Page 23 of Love Me Till Wednesday

‘Lisa?’ Colin looked irritated.

‘Sorry. Probably a scammer.’ She clicked the Decline button and started her presentation.

The same phone number called I again. She clicked Decline again. This time, she received a voicemail notification. Scammers didn’t usually bother leaving a message. She needed to get through this presentation as quickly as possible so she could check it. But today, everyone had something to add to the discussion. It was more than an hour later when Colin finally drew the meeting to a close.

‘Fancy a coffee?’ Nina asked.

‘Yeah, but I’ve got a message to follow up on first.’

‘See you in the cafe then,’ Nina said as Lisa headed for one of the private booths in the hotdesking area.

She sat down and checked her phone. There were two voicemails. The first was just three seconds of silence. Whoever it was had probably decided to think about what they wanted to say. The second was more interesting.

Pete’s distinctive voice. ‘Hey stranger. So it is really you. Give me a call when you’re free.’

15

Lisa walked upstairs in search of Rossetti’sThe Day Dream, her favourite painting in the V&A. She consulted the map of the museum and walked through the maze of rooms until she spotted it hanging in its gilded frame. It looked brighter than she remembered.

As she stood pondering what the sitter had been thinking about while posing for her lover, Lisa became aware that someone was standing next to her. The reflection in the glass looked familiar.

‘She always reminds me of you,’ a deep voice said.

Lisa turned and smiled at Pete. ‘I don’t think my hair was ever that lush.’

‘It was.’ He smiled at her.

‘Not any more.’

‘None of us are the same as we were 30 years ago.’ He stepped forward and hugged her. It felt strange being in his arms again after all this time.

‘It’s good to see you,’ he said.

‘And you.’ Lisa pulled back and looked at him again. He looked older in the flesh than he had on the album cover. He must be thinking she’d aged too. ‘I thought we were meeting in the cafe?’ she said.

‘I caught an earlier train. I guessed I might find you here. You always loved that Rossetti.’

It was sweet of him to remember that. He seemed more like the old Pete - the one she’d known before all the band problems and arguments. ‘Unless you want to look at anything, shall we go and get some lunch?’ she suggested.

‘Yes. I’m parched,’ he said, heading for the doorway. ‘The trolley service wasn’t running on the train this morning. I haven’t had a drink since breakfast.’

‘Well, if you will live in the wilds of the north,’ Lisa said as they headed downstairs.

‘It’s beautiful up there and cheap. I thought you’d be sick of London by now.’

‘No. It’s home for me.‘

The cafe was heaving. They joined the queue for the food counter.

Lisa chose lasagne. Pete picked a salad.

‘Eating more healthily than you used to. Your wife must be a good influence,’ she said.

‘Hmm.’ He looked uncomfortable. ‘Ex-wife now.’

Talk about putting your foot in it, Lisa.‘I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.’

‘No reason you should. Our marriage ran its course. The divorce was all finalised a couple of years ago.’ He sighed.

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