Nathan shifted in his seat. ‘I hope you like it.’
Aware that her hesitation was adding to his nerves, Lisa slid her hand into the bag, taking out a flat white box, with a ribbon tied in a bow across one corner. She recognised the name of the jewellers embossed on the top. With shaky hands she slipped the lid off, revealing a black satininterior, upon which lay a bracelet with a heart clasp and three charms she knew had been thoughtfully chosen for her. ‘Wow! Nathan, thank you,’ she breathed. Removing the bracelet carefully from the box, she laid it in her hand, smiling as she looked more closely at each of the charms. It felt cool against her skin. It was so very different to the gifts Ben had bought her when they lived in London;they were expensive, impersonal, selected for show not sentiment. The bracelet Nathan had chosen, along with the charms he had placed on it, made her heart thud a little faster.
Nathan spoke, his voice unsure. ‘It’s white gold. I didn’t know if you’d prefer silver or gold.’
‘It’s beautiful.’ Lisa felt a lump forming in her throat.
‘I thought about getting you other sorts of jewellery… like earrings, a necklace …’
Lisa looked at the flush spreading on his cheeks, aware that he was trying to avoid the engagement ring insinuation, and felt guilty that her reaction over eleven years ago had caused him to feel wary about the subject, even now.
He continued, ‘And then I saw this and thought … I thought we could fill it with memories.’
‘Nathan, it’s perfect.’ Lisa felttears well in her eyes as she held the first of the charms between her fingers. It was a satchel engraved with a date.
‘I’m not sure about that one. I know it wasn’t actually a satchel, and I didn’t know if you’d remember.’
‘The year we first started going out together, or the fact you used to carry my school bag?’
Nathan smiled, relief evident in his eyes. ‘But I guess you do.’
‘Of course I do.’ Lisa looked at the other two charms.
Nathan cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. ‘Right up until your recent escapade, those two made complete sense. Now I feel the need to point out they have nothing to do with you being stuck in a tree.’
Lisa laughed. ‘In that case the firefighter is you, and the cat is Uno.’
‘Yes! I’d ordered them before your daring deed.’
Lisa thought about the risk she had unwittingly taken climbing the tree and tried not to let her smile fade.
‘Anyway, strictly speaking, the firefighter is from me, and the cat is from Uno. He asked me to give it to you since you’ve stolen his heart … I hope the bracelet’s OK? I can change it if you’d rather have something else.’
Lisa draped the bracelet over her wrist and took a breathwhile she steadied her emotions. ‘It’s perfect. Will you help me?’ She held her wrist up to Nathan.
He closed the clasp before holding her wrist and tracing his thumb around the bracelet as it glinted in the light of the tea light. Meeting her gaze, he smiled. ‘Happy Valentine’s Day, Lisa.’
She leaned over, her hand sliding along the line of his jaw and into his hair as she kissed him.‘Happy Valentine’s Day.’ As she sat back, she knew that this was the point at which she should mention her present for him. But she couldn’t. Instead she took a swig of her water while searching for something to say, and then it came to her. A distraction. ‘I much prefer my present to Flick’s. Pete’s getting her running shoes, but he’s booked her in for a foot analysis or something first.’
‘A gait analysis, really?’ Nathan picked up his Peroni and took a drink before placing it back on the table. ‘That’s great. So she’s keeping the running up, then?’
‘Yes, she’s really enjoying it.’
‘Good for her, and Pete for the present choice.’
Lisa screwed up her nose.
‘Ha, well, it might not sound great to you, but a good gait analysis before you buy running shoes can preventinjury.’
‘Hmm, I suppose that’s quite sweet of him really, then. Flick has put her name down for the Easter 5K and so she was really excited about the whole thing … but I’d rather have my bracelet.’
As the waitress appeared to take their order, Lisa welcomed the distraction of looking at the menu. Talking about their food choices at least enabled the conversation to move on from Valentine’sgifts.
Lisa tried to stay focused throughout the meal despite the building butterflies in her stomach making it difficult for her to enjoy her chicken with porcini mushroom risotto. She caught the eye of the owner of the bar several times, who had nodded to confirm that everything was ready, but still Lisa knew, no matter how prepared she was, she didn’t know what Nathan’s reaction would be.That was the unknown quotient. She hoped she had done the right thing. That telling Nathan while out was the right thing to do. Nerves began to bite at her earlier confidence. Maybe she should have waited until later, until they were back home, just the two of them. Made it more personal, more private. Maybe she should have told him before now. The moment she knew.
Lisa fiddled with the charmson her bracelet – her lovely, wonderfully apt Valentine’s bracelet, which she and Nathan were going to fill with memories. The thought warmed her. His gift was so perfect, she wondered if what she had prepared was enough. Excusing herself, she decided to go to the toilet and to text Felicity. If only she had run the plan past her before. She could tell her what Nathan had got for her and askfor her advice. She and Pete had been together for years; Lisa was sure she must know about these things.Trainers, Lisa, Felicity was excited to get trainers!Perhaps Dom would be the better choice.
Lisa stood, but as she did so, she saw two waitresses coming towards their table, one carrying the box. Ordering Nathan a rocky road cake was easy, deciding she wanted one from Choccywoccydoodahin Brighton made it slightly more complicated and had meant a journey over to collect it before her final clients of the day. But the notion had been fuelled by memories of the two of them looking in the window of the shop at the elaborate cake designs when they used to go to Brighton as teenagers. While most things in the shop were beyond their budget back then, they sometimes bought sale itemsor smaller chocolates to share on the train journey back home. Lisa hoped he would remember.
