Page 64 of Summer at Croftwood Cinema
‘We were saving that box to make a fort,’ Matt said.
‘Okay…’
‘Who’s left apart from us? I’m going to order a takeaway. Chinese?’
‘It is just us now. I’ve sent everyone else off. A Chinese sounds great, thanks mate.’
‘Any objections to getting a few dishes to share?’ Matt headed towards the foyer to make the call since the reception was a bit dodgy in the middle of the building.
‘Sounds great,’ Patsy called after him. ‘Can you make sure the front door’s locked?’
He nodded and gave a thumbs up.
‘You two are getting on well these days,’ Oliver said with a glint in his eye.’
‘He’s been very nice to me lately so I don’t think he’s a misogynistic arse any more.’
‘That’s quite a change of heart.’
‘What can I say? He’s grown on me.’
‘And what’s going to happen when this is all finished?’
Patsy stopped scissoring a mass of bubblewrap and tape that covered the table she was unpacking and looked at Oliver. It hadn’t even occurred to her that she would see less of Matt once they were up and running. It was obvious now Oliver had said because what reason would there be for their paths to cross? Before the cinema she had hardly ever seen him in the coffee house. Is that what it would be like again, or would it be different because they were friends now?
‘Well, he’ll still be around. He lives in Croftwood, doesn’t he?’
‘Yes, in the posh houses off the Worcester Road.’
He smirked, knowing that Patsy knew exactly where he meant. Everyone in Croftwood knew because there had been extensive opposition to the planning application for the exclusive development a few years ago, with the main complaint being that it was too close to the woods and would spoil the countryside. It was reminiscent of somewhere in America rather than semi-rural central England and actually, envy had been the main driver behind people’s objections. It was very close to the woodland but the well-considered architecture made the houses seem as if they belonged there, as much a part of the landscape as the woods themselves.
‘Blimey. Maybe that’s why he didn’t mention it,’ she said to Oliver.
‘He designed them so I wouldn’t think he’s ashamed, he likes to keep things low-key, that’s all.’
And that was fair enough, although she was quietly impressed that Matt was behind those houses. She loved them and knowing Matt was the closest she’d ever come to having a chance of going inside one, or even having need to venture up that road. But she was getting ahead of herself.
It seemed like no time at all until Matt was back carrying a couple of white takeaway bags. They spread out some cardboard in the middle of them and laid out the takeaway dishes on the floor. Oliver grabbed plates and cutlery from the newly equipped kitchen and they dug in.
‘I’ve never felt like I deserve a takeaway more,’ Patsy said with a mouthful of noodles.
‘Mmm. I know what you mean,’ Oliver said. ‘I haven’t worked this hard since I was setting up the coffee house.’
‘You two are lightweights, this is the pace I work at all the time.’
Patsy laughed and threw a prawn cracker at him. ‘As if.’
‘You bringing anyone along to the party, mate?’ Oliver asked Matt, glancing at Patsy with a raised eyebrow when Matt wasn’t looking.
‘No. You? Is Amy coming?’
Oliver shook his head. ‘No, that’s as good as over. Just some business to sort out and then we can call it a day.’
‘Ah, sorry to hear that.’
‘It’s for the best. I think we’ve both moved on, we want different things. No point resenting that.’
For all Oliver’s reasonable assessment of the situation, Patsy knew him too well to think that he was as unscathed by the whole thing as he appeared to be. When they had more time, she’d make him talk to her properly about it, make sure he really was okay but for now she’d settle for not letting him feel like he was the only singleton.
