Page 42 of Summer at Croftwood Cinema
‘You’re very easy to please Miss Cleopatra.’
Patsy grimaced. ‘It’s so weird when you call me that. It doesn’t feel like it’s my name. My mum is the only person who’s ever called me that.’
‘It’s so exotic though and appropriate for the bath, even though it’s water and not milk.’
Patsy turned around to face Ed while trying to keep herself under the water. She deposited some bubbles on his nose. ‘So I’ll call you Edwin from now on, okay?’
Ed grinned. ‘Not if you value our friendship.’ He swiped the bubbles from his nose and kissed her. ‘Point taken, we’ll stick to Patsy and Ed, shall we?’
‘Yes, let’s.’
There was a knock on the door and Ed leapt out of the bath, sending a small tidal wave over the edge. ‘Shit!’ But he was laughing as he grabbed a towel.
‘Who is that?’
‘It’s a surprise.’
While he was in the bedroom, Patsy took the opportunity to top the bath up with hot water.
Ed came back into the bathroom, having dropped his towel in favour of holding a bottle of Prosecco and two glasses.
‘Oooh, Mr Edwin! What a nice surprise and I don’t mean the Prosecco.’
Ed laughed and climbed back into the bath, this time at the opposite end to Patsy. ‘Okay, let’s stop full-naming each other.’ He poured a glass and handed it to Patsy then poured one for himself. ‘Here’s to us.’
’To us,’ she said.
Once Patsy and Ed finally got out of the bath, it was almost time to meet Oliver and Amy.
‘Where has the day gone?’ Patsy said, trying to tame her hair into a low, loose chignon and miserably failing.
‘Time flies when you’re having fun,’ said Ed, coming up behind her and putting his arms around her waist. He was wearing smarter, darker jeans and a shirt; the first time Patsy had seen him wear anything other than a hoodie. And his aftershave made her knees weak. She looped her arm around the back of his head and pulled him towards her.
‘Oh my god, Ed. How do you expect me to get ready when you’re looking like that? And smelling so sexy?’
‘You don’t look too shabby yourself,’ he said, kissing the back of her neck.
‘Enough of that,’ she said, sticking a couple of pins in her hair and hoping it would stay. ‘We’ll be late.’
‘We’re on holiday,’ Ed said, turning her towards him and gently kissing her again.
‘Tonight I’m working. It’s a recce, don’t forget.’
‘I have no problem mixing business and pleasure.’
‘Neither do I. But mess up my lips and it’s a different story.’ She smiled and pressed a finger to Ed’s lips which were making their way towards hers again. ‘Come on, let’s go.’
They made their way downstairs and found Oliver waiting for them in the bar with a bottle of Prosecco in a bucket on the table.
‘Sorry, I’ve already made inroads into this,’ said Oliver standing up to shake Ed’s hand and kiss Patsy’s cheek.
‘Where’s Amy?’ There was no sign of her but perhaps she was still getting ready.
‘She couldn’t come,’ Oliver said, giving Patsy a look which told her that Amy hadn’t wanted to come but he didn’t want to talk about it. ‘Anyway,’ he said, pouring them each a glass of Prosecco, even though Patsy knew Ed would have preferred a beer, ‘I’ve managed to find a last-minute substitute.’
Right on cue, Matt walked into the bar. A few weeks ago, this would have appalled Patsy but now, she felt immediately pleased that he was going to join them.
‘Hi guys, hope you don’t mind me gate-crashing your weekend,’ he said. He looked relaxed and different somehow, out of his usual uniform of jeans and a sports jacket. Tonight he was wearing navy chinos and a soft grey sweater with a white t-shirt peeking out from the neckline.
