Page 16 of Love Me Till Wednesday

Mel plonked a large mug of tea in front of Lisa. ‘You seemed happy together. I didn’t want to upset you.’

‘Have you got any evidence for that?’

‘No, but it sounds like you have now.’

Lisa filled her in on last night’s events, including the Dougie incident.

‘So let's get this right. You’re not that bothered by Pete’s infidelity. Meanwhile your new waiter friend is drop-dead gorgeous, funny, caring and a fabulous kisser, and you left his house without leaving him your number?’

‘Put like that, it sounds mad.’

‘It's barking mad. At least you know where he lives so you can stick a note through the door.’

Lisa pulled a face.

‘You walked back. How can you not know the address??’ Mel shook her head. ‘You’re bloody useless at this dating lark.’

‘I don’t do as much of it as you!’ Pete had been Lisa’s only long-term relationship, and apart from a quick fling in sixth form, the few other men she’d been out with had bored her to tears on the first date. Mel, on the other hand, was determined to leave no man undated in her quest for eternal love.

‘I wasn’t paying attention last night, and this morning, I was so distracted by how I was going to handle the situation with Pete, I didn’t think further than that,’ she said. ‘I couldprobably find the road again and the house, but they all looked very similar.’

Mel looked at her despairingly, though Lisa felt that Mel was secretly enjoying this opportunity to be the grown-up. It was usually Lisa who was incredulous at Mel’s scattiness.

‘So that’ll have to be plan B then,’ Mel sighed.

‘What’s plan A?’

‘Work out how else you can get in touch with him.’

‘There’s the hotel, but he’d said he didn't work there often.’

‘What about the bar you went to?’

‘Jack’s? It was nice, but I don’t fancy camping out there on the off chance that he’ll turn up. He only goes there when he’s been working at the hotel.’

‘Hmmm. I suppose the drama school is finished for the summer.’

‘Yes, he said that. But he’s rehearsing for a play. It’s opening tomorrow.’

Mel looked delighted. ‘Excellent. There’s your answer. Get a ticket if you can, hang around the stage door if you can’t.’

‘There’s a tiny snag. I can't remember exactly where it was.’

Mel rolled her eyes again.

‘But it’s in a small venue. It’s an independent production by a well-known Shakespearean actress, though I’d never heard of her. It sounded avant-garde.’ Lisa added, trying to be helpful.

Mel went into the living room and grabbed the latestTime Outfrom the untidy pile of magazines by the sofa. She started flicking through the theatre section as she walked back to the kitchen.

‘What about this one?’ Mel thrust the page in front of Lisa, tapping her finger on a listing.

‘Obsession - an exploration of love and delusion in three acts,’ Lisa read aloud. ‘Look - it’s a one-woman show - I can assure you Nick is not a woman!’

‘Sorry, I missed that bit. Ok, what about this?’

‘Nope. Look where it is. The Apollo isn’t a small venue.’

They found a few other possibilities, but nothing that rang a bell with Lisa. This was starting to look hopeless. Then she spotted it.

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