Lydia looked at her friend and said, ‘Sally, I’m falling in love with him.’
*
‘Can you be in love with two men at the same time?’ Lydia asked after she’d told Sally more and they moved into the lounge to continue their conversation. Lydia put a match to the kindling, the fire lighter and a couple of pieces of screwed-up newspaper.
‘I think in certain situations, you probably can,’ said Sally.
‘In situations like mine, you mean.’
‘Exactly. But, Lydia, I don’t think you’reinlove with two men. I think the love you have for Theo has shifted a gear.’ She waited for Lydia to sit down next to her. ‘You still love him. You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t, but you’re beginning to pick up the pieces because really, he’s gone. And you shouldn’t feel guilty for that.’
‘I feel like I’m cheating.’
Sally sighed deeply. ‘You’re not cheating. It’s not a black and white situation, it’s almost impossible to imagine ever being in your position for the last thirteen and a half months.’ She smiled. ‘Are you seeing him again?’
Lydia couldn’t suppress her grin. ‘He’s coming over in…’ She looked at her watch ‘…approximately four and a half hours.’
With a squeal, Sally hugged her friend. ‘He’s gorgeous, good for you.’
Another knock at the door and Lydia opened it to Connor this time. ‘Come in and join the party,’ she told him as he took off his coat and hung it on the hook in the hallway. ‘You’re soaked.’
‘I don’t have an umbrella.’
She ran upstairs and grabbed a towel from the airing cupboard and threw it to him.
He deftly caught it and rubbed it across the blond tips of his hair. ‘Thanks. So come on, how was the “work trip”?’ When he did the same air quotes Sally had awarded her vacation in Andorra, Lydia laughed, and showing him through to the lounge she told him all about it, covering everything apart from the subject of Jonathan Maynard.
‘Ask her what else she did.’ Sally had brought the packet of shortbread fingers through to the lounge and offered them round.
‘That sounds interesting.’ He looked to Lydia. ‘Or is it for girls’ ears only?’
She explained how she’d fallen on the slopes and Jonathan had picked her up, she talked about the time they’d spent together but not in quite such flowery language as when she’d told Sally, and when she’d finished he asked, ‘Did you spend the night together?’
She hesitated.
‘Oh come on, Lydia. We’re friends, remember? Just because we bumped uglies once doesn’t mean we can’t tell each other everything, does it?’
‘I suppose not. And yes, we did spend the night together, last night as it happens.’
‘I’m really pleased for you,’ he said with a sincerity that would be difficult to miss.
They talked more about Jonathan, more about winter holidays and the three of them waxed lyrical about what Lydia’s next work assignment would be. Connor’s bet was on an all-expenses-paid trip to the Maldives just to check if the sand was as white as in the photographs and the sea as blue as they’d have you believe; Sally thought she’d probably get a foodies tour of Europe visiting as many chocolate shops as she could.
‘Jammy cow,’ said Sally.
‘Talking of being jammy,’ Connor began and Lydia knew what his news was by the look on his face.
‘You got the job?’
‘I got the job!’ He grinned and Lydia hugged him, the friend she’d known for such a short time but who had come to mean so much to her.
‘That’s fantastic. Have you handed your notice in yet?’
‘I finish next Wednesday and I’ll have a long weekend before I start. Can’t wait.’
‘I’m really pleased for you.’ When the washing machine beeped, Lydia stood up. ‘Excuse me… gotta put the next load on.’
When she came back into the room she checked her watch again.
