Page 43 of The Second Chance Supper Club

‘Hah, I think we’ll take that as a compliment.’ Will grinned, as Cath shook her head whilst laughing.

‘Good night, Lily.’

‘Night, you two.’

They watched her safely in, waiting to hear the lock click securely on the door behind her. Then they set off once more, Will’s hand gently resting in the small of Cath’s back, two pairs of feet walking in time to a rhythm that echoed down the little main street of the village.

‘She’s a great girl, isn’t she,’ said Will.

‘Yeah, so vibrant and enthusiastic. And I do think she has every chance of succeeding in a catering career. Her baking was wonderful. And with an attitude like hers, she’ll go a long way.’ ‘Yep, and I can understand her parents’ concerns, too. We were all sent the sensible route, back in the day. Well, I certainly was … I wasn’t really that academic. So, the fire brigade it was for me. A good steady job.’

‘And I did the uni thing. Got a good degree, and then became a teacher.’ Cath half-sighed, thinking … And got married, had a son, brought him up. And then, it all went horribly wrong.

‘Too sensible?’ Will questioned.

‘Umm, I don’t think so. Well, not career-wise anyhow. I always loved teaching, still do. Keeping my hand in with the online tutoring just now,’ she explained. ‘I always felt I made a difference, well most of the time. And yeah, it was great chatting with Lily tonight.’

‘Yeah. You two seemed to get on well.’

‘Oh, what it is to be young. You have the whole world ahead of you, and yet it feels so very confusing too.’

‘Not much different now, really,’ mused Will wryly. ‘Just as confusing … with a bit less time.’

‘Hah, you’re so right. Didn’t we learn anything?’

She was exquisitely aware of his arm held gently against her back. Cath glanced across at him in the half-light. He must have gone through so much, having to cope with losing his wife. And for her, there was her mess of a marriage. Did it ever get any easier? Did you ever know what life was about? Or which way you were meant to go?

He caught her gaze, slowing his steps, then suddenly switching tack. ‘Hey, you know you said you used to come up this way on holiday, back in the day … ?’

‘Yeah, yeah. We used to hire a caravan over at the site at Belford. Of course, you must have known that place, if you lived there.’

‘Ca-th.’ Will’s voice softened, sounding serious. He stopped walking, and looked right at her in the silver shadows of the street light. ‘Back then …’ There was a second’s silence, and a flash of angst crossed his face. But when he spoke again, all he said was ‘Hah, all that stuff from the Seventies tonight … I’ve just remembered, didn’t Twix bars used to be called Raiders?’ ‘Oh … yeah.’ Cath felt like that was a bluff, that it wasn’t what he had been about to say at all. ‘Yeah, I think they were.’ She wanted to ask if he was all right? What was he remembering? Something to do with his wife? His childhood? But she didn’t really know him that well, and she didn’t want to spoil what had been a lovely night so far, by prying too much.

‘Yep, it was a fun night, wasn’t it? Despite her fears, Nikki did us all proud.’ Will slipped the conversation back to safer ground.

Now they were back at Cath’s cottage. Stood on the doorstep, just a foot or so apart, Cath once again felt unable to stop that teenage-style rush of emotions. What was wrong with her tonight? Her defences felt dashed.

Will gave a careful smile, which she returned. The night air between them feeling strangely charged.

‘Ah, well … thanks for walking me home, Will.’

DO NOT ASK HIM IN FOR COFFEE. GO INSIDE, RIGHT NOW, CATH TAYLOR, rang in her head like an alarm bell.

The gap between them closed as Will took a slow step forward. OH SHIT … might he be about to … did she want that? What would his lips taste like, feel like, against hers? She hadn’t kissed anyone in an age, not even her husband in those past couple of years.

Panicking a little at the prospect, her fingertips fumbled for her house keys. They dropped to the ground with a metallic clang. Flustered, she crouched down, rummaging about on the dimly lit front step. The moment broken, no chance to find out now. He’d taken a step back. Oh well, it was all for the best. She said a polite goodnight and went in through the door.

But inside, stood with her back against the wall of the hallway, catching her breath, she wondered if in fact that was what she really did feel? That it was for the best. Or had a special moment just slipped through her fingers?

Upstairs in her bed, tucked under the white cotton covers, the realisation hit her. Dammit, she did want to find out what his kiss felt like. Ah, dear God, I like him, I really like him.

Well, that was no good, that was no good at all. And some things were indeed best kept under wraps. After the stress and hurt of the past few years, the last thing she needed was to dabble in a new relationship.

Friends, that was the best way to stay. No need to change things, to find out how it might go horribly wrong, risking messing up the supper group in the process.

And hey, she reminded herself, after recently seeing her middle-aged body in the cold light of a changing room mirror, the fear of revealing any of it was enough to stall any lustful inclinations she might have and stop them dead in their tracks.

It was time to sleep, to stop this silliness.