“Ready for a new penis in your life,” her friend shot back.
“Shut up.” Pippa’s treacherous memory tantalised her with the image of Wolfie’s naked chest and she squirmed in her seat.
“No, listen!” Mae wagged an authoritative finger. “A significant stage of recovery is the first post-break-up shag.”
“Mae!” Pippa’s cheeks were on fire. The thought of being intimate with another man was bringing her out in a sweat.
“Look at me.” Mae’s voice was low, tender. “I only say it because I care.” Mae stroked Pippa’s hand. “I care that you get some new penis because honestl— Oi!” Mae didn’t get to finish her sentence because Pippa had thrown a biscuit at her head. Mae swooped up the biscuit, taking a triumphant bite. “Trust me. You need to get out there, embrace singlehood.”
“Easy for you to say,” Pippa said. Mae was a prolific dater.
“It’s just a matter of confidence!” Mae scoffed. “Seriously, Pip. I really think you could benefit from inviting some new penis into your life.”
“Right, okay. Let’s discuss this, if only to stop you from saying ‘new penis’ for the billionth time.” Pippa rose from her seat to stretch. “Tell me, where would I find some of that? I’ve been off the shelf so long I wouldn’t even know where to begin! Let’s face it.” She threw her hands up into the air. “Mae, when it comes to getting laid, I’m utterly clueless.” Instead of offering a sympathetic smile or indulgent giggle, Mae was stock still, her dark eyes fixed on something behind Pippa. Something creaked. Leather.Oh fuck.
Pippa turned slowly and, sure enough, there was Wolfie, standing in the doorway wearing his motorcycle leathers. All the blood in Pippa’s body went straight to her cheeks. She opened her mouth to greet him casually, as if she hadn’t just announced she was a terrible shag, but nothing came out. Feeling wobbly, Pippa lowered herself back down to the table.
“Am I interrupting something?” Wolfie asked. He strode to the sink to pour himself a glass of water, which he knocked back in three large gulps. Despite her furious embarrassment, Pippa couldn’t help but notice the way his throat moved as he swallowed, and how his large hands dwarfed the pint glass in his hands. And how the leathers showed off every line of the powerful body she knew full well was under those clothes.
“Nope!” Pippa squeaked. As Wolfie filled up his glass again, Pippa glanced at Mae, who made atalk to himgesture.
Pippa shook her head frantically. And say what? It seemed like every time she crossed paths with Wolfie, she was making an idiot of herself, like being covered in filth or smashing valuable glass trinkets. Her latest gaffe just completed the trifecta of awkward. Pippa snatched up her pen as if to carry on notetaking for the fair, but the lines on the page blurred before her eyes.
“Hi, I’m Mae,” Mae said, kicking Pippa under the table.
Wolfie removed his moto jacket to reveal a faded T-shirt damp with sweat. “Nice to meet you.”
“I’m this one’s best friend,” Mae said. “She’s currently forgotten how to talk, but we’re organising a Summer Fair. You know, like the ones that used to be here?”
Wolfie remained unmoved. “I see,” he said.
If Mae was fazed by Wolfie’s glacial demeanour, she didn’t show it. “Yeah, it’s to raise money for the school roof. Pip didn’t mention it?” Wolfie’s eyes slid to Pippa.
“No. She did not.”
Pippa couldn’t imagine a world where she could just ‘mention’ her everyday minutiae to Wolfie. She took a deep breath. “It doesn’t interfere with my duties here,” she said. “I’ve been asked to pitch in, that’s all.”
“Pitch in?” Mae patted Pippa on the back, hard. “She’s practically organised the entire event single-handed in a matter of days. In fact, Pip just had the most amazing idea… Maybe we could host the prize-giving here for the Wheelbarrow Races?”
“I’m not sure we have the space anymore,” Wolfie said stiffly. “You must have noticed our garden is much smaller nowadays.”
“We don’t need vast acres.” Pippa found her voice. Talking business was oddly soothing. “There’s still plenty of room.”
Wolfie snorted but didn’t elaborate.
Mae glared curiously at Pippa, and she met her friend’s eye helplessly, as if to saySee what I’m dealing with?“It’d just be for a couple of hours,” Pippa persisted. “The green will be chock full of food stalls and whatnot, so we’d like to have an open space for the prize-giving.”
Wolfie shrugged. “What do I care? If people want to trek up the hill to receive a little plastic trophy, then they can knock themselves out.”
“I can’t tell if that’s a yes or if you’re actively wishing unconsciousness upon the people of Hurst Bridge,” Pippa said, fighting hard to quell her irritation.
Wolfie sighed audibly. “It’s a yes.”
“And if you know any professional medics who could man the first aid support for the fair, that’d be great too!” Mae chirped. Wolfie eyed her strangely.
“Mae!” Pippa growled.
“What?” Mae gesticulated innocently. “Desperate times, you said it yourself.” She turned to Wolfie. “Without qualified first aiders, we can’t insure the event. And we need insurance in case some nitwit burns their tongue on an extra hot coffee or, like, has a heart attack pushing their mate around in a barrow.”
