Page 29 of Twilight at Croftwood Library
He nodded. ‘She’s keen for us to see more of each other. I think she needs some closure or something.’ Then he took her hand and stared down at it as he spoke. ‘What happened today… it was the first time I’d kissed anyone since Amy, anyone who mattered to me, Lois. I think Rosemary was upset at seeing evidence that I have moved on and her reaction... I was shocked and then I felt so guilty. It just brought back all those feelings like I was letting Amy down. I’m so sorry.’ He took both of her hands in his.
‘Oh, Oliver. I can see how you must have felt. Maybe you should talk to Rosemary. Clear the air.’
That was the last thing he wanted to do. It was not Rosemary’s business. What he needed was to draw a line under things with Amy.
‘I should have talked to you and explained instead of walking out. I thought that’d be it, Lois. All day I’ve been thinking about how I’ve finally found someone who makes me feel…happy. And I messed it up straight away.’
‘It’s not messed up, it’s fine.’ Lois put her hands on his cheeks and gave him a gentle kiss. He kissed her back and they sat there, kissing for a while until he pulled away.
‘The thing is Lois, things are complicated with Amy. She’s a lot better now and wants us to see more of each other. But she’s been so fragile, if she thought there was anything between us, well I’m not sure she’d be ready for that. At all.’
‘You should have told me, Oliver.’
‘I know. But once I decided to end things with her, I tried not to think about it. I had to put it behind me and move on and I’d just started to do that. And then I met you and it’s the first time I’ve even thought about being with someone else.’ He gave her a worried smile. ‘I’m finding it difficult to navigate being friends with her because I’m worried she wants more than that.’ He pulled away and stood up. ‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be landing all of this on you.’
Lois stood up and went to him. ‘Oliver, maybe it’s not the right time for us yet. We can wait, be friends,’ she said with a smile, taking the tips of his fingers in hers.
He leant down to kiss her. Being just friends wasn’t what he wanted but it wasn’t fair to Lois for him to commit to anything until he had properly sorted things out with Amy. And he would. ‘Thanks, Lois.’
There was no need to launch themselves into a torrid love affair. They were both old enough to know that if it was meant to be they could take their time to make sure it started on the right foot. And if that meant reining in their emotions for a little while until they were free of the past and free to move on together, then that was fine.
‘God, I look like shit,’ he smiled. ‘The first time you come here and it’s – ‘
‘It’s perfect.’
Oliver stood up and ran his fingers through his hair again, this time attempting to tame it. ‘Look, let me get changed and then why don’t we go out for something to eat?’
He could see her walking around the flat through the gap in the bedroom door while she waited for him. The flat was a bit of an extension of the coffee house in that there was lots of wood. The floor was oak boards as were the windowsills and there was a huge hunk of an oak mantlepiece above the fireplace which he’d picked up from a salvage yard. He watched Lois rub the wool tweed curtains between her fingers which he took as a sign of approval.
‘Right,’ he said, emerging from the bedroom, looking back to his usual self. ‘Shall we go to the Rose and Crown?’
‘I have no idea, you choose. I’m a Worcester girl, remember.’
‘The Rose and Crown it is then.’ He held the door open for her and she headed down the stairs as he turned the lights off behind them.
Patsy had closed the coffee house and was doing her last bits of tidying up.
‘Thanks for today, Pats. See you on Saturday?’
‘Sure thing, Ollie.’ She winked at them both as they left.
‘I’ll come back for my bike afterwards,’ said Lois.
‘You could leave it here and get a cab home. I’d worry about you cycling home in the dark.’
‘It’s fine,’ said Lois. ‘I bike home in the dark every day now since the clocks changed. I’ve got a very bright coat and very good lights.’
‘We’ll see,’ said Oliver looking down at her. Then he took her hand which made him feel almost as great as when they’d kissed. Tiny electric shocks seemed to pass between their fingers as he linked his in between hers and wrapped them together.
The pub was just around the corner and looked inviting from the outside. Inside was no disappointment, especially when they managed to get a table next to the log fire. It was Italian night so they both ordered Spaghetti Bolognese with buttery garlic bread and a bottle of red wine to share.
‘Does Amy live in Croftwood?’ asked Lois.
‘She lives in Malvern.’ He paused. ‘It wasn’t a straightforward break-up, you know?’
Lois nodded.
‘You know. You’ve only just been through it yourself.’
