‘Lottie? I just wanted to let you know that we had a hugeand very positive response to yesterday’s missing people feature – and lots ofthe messages mentioned you in particular.’
‘Did they? Wow.’
‘I’m not surprised, really. You spoke right from the heartand people could obviously tell that.’
‘Well, I’m... delighted. And reallypleased I could help.’
‘You did. Anyway, need to go. But I haven’t forgotten youagreed to have lunch with me. Give me a ring, okay?’
‘Okay. I will.’
After the call, I get back to my list of jobs, at the top ofwhich is phoning to find out exactly when the new kitchen and bathroom aregoing to arrive. Eddie finally contacted me this morning with many apologiesfor the delay, and he’s agreed to come and fit them as soon as they’re here.
But after talking to Liam, I find myself distracted,thinking back to our conversation and forgetting who I was supposed to becalling.
Why am I being such a scaredy-cat about having lunch withhim? Liam is not in the least like Guy. I should just go ahead and take therisk because the rewards could be amazing!
Fired up, I decide there’s no time like the present. I’llcall him and suggest we could have a bite to eat after he’s finished worktoday. I know he usually wraps up for the day around six, so maybe we could nipinto the little Spanish restaurant near the radio studio and have some tapas?
But when I call, he’s otherwise engaged, maybe recording a piecefor tomorrow’s show? Perhaps I’ll phone him later and suggest lunch tomorrowinstead.
Or... I could just get ready and go downthere for six. I could say I was just passing and thought he might like to...blah, blah, blah. He’d know it was a blatant lie but so what? I’d be nailing mycolours to the mast, so to speak, showing him I’m interested in getting to knowhim better. It’s high time I started being braver and going after what I want!
It’s just after four and it takes me an hour to shower,apply perfect make-up and blow-dry my hair. As I pull on jeans and a cute topwith my favourite boots and jacket (it’s looking quite autumnal out there thisafternoon), I’m feeling on top of the world.
I haven’t felt as excited as this about life for a very longtime. Perhaps this will be a new start for me. I might even call Mum andarrange to meet up again. I know she’d be over the moon.
I decide to take a taxi down to the studio, just in case wehave wine, and I’m feeling rather grand as we draw up outside the building,telling the driver I’m meeting the new presenter for an early dinner.
‘I heard him on this morning,’ the taxi driver says, leaningback as I hand over the money. ‘He’s good. Hope you enjoy yourself.’
‘I’m sure I will,’ I say happily.
Just then, the automatic doors of the building swing openand out walks the man himself. Smiling, I prepare to get out of the taxi andjoin Liam. But then I realise he’s laughing and gesturing to someone to hurryup, and as I freeze, watching, Nat appears. She catches him up and grabs hisarm playfully, smiling up into his eyes. Then she lets go and they separate toget into Liam’s car, which is parked right in front of my taxi.
I duck slightly to avoid being seen, but I doubt he’d havenoticed me anyway. He’s too busy chatting away to Nat.
‘Erm, actually, I’ve changed my mind,’ I tell the taxidriver, my stomach plummeting to earth. ‘Can you – um – take me home again?’
‘Home?’ He looks puzzled.
‘Yes. That man who just came out there – he was my dinnerdate.’
‘So he’s having dinner with someone else?’ He soundshorrified on my behalf.
‘Apparently. Although it’s not really like that. I was justcalling on spec. We hadn’t actually arranged anything.’
‘Oh, right. Okay. Home it is, then.’
As it turns out, we’re following right behind Liam’s car allthe way, as we head back through Sunnybrook. Maybe Liam’s giving Natalie a lifthome? But I’m sure he said she lives in Buntingford, which is in completely theopposite direction...
Could they be off out for the night? Dinner in one of thevillage restaurants?
But they don’t stop in the village. They drive straight onthrough and it’s only when we’re approaching the turn-off for the local railwaystation that Liam’s indicator goes on.
The taxi driver must have seen me craning my neck because heasks if I want him to follow them into the station.
‘Oh, no. No, no. Thanks. I’ll just go home.’
