‘I’m guessing you don’t believe in notepads.’
‘I’m a visual person.’
‘Apparently. I’ve not seen this bit of the process before. I had visions of you drawing beautiful pictures in elegant notepads.’
We both glanced down at the separate piles strewn around my living room.
‘Yeah. I don’t really work like that.’
‘No. I can see that now.’
‘Can we come in?’ Marcus’ voice drifted from the front door.
I glanced at Amy.
‘I left it on the catch.’
‘Thanks. I’ll be coming to you when I get robbed.’
Amy pulled a face. ‘It was only for a minute. I knew they were coming up.’
‘Woah!’ Marcus exclaimed, stopping abruptly. ‘I mean… umm… what a lovely flat!’
‘Thanks,’ I said, straight-faced. ’I’m just so glad I tidied up before you arrived. You should have seen it earlier – it was a right mess.’ I made a ‘phew’ face. ‘Coffee? Tea?’
Marcus plastered a smile on and nodded. ‘Whatever you’re making. Thanks.’ British politeness at its best.
Standing behind him, Charlie smiled at me and gave a shake of his head, before nudging his brother. ‘She’s winding you up.’
Marcus looked between me and Amy, clearly unsure which way to step so as not to risk offending me and my possible lack of housekeeping skills.
‘I’m planning some posts for the blog. I find this the easiest way to do it. Honestly, it really is much tidier than this normally. Take a seat if you can find one. I’d pick it up but I’m not finished yet and I’ve just got it how I want,’ I called through from the kitchen.
‘It’s fine. We only dropped in on the way home to say hi and ask what you were doing tomorrow,’ Amy said as I reappeared with mugs on a tray. She and Marcus had squashed onto one of the sofas and Charlie had taken a spare seat on the other one. I put the tray down in the middle.
‘It’s early for you to be home, isn’t it?’ I said, glancing at Charlie as I handed the drinks to Amy and Marcus.
‘Train strike. I worked from home today.’
‘Oh, yes. I forgot. That’s a pain for you.’
‘It was OK. I probably got more stuff done at home than I would at the office anyway. I really feel sorry for the people who absolutely have to get places, though.’
‘And it did mean that he could pick us up from work in the Aston.’ Marcus grinned.
I shook my head. ‘Boys and toys.’
I leant over and handed Charlie his mug.
‘Could you take that for me too?’ I asked, passing my own.
He took it and put it on the end table beside him, his eyes returning to me as I stepped around the piles of items as if I were taking part in some sort of fashion-based assault course.
‘So, what’s happening tomorrow?’ I said, stretching over a pile that now seemed larger than I’d first estimated. I glanced back at Amy for an answer as I hoiked up the hem of my skirt and prepared to make a lunge for the sofa.
‘It’s nothing special,’ she started, her eyes darting to the gap and the pile I was trying to manoeuvre around, calculating as to whether she thought I could make it.
I could totally make it, I told myself. Amy sent me a warning look, which I ignored and confidently launched myself.
