No! He isn’t…?
‘I meant to get in touch when you added me to your favourite list,’ he continued, ‘but I hoped you’d message me first. I’m not great at making first contact.’
I could hardly bear to ask the question. ‘Your name’s Steven?’
‘Yes! Steven Bell. Ta-dah!’ He waved jazz-hands at me, the dandruff on his shoulders bouncing up and down as he moved. ‘How did you know? There’s no photo on my profile.’
‘Lucky guess.’ I tried to sidestep him but he had my route blocked.
‘Seeing as we’ve met now, would you like to go out tomorrow night?’
Eek! Saying no online was one thing but being confronted withthe anti-Steven on a night out with my mum was quite different. ‘I’ve just opened a new business today,’ I said. ‘I’ve got stacks to do tomorrow to get ready for my second day of trading.’
‘Monday night then?’
‘Sorry, I’ve got plans with friends.’ Thank goodness for Bay Trade.
‘Tuesday?’
‘Sorry, Steven, but this week really isn’t good for me.’
‘Next Saturday then?’
No. Not next Saturday. Not ever. Please get the message. You’re creepy and telling me you look at my photo before you go to bed is not a chat-up line I’d recommend. Please leave me alone.But I was too polite to say any of that. I settled for a non-committal, ‘Maybe.’
‘I’ll take that as a yes then,’ he gushed, showering me with spit.
‘It’s not a yes.’
‘But it wasn’t a no so that’s good enough for me.’
Where was straight-talking Clare when I needed her? Why couldn’t I be strong like her? ‘Message me,’ I muttered. ‘I must go.’ I finally managed to squeeze past him and return to my table.
‘Who was that?’ asked Mum.
‘Just some guy who thinks he knows me.’
‘Does he?’
‘No. Definitely not.’ I didn’t dare catch Elise’s eye.
I sat back in my chair and took a long glug of my wine as I listed off my Steven encounters in my head. My search for Steven hadn’t got off to the best start. Could I cope with a few more months of it? Or should I just give it all up as a bad job, conclude that Madame Louisa has given me the wrong name, and make it clear to Nick at the Bay Trade thing on Monday that my search was over. And if he’d like to retry that moment on the beach – without the playful Labrador – I wouldn’t push him off.
19
?? From Nick
Hi you. Tomorrow night’s been rescheduled for a week on Thursday. Hope you can still make it then. I’ve been offered another week’s work in Edinburgh which I’d turned down for Bob’s do but might as well take seeing as it’s changed date. I need to do some prep or I’d have suggested a drink. Can’t wait to hear about your first day xx
Damn!I slumped back on the sofa at Seashell Cottage on Sunday afternoon. Feeling my shoulders sag with disappointment, I had to check myself. ‘So much for re-living the beach moment,’ I muttered. But at least it gave me another week to search for Steven. I kept blowing hot and cold on it. One moment, I drifted into a fantasy about kissing Nick, but then I thought about the discovery of the lighthouse photo and Grandma’s bracelet and started fantasising abouttheSteven appearing imminently.
??To Nick
That’s a shame. Have fun in Edinburgh. Next Thursday’s fine. Same time and place? First day exceeded expectations. Exhausted now xx
?? From Nick
Glad you can still come. Everything’s the same but the date. Hope you get to relax today after all that prep for opening day. Have an amazing full first week. Will be thinking of you lots xx
