Page 5 of Be More Octopus

'It's just that I have a few close friends “swing” by then if you get my drift.' He grinned at her nervously, then made a sharp exit into his study before she could quiz him.

Lucy looked at Em with raised eyebrows. 'I don't think your dad means he's hosting the local Glenn Miller appreciation society, does he?'

CHAPTER FIVE

Em looked amused as Lucy returned to the living room. 'Were you chatting up the pizza delivery man?'

Lucy waved a menu in front of her. It had a mobile number scrawled on the top.

'That's a bit old school,' Em said.

'He seemed cute, and I didn't have my phone with me,' said Lucy. 'You should try flirting a bit yourself.'

'I haven't got your charm.'

'You charmed Connor.'

'And look where that got me! Anyway, he was drunk. I didn't exactly use my womanly wiles to get his attention. I just didn't reject his advances.' Em opened the pizza box. 'And I'm off men for some reason.'

Lucy had invited herself back to Em's on Saturday evening. Em guessed that Lucy didn't want her to be on her own.

They'd avoided the subject of Connor, not that there was much to say. Em had blocked him after he sent her a text pleading for her to come back. She'd half expected him to turn up on the doorstep, but he'd never paid much attention to her friends and family, so he probably couldn't remember where her dad lived.

Lucy sat down next to Em and started to tuck in. 'I used to be worried about dropping food on your mum's precious sofa. Now I'm more worried about what's been happening on it on the third Wednesday of every month.' Lucy turned to look more closely at the sofa. 'This awful flower pattern would be great at disguising any stains.'

'Don't remind me!' Em knew her dad had been widening his social circle since they'd scattered her mum's ashes, but the whole swingers thing was difficult to get her head around. Cynthia was a bad influence.

'Where is our local Hugh Hefner tonight?' Lucy asked.

'Dad? I think he's round at Cynthia's. After yesterday's revelations, I daren't ask what they're up to.'

'What's the plan then?' Lucy settled back on the sofa.

'I thought we could spend an hour browsing our many streaming services without finding anything interesting. Then we'll resort to watching a one-star movie that's only classed as a horror because the acting is so appalling,' Em said. 'Just for a change.'

'No! I meant, what are your plans for the future?'

'I have no idea! I was awake most of last night, mulling it over. I can't stay here. I looked at a room today, but it was a disaster.'

'That one I found online? I thought it looked great. Modern decor, en suite, and it wasn't too expensive.'

'Yes, it looked fabulous in the listing. But it didn't mention the white tiled walls and plastic-covered chairs and sofas downstairs - very serial killer chic with a landlord to match. He really gave me the creeps.'

'Was he covered in PVC as well?'

Em rolled her eyes. 'You're not taking this seriously. He said it used to be a butcher's shop. He was very cagey about why the previous tenant left. I suspect they're still there, under the very new-looking patio.'

'You're too picky!'

'I'll keep looking. I've got a couple of weeks before the swingers turn up.'

CHAPTER SIX

Em was nursing a bowl of cornflakes as she looked out at the garden from the kitchen window seat. Rivulets of rain were running down the glass. She was used to spending Sunday mornings snuggled up in bed with Connor, but she needed a new routine now.

She heard the front door slam. Her dad walked into the kitchen.

'Dirty stop out,' she said.