Page 25 of Love Me Till Wednesday

‘Yep. But it needs to pay because I’m not so minted I could survive for long without any income at all.’

Pete leant back in his chair and smiled. ‘It’s always good to have an incentive to make it work. When do we start?’

16

‘God, I’m knackered,’ Mel said, coming to an abrupt halt on the corner of Paradise Crescent. She bent over and took several deep breaths.

Lisa sighed. This wasn’t a good start to their regular Tuesday evening jog.

‘We usually manage to run at least a couple of miles before you throw in the towel,’ Lisa said. ‘Do you want to go back to mine, or shall we walk so at least you’ve had some exercise?’

‘Can we knock it on the head for tonight?’ Mel asked.

‘You’re the one in training for a half marathon, so it’s your call.’

‘I’ll be fine!’ Mel started walking back towards Lisa’s house. ‘Race day is over two months away. I’ve got plenty of time.’

‘As long as you’re sure.’ Lisa was glad she’d turned down the opportunity to join Mel on the Great North Run. Mel should be easily running five miles on a weeknight now. At this rate, she’d be walking the course.

She followed Mel back to Number 39. ‘You’re normally quite perky on a Tuesday evening. What’s got into you?’

Mel had got her breath back now. ‘It’s more who’s got into me,’ she grinned.

That made more sense. Lisa took her keys out of her back pocket and opened the front door. ‘Anyone I know?’

‘I don’t think so. He’s one of the supply teachers. I had to help him with the school admin system last week, and one thing led to another.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘I could give you all the details, but I thought you preferred not to know everything?’

‘I don’t mean who stuck what where! I meant, how do you go from lesson planning to something more romantic.’

‘It wasn’t romantic at all. More passionate, I’d say, as in tearing one another’s clothes off.’

‘In a classroom?’

‘No, of course not.’ Mel looked outraged. ‘It’s more discrete if you do it in a stock cupboard.’

‘I would have thought that would have been a bit uncomfortable at our age.’

‘It was the GCSE Textiles stock cupboard. There was plenty of material available in there to pad the sharp edges of the shelving. Actually, it was quite cosy. I regret not trying it before.’

Lisa laughed. ‘What happened to your rule about no sex on school premises? You always used to tell me you had standards.’

‘I used to, but I think I’m getting randier in my old age. It must be the perimenopause. My hormones are having a last-ditch attempt at getting me pregnant. Anyway, it was after school on Friday. All the staff are in a rush to leave on Fridays. We were the only ones around apart from the caretaker and the head, and rumour has it they have their own little after-school club, if you get my drift,’ Mel said as she followed Lisa down the steps into the kitchen.

‘So apart from being up for a bit of extracurricular activity, who is your new Romeo?

‘His name’s Will. He’s just come back from a year working in South Africa which is why he’s a supply teacher until he can get a permanent job. He teaches Biology, he’s 6ft 2, and he plays rugby.’

‘Still playing rugby at our age. That’s impressive.’ Lisa said as she filled the kettle.

Mel looked uncomfortable. ‘Ah well, he’s not quite our age.’

‘How old is he?’

‘I’m not 100% sure, but I’d say 31?’ Mel pulled a face. ’Ish,’ she added.

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