’s still outside my house.’

Jules replied straightaway

All gone. Looks like a normal peaceful Friday morning in Paradise Crescent now.

Lisa wished that were true. There was nothing normal about this morning. Would anything ever be normal again?

She texted Jim

You ok? xx

He didn’t reply, but he was probably busy taking Sophie to holiday club.

She ought to update Nick about the interview. If anyone was used to dealing with this kind of attention, he was. She sent a text.

Just been quizzed about Jim’s parentage on the radio. Then had to dodge more reporters outside the building. We need a plan of action x

Three dots appeared immediately and remained there for a while. It seemed like forever until his reply finally came through.

I listened in. You did a great job. On my way to Jim’s. Suki still working on it. Try not to worry. It will blow over - these things always do. I’ve decided to stay in London for a few more days. Can we have dinner together tonight? Xxx

Dinner? Three kisses? What did that mean? Visions of a candlelit dinner for two floated into her mind. No, she didn’t want that. This was confusing enough without throwing romance into the mix. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t attracted to him, but he was spoken for. Just because he seemed to be having a row with his fiancée on the phone in the cafe earlier didn’t mean they weren’t still together. All couples had arguments. But they had so much more to catch up on, it was perfectly reasonable for him to suggest having a meal together.

Yes please to dinner. Where can we go where we won’t get hassled?

He replied quickly this time.

My hotel suite? Brad can chauffeur you Xx

Now she was imagining them eating oysters washed down with champagne, all next to an enormous bed that was begging to be put to good use.Stop it!He’d said suite. He would be staying in the penthouse in a palatial set of rooms. There would be no bed in sight. And the alternative was takeaway at hers.

Sounds good. What time?

34

The vibration of a phone notification woke Lisa up. She’d nodded off on the sofa in the kitchen. What time was it? She rubbed her bleary eyes and focused on the clocks. 12.20. Was Nick still at Jim’s? She checked the screen. Neither of them had been in touch, but there was another message from Mel:

Just watched a trailer for tonight’s show. I didn’t expect Nick to be on there too.

Lisa huffed. She bet Mel didn’t. She was probably bricking it now, wondering what Nick had said to her. Lisa still wasn’t ready to speak to Mel but she ought to say something. She didn’t want her squeezing in a visit to No 39 on the way to the airport.

Neither did I. Andy engineered it.

She couldn’t bring herself to add a kiss on the end like she usually did. Three dots appeared.

Did you have chance to talk to him properly? x

She was fishing. Worried probably. Well, she could carry on sweating.

Have a great break in Malaga. See you on Tuesday evening. I’ll fill you in on the details then.

It would be very tempting to fill her in in every sense.

Nick stood in Jim’s hallway. ‘I’m sorry I’ve got to go, but I’m due at my mother’s at three thirty. Your grandmother’s, I suppose should say.’

‘I’d like to meet her,’ Jim said.

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