Page 90 of The Worst Guy Ever
“It’s OK. I’ll wait until you’re done.”
I step forward, but he doesn’t move aside. “Hattie, really, I’d love to see you, but you can’t come in. Not tonight.”
The realisation hits me as if he’s poured a bucket of cold water over me from a great height. “You’ve got someone here.”
“No, it’s not that, but I am in the middle of something.” He’s lying to me. I can feel it in my gut. He glances back into the house. “I really have to get back to it. Can I call you later?”
I’m already halfway to my car when I shout back. “No, don’t fucking bother.”
Chapter 37
Rob
Whydidshehaveto pull a move like that? The last thing Hattie needs is me being cross with her, but I can’t ignore how angry I am at the fucking mess we’re making. Angry that she could be so dismissive of my feelings and not speak to me for days. Angry that she won’t try for a second to open up to me. And, most of all, angry that the one time she tried to reach out, I had to make her leave.
I’m not ready to explain it though, and definitely not in under thirty seconds on my doorstep.
Me:You free for a chat?
Luke rings me right away and I get comfy on the sofa. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a heart to heart like this. After Heather died we did this a lot, but it’s never been me who’s needed the advice.
“What’s up, mate?” he says, his face half in the screen as he finds a spot to chat.
“Is Kara with you?” I ask, hoping I’m not about to reveal Hattie’s business to her friends, which would only land me in even deeper shit.
“No, she’s up in bed with a book boyfriend,” he laughs. “What’s going on?”
“I slept with Hattie.” It feels weird to say it out loud.
“Yeah, I know about that,” Luke says, as casually as if I’ve told him I have two arms. I must look confused as hell because he tells me the answer before I can ask the question. “Kara told me.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“She said it was a secret. I figured you’d tell me in your own time, and it’s not like you tell me every time you sleep with someone.”
“It wasn’t just one time,” I say,
“Ah, I had a feeling that might be the case. You’re always making eyes at each other. Is it serious?”
“I want it to be,” I say, my breath leaving my body in an exhausted sigh. I’ve been keeping it in for so long I hadn’t realised how heavy it felt.
“Oh my God, mate,” he says, sitting upright. “Congratulations!”
“Don’t get too excited, that’s what I need your help with. You’ve met her. You know what she’s like. How the fuck are you supposed to tell a woman like Hattie Buchanan that you love her?”
Hattie’s book club is meeting at Sunshine tonight, so I’ve walked down to lurk at one of the little tables outside, hoping to catch her as she leaves. As the crowd pour out, she doesn’t clock me when she strolls out, arm in arm with Megan. She looks cute as hell, the skirt of her summer dress swishing around her thighs, but her chunky black ankle boots remind me she’s anything but cute in attitude.
I see an opportunity here, one I keep forgetting to take. As they make their way across the cobbled courtyard, I pull up her number and hit call. When my ringtone starts playing, she unlinks her arm and digs her phone from her pocket. It takes a second for me to figure out which song she’s picked for me.
“It’s Rob,” she holds it out for Megan to see.
“Answer it.”
“No, I’m too scared,” I hear her say.Scared? Why the fuck is she scared to talk to me?Megan snatches her phone and answers before Hattie can realise what’s happening.
“Hey, Rob, this is Megan, Hattie can’t come to the phone right now. Would you like me to pass on a message?”
“Hi Megan, would you mind asking Hattie to turn around?”
