Page 25 of Happily Never After
‘What about Donna? Any evidence of family there?’
She’s definitely interested.
‘You like her, don’t you?’ I ask.
‘What kind of question is that?’
‘You were bordering on flirtatious.’
‘No, I wasn’t. I was just listening carefully to what she said,’ Liv bristles, making me smile. She’s so transparent when she gets a crush on someone. ‘I didn’t want to miss a single detail which might affect my darling Meggie, did I?’
‘You’re such a model dog mother,’ I tell her with a laugh. ‘Promise me one thing though.’
‘What?’
‘Actually, two things. One, don’t give Meg so many treats while I’m away that she gets fat.’
‘Deal. What’s the second?’
‘Don’t frighten Donna off. At least, not until I get back.’
‘Why would I frighten her off?’
‘You get a bit… predatory… sometimes, when you like someone.’
‘I do not! Anyway, this is all in your head.’
‘Mm-hm? I know you, Liv. I can recognise the signals, and you were giving off all of them. You were even flicking your hair at one point. Total cliché.’
‘It was getting in my eyes. You read too much into things.’
‘OK. So tell me, hand on heart, that you don’t fancy her at all. I mean, I can’t see why you would. She’s pretty, curvy, fairly no-nonsense about life. Oh, wait a minute. Those are all things you’re really into, now I come to think about it.’
‘You’re funny. You should think about writing some of this stuff down. Fine. I may have noticed her. But that doesn’t mean anything.’
‘I’m just saying be subtle. The last thing I need is for poor Meg to be expelled from doggy daycare because you’re sexually harassing the owner.’
‘I’m not going to sexually harass anyone, thank you. I might ask a few probing questions now and then, but that’s all.’
I laugh. ‘Now I don’t know who to feel more sorry for. Meg, for going to daycare, you for having to leave her there, or Donna for having to put up with your inquisitions.’
‘Pah. Go off and do your writerly thing and stop worrying about us. We’ll be just fine, won’t we, Meg?’
I glance across at her. She might be trying to play this cool, but it’s a long time since I’ve seen her so instantly and strongly attracted to someone. I just hope, for her sake, that Donna doesn’t give her the brush-off. However, I’ve got a bigger problem. I now have no excuse not to go on this bloody retreat.
10
‘Are you all right? You look a little lost, if you don’t mind me saying.’ The voice is male and, when I turn to look at him, I’m confronted by a man that I’d guess is probably a couple of years older than me. His blue eyes are bright behind his frameless glasses and his mop of light brown hair is unruly without being unkempt.
‘I am a bit confused,’ I admit. ‘The last time I flew, there were check-in desks, but I can’t see any.’
He smiles, revealing even, white teeth. ‘Welcome to the cut-throat world of budget airlines. You have to do everything yourself. Have you got your boarding pass?’
I show him my passport, which has my boarding pass tucked inside.
‘Great. Let me show you what you have to do. I’m Finn, by the way.’
‘Laura,’ I tell him.
