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“Thank you again for doing this,” I add.

“It’s nothing, really.” Owen shakes his head as he nears his car.

“I guess I’ll see you at work next week.”

His car beeps as the central locking system clicks.

“See you next week,” Owen says as he opens his door and climbs into his car.

Then the engine roars to life, and he pulls out of the car park without so much as a backwards glance. I’m left standing by my car, gold dress in a bag, wondering what the hell just happened.

22

Alice

It’s as if Owen’s vanished from Kitchen City.

He hasn’t, of course, but I haven’t spoken to him in three days. Now it’s Wednesday, and we’re supposed to be going to his friend’s house for tea tomorrow night.

It feels like he’s avoiding me. I’ve only seen glimpses of him as he’s made his way from the staffroom and into his box of an office. There hasn’t been an invitation to join him for lunch, and I can’t gate-crash his secret garden, as I feel it would be overstepping the mark.

There was definitely something amiss when we left the suit shop on Sunday. I have to remind myself we aren’t actually dating so I have no right to call him and demand he explain what’s up. It’s none of my business. But even so, I’d like to think I classify now as a friend, and friends check in with each other, right?

“Still nothing from Owen?” Taylor asks as I slope over to the reception desk during a quiet spell in the afternoon. She’s busily rearranging a perfectly organised bouquet of lilies standing proudly on the desk.

“No. I saw him at lunchtime when he popped into the staffroom to make a cup of tea, but he just kept his head down as if he was trying not to be seen.”

“Much his normal self.” Taylor raises an eyebrow.

“He wasn’t looking for me or anything,” I add.

“Why would he be?” she asks, and my stomach does that awful floppy thing that feels almost like hunger. But I know it isn’t, as I only ate an hour ago.

On Monday morning, I’d filled Taylor in about Owen not being in a relationship and our strange shopping trip, but she hasn’t offered much insight and appears as confused as I am.

“I don’t know.” I shrug. “I just feel like we’ve bonded somewhat over the last week.”

Taylor inhales deeply. “Maybe he thinks so, too, and that’s the problem.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, he agreed to help you, and maybe, now that you know he’s available, he might think that you think he’s fair game when he isn’t. I’m not sure what his motivation is for helping you, but maybe things have gone from being friendly to something he can’t reciprocate, and he doesn’t want to lead you on,” Taylor suggests, fanning out the dark leaves of the lilies.

“I hadn’t thought about that.”

I’d be lying to myself if I said I haven’t thought about things moving in that direction, but I quickly shelved it. Yes, he’s very easy on the eye, but other than that, I’m not sure Owen and I have anything in common.

I talk too much, and he doesn’t talk at all. He likes peace and quiet and green open spaces, whereas I like busy, bustling scenes where life doesn’t stop to take a breath but just keeps assaulting you until you can’t breathe. Not exactly a match made in heaven.

“Maybe you just need to clarify things with him. Or call the whole thing off and face your friend at the wedding.” Taylor lets go of the leaves, which bounce back into their original position, and she snarls at them.

“He’s bought a suit.”

“I’m sure he’ll get a chance to wear it again.” She pushes the vase to the side, clearly giving up her career as a florist, and tucks her hair behind her ear. “Why don’t you go talk to him?”

“I don’t want to push him. He’s very guarded.”

“Just a suggestion.” Taylor glances up to the second floor, which is visible through the glazed mezzanine balcony. She hisses, “Jamal is on the prowl.”