Tim is someone you care for very deeply and have a great relationship with, but who isn’t your matching heart. Is Andy your Tim who, just like mine, also represents the past catching up withyou? Or is Nick your Tim: someone who you feel a strong draw towards but, deep down, you know isn’t the man of your dreams?
Charlie, on the other hand, is the person you cannot imagine living without. He’s the one you think about first thing in the morning and last thing at night, and most of the time in-between. He’s the one who makes you laugh but also makes you cry, the one who gives you butterflies, the one you want to grow old with. He’s your soulmate. You know what this looks like; just look at your parents.
Who do you have that with? Andy or Nick? If it’s neither, then end it with both before you cause you or them more heartbreak. And don’t panic about becoming like your Uncle Alan. Even if you stay single, you’ll never be alone like him as you have a family and great friends who’ll always be here for you. If you do choose one, make sure you’re not settling for second best; your Tim.
I’m going to say goodbye now because I think I’ve lectured you enough.
Find your Charlie, Sarah, and hang onto him with all your strength because he’ll be worth it and, no matter what that CD says, don’t let the Steven thing be your guide. Let your heart be your guide xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I wiped my eyes with shaking hands then rummaged in my pocket for a tissue. Wow! That was unexpected. Poor Auntie Kay. I had no idea. No wonder she got mad when I set her up.
I was about to type in a reply when my phone beeped. Nick.
?? From Nick
Sorry I sent Callie in yesterday but I did promise you I’d stay away. It wasn’t easy, though. I came to town with her and must havewalked past your shop 20 times while you were with her, trying to pluck up the courage to come in. But a promise is a promise, no matter how hard it is to keep! I really miss you! Hope you’re happy and Andy is treating you well. Thinking of you, always xx
He missed me? He was thinking of me? That wasn’t a text from someone who’d moved on. Did it mean Blonde was out of the picture? Or that she was never in the picture? Maybe she was just a one-off? But Elise had seen them together twice since.
Sitting back in the chair, I reflected on Auntie Kay’s email, what Mum had said, and my session with my Post-it notes. The one common theme was whether I could imagine growing old with Andy. Would he be the one who stopped me being alone?
I typed in a quick reply to Auntie Kay to thank her for her email, say sorry for her loss, let her know my decision, and tell her I’d send her a longer reply later.
Almost as soon as I finished typing, there was a loud knock on the door. Time to face up to things…
34
‘Sorry I’m late.’ Andy handed me a small cream bag with black rope handles.
‘What’s this?’ I didn’t need to ask. I recognised the bag as one from Castle Jewelleryfive doors down from Seaside Blooms. ‘You’ve been far too generous already.’
Andy grinned. ‘You deserve it. Can I come in? It’s freezing out here.’
‘Sorry. Miles away.’ I stepped back to let him pass and gagged as I was hit by an overpowering wave of red wine. Had he showered in the stuff?
Following him into the lounge I hovered in the doorway wondering what the etiquette was in a situation like this. Should I open the gift and act like everything was fine? Should I hand him the gift back and insist that we talk first? Should I just blurt out my decision?
‘I don’t bite, you know.’ Andy patted the spare seat next to him on the sofa. ‘And neither do the contents of that bag.’
I looked down and realised I was holding it out in front of me like a dirty nappy.
‘Are you okay, Sarah?’
Now there was a question. If I was honest, I was anything but okay at that very moment. I just wanted to curl up in a ball on mybed with Mr Pink and my cats and make it all go away. I hated the situation I was in. Absolutely hated it. Whatever I said or did, someone was going to get hurt.
‘Sit down and open your gift,’ he said, patting the sofa again, and looking at me with big puppy-dog eyes.
‘Okay, you win.’ I perched on the edge of the sofa and opened the black jewellery case to reveal a necklace with a brushed silver rose pendant and matching earrings.
‘They’re gorgeous, Andy.’
‘Roses are still your favourites?’
I nodded as I stared at the jewellery, wondering what to do next.
Andy reached for the box and removed the necklace. ‘Here. Let me. You put the earrings on and I’ll fasten this.’
Too gutless to argue, I removed my silver studs and replaced them with the roses, then lifted my hair and twisted around so he could fasten the necklace from behind. The light trace of his fingertips against my neck sent a little shiver of pleasure through me. Damn! I couldn’t help it; I still felt something for him. Years of loving him followed by years of longing to be with him weren’t going to disappear overnight, no matter what I felt for Nick.
