When Will pulled up outside Canbury Events, most of the lights were off. He jumped out of the van and started unloading the boxes he’d picked up from the print shop. He’d never seen Nigel angry before. Canbury needed these leaflets for an event first thing in the morning, so someone would have to wait for him to deliver after hours. As he stacked the boxes onto his trolley, he hoped it wasn’t Izzy.
He wheeled the first trolley-load towards the door, peering in to see who was in reception. In the dim light, he could just make out a figure talking on the phone. He pressed the buzzer. The door hummed as it unlocked with no voice from the intercom.
‘I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner – the traffic was murder!’ he called to the figure.
Then he recognised Izzy’s voice as she spoke on the phone. It sounded like a personal call. She continued herconversation, and raising a finger, pointed out where to put the boxes.
As he shifted the boxes off the trolley, he suspected she was faking the call.
He used a box to prop the door open and went back to the van for the second trolley-load.
On his return, he kicked the box away from the door and it swung shut behind him. She was off the phone and out from behind the reception desk, perched daintily against it, her legs crossed at the ankles, her hands resting on the countertop either side of her hips. He imagined her arranging herself into that pose, and it brought a smile to his lips.
‘Hello,’ he said.
‘Hello.’ Her voice was neutral, maybe a touch of frost.
‘I’m sorry I’m late.’
She said nothing.
He propped the trolley upright and took off his gloves. ‘How are you?’
‘I’m fine,’ she said, then her expression darkened. ‘I’ll be honest with you, I expected to hear from you after our date.’
Will did a mental calculation – it had been just over a week. That wasn’t long, was it? ‘Yeah, sorry about that. I’ve had some stuff going on that I needed to sort out.’ He wasn’t lying – Reu moving into his brother’s old room had completely distracted him, and he’d forgotten all about her.
‘Have you fixed the problem?’ she asked.
‘Almost. It’s a long story, but I was going to call you tonight.’
‘Were you?’ She sounded sceptical.
‘Yeah.’
‘And what were you going to say?’
He paused. ‘I was going to say… I’d like to see you again.’ Until then, he’d planned to say the exact opposite.
She raised her chin. ‘And what makes you think I want to seeyouagain?’
He walked towards her and whispered into her ear, ‘Because of the noises you made last time.’
He stepped back. Her cheeks showed the slightest flush in the dim light.
‘Well?’ he asked.
‘Well, what?’
‘Doyou want to see me again?’
She tucked her hair behind her ear. ‘That depends. Where are you taking me?’
‘Hmm… How about a walk along the river, a few drinks, and maybe Thai food?’
She pursed her lips. ‘Not bad…’
‘Is that a “yes”?’