Page 23 of Hit For Six
‘What’s… one of those?’
For all he knew it could be the latest brand of house insect and his face must have reflected those thoughts because Lola replied in a couple of questions, suddenly sounding a bit Australian.
‘She’s a cat? My flatmate’s?’
‘Ah. Oh. I see.’ Damn. Monty knew this was too good to be true. There was always a catch. The bloke Lola lived with was clearly so domesticated and in love with her that they were cat parents already. Game over. ‘Interesting choice of name,’ he managed.
‘Myfemaleflatmate’s cat.’ Great. His body language was shocking today and Lola had picked up on his jealousy in just four simple syllables. ‘As for the name, I wholeheartedly agree that it’s not the most thoughtful and I’m not really sure that I want to know how it came about because if I discover that Fumiko replied to an ad to take in a rescue cat after she’d drunk a bottle of wine, then my estimation of my roomie would be in the gutter.’ And now Lola paused to think. ‘Squiffy does somehow suit her title, though.’
‘Good, that’s… absolutely fantastic. I love cats. Rescues, Manx, Garfield, the Cheshire Cat, Puss in Boots. I was never allowed pets as a child, you see.’ Monty fluttered his eyelashes.He was a goner. ‘And now I can’t seem to stop sounding like a cross between Hugh Grant and Bubba Gump. Please excuse me.’
Lola hooted with laughter. Well, that properly broke the ice that seemed to continuously thaw and freeze between them.
‘As long as we’re talking about a young floppy-haired Hugh Grant in his Four Weddings era, because he’s turned into a notoriously grumpy sod nowadays, who is constantly taking a swipe at Colin Firth.’
Monty had seen some of those interviews too, but he knew it was all in jest.
‘Maybe he was deprived of pets.’ Monty cupped a hand to his chin and tried to pretend that he was deep in thought and not trying to take advantage of the situation at all. ‘Which isn’t my way of inviting myself to your apartment when your flatmate is out, by the way.’
Christ, he really was a liability on little sleep.
‘She’s away ninery percent of the time.’
‘That’s marvellous.’ Their eyes met and suddenly the background noise of the café softened, as if everyone else was waiting with baited breath for Lola’s RSVP. ‘I mean… it must be amazing to have the place to yourself.’
The clatter of china, the whirring of the coffee machine, and the variable pitch of chatter regenerated around them.
‘I’m glad you thought better of it and tagged that last bit on because technically I haven’t invited you and nothing has changed as far as my opinion on our differences goes.’
Lola dipped her gaze to her mug. She played with her spoon and a coy smile tugged at her lips. Monty chose to focus solely on the word ‘technically’. So much promise.
‘Ah, yes. I’m notorious for getting ahead of myself. What can I say? It’s in my competitive aristocratic nature.’ Another cheesetastic comeback, but frankly Monty had given up on trying to play it cool. It only seemed to make everything tentimes more cringeworthy. ‘So where exactly do you work? You still haven’t told me.’
Lola let out a deep sigh and Monty braced himself that she was a traffic warden or a taxidermist or a tax collector. All important jobs if you were so inclined.
‘I somehow managed to find myself holed up in a male-dominated greeting card company.’ Now Monty’s eyebrows shot up. He hadn’t been aware of any such business in Bath and he could imagine that the niche enterprise was a cosy set-up where the turd in the Panama hat was likely to hold court. Why hadn’t it crossed Monty’s mind before now that he could have been one of Lola’s colleagues? Somehow he just knew this was the case. Not that this was the moment to bring it up. ‘It wasn’t quite where I’d imagined myself when I was studying for a degree in business management. But there we go. It pays the bills, it’s just–’
‘What? What is it?’
But Lola seemed reluctant to go on.
‘I’ve shared my secret with you. I promise yours is safe with me.’
He reached across the table to tap her hand in reassurance and briskly pulled it away like an idiot when she reached for her mug.
‘Suddenly my job role has changed. It comes with a pay rise, which is cool, but there’s also the expectation to travel now and then. The now part of that being imminent. Frankfurt. Next week. Three nights away– which typically coincide with my flatmate’s never-ending stints abroad– and I’ve no idea what to do with Squiffy. I really don’t want to take her to a cattery. She’d hate it. I’m not snubbing them and know that many owners have no choice but to use them. The top ones are probably like a five star resort, but she’s been through a lot in the past and I don’t want to upset her.’
‘I’ll look after her!’ It would also give Monty the perfect excuse to find out more about the bastard who’d embarrassed Lola at the match; the bastard who had better not be accompanying her to Frankfurt else– never mind snakes– Monty would be pulling some strings to ensure that a scorpion or two were planted in his hotel bed. ‘Seriously, I’d be glad to help out and you’d unwittingly be giving me the most incredible life experience.’
‘Oh, no. I didn’t bring it up with a hidden agenda, I swear.’
Lola laughed as if it was the craziest suggestion she’d ever heard.
‘I know you didn’t. I’d really like to help out, though. And I’d be the perfect solution. I work from home, my training doesn’t start for another couple of weeks, so I can call in regularly and feed Squiffy on a morning and evening sprint. I can even stay over if it makes things easier. I won’t get attached.’ Then came a loaded pause. ‘To erm… Squiffy. You’re welcome to do a background check on me. I’m not an aristocrat, by the way. Just nouveau riche,’ he whispered that part and was elated when Lola giggled. Maybe, just maybe it would make him seem less daunting. ‘But I realise you might not find me the most convincing of applicants when my childhood was devoid of furry friends. I mean, my sisters had horses and I was fine with those, but my mother refused to have even a hamster in the house.’
‘I don’t know what to say.’
‘How about yes? Unless you have someone else in mind?’
