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‘What’s that?’
‘This kind of work is pretty invasive. It’s one thing renovating an empty flat like this one, but the builders won’t want to be working round a sitting tenant. Where would I go while my flat was being done?’
He’s got a point. I don’t want him living in his van again. I do need to modernise his flat, though. As I consider the problem, foolish inspiration strikes.
‘You could move into the spare room here while the work was being done.’
‘Umm, what about Katie?’
‘It would just be for a few weeks, and she’ll only be here at weekends, so she could share my bed. You could have the spare room until your flat is done, and then Katie could have it back once you’ve gone.’
‘Don’t you think you’d get sick of the sight of me? We work together all day, I’m sure you wouldn’t want me hanging around in the evenings as well.’
‘Nonsense!’ I say, with a certainty I’m not sure I feel. I’m starting to wonder whether I’ve been a bit rash, but I can’t back out now. ‘You never know, it might be fun.’
25
Things at the café have improved no end since Rita went. Penny has turned out to be a huge success. Bronwyn declared her to be ‘fab’ when I debriefed her at the end of the trial day, mainly (I suspect) because Penny was finally able to show her how to make patterns with the milk in the coffees. As I suspected, Bronwyn also prefers splitting her time between the café and the art gallery, so Penny’s arrival didn’t put her nose out of joint at all. I followed up with Penny’s referees, who both gave glowing accounts, and she started pretty much straight away.
‘I’m thinking about trading in my car and getting a van,’ I say to Matt, as I add some olives and capers to the puttanesca sauce that we’re going to have with our pasta. I’ve been living above the café for three weeks now, and we’ve got into the habit of cooking for each other most nights, as it seemed silly for us to prepare two separate meals when we’re next-door neighbours with nothing much better to do in the evenings. Although it’s a Saturday night, Katie isn’t here as she’s staying over with Bronwyn. They’re going to watch movies into the early hours, apparently, and she’s promised me faithfully that she’ll be back in time for me to take her back to Nan and Grandad’s for lunch.
‘What’s brought this on?’ Matt asks.
‘I’m sorry, but your van still gives me the heebie-jeebies,’ I tell him. ‘I know you love it, but I’d feel a lot happier doing the cash and carry runs in something more modern, with airbags and stuff. I don’t need anything as big as yours, but I was looking online and found something called a Transit Connect that looks suitable. I just don’t know if I’d be able to reverse it.’
‘I can help you with that, if you like. If you get one, we can take it across to the station car park one Sunday and you can reverse it around until you feel confident.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes, absolutely. I’ll bring mine along and you can practise parking around it. It’s got a fair few scrapes and scratches already, so a few more from you won’t do it any harm. Probably better than letting you loose around someone else’s pride and joy.’
‘Cheeky bastard!’ I throw the tea towel at him, and he laughs.
‘You’ll be fine, I’m sure. You just have to get used to using the wing mirrors to work out where you’re going.’
‘Maybe I’ll give the dealer a call next week to arrange a test drive. Have you finished packing everything up?’
‘Nearly. I’ve kept tomorrow morning free so that we can go and do a shop together before you go off for your lunch, and then I’ll do the last bits in the afternoon.’
‘A shop together? That sounds awfully domestic,’ I say. ‘Will you be requiring your pipe and slippers when we get back?’
‘Very funny. I just want to make sure I’m paying my way. I can’t be accepting charity from the boss, you know.’
Mick is starting work on Matt’s flat on Monday, so he’s moving into Katie’s room for the duration, and tonight is the first night he’s staying over. I’m still not 100 per cent sure that it’s a good idea, even though it was my suggestion. We get on really well, despite the fact that we’re rarely outside one another’s company, but he’s going to be living with me for a whole month, and that feels like a big commitment.
‘How do you feel about being stuck with me for the next month?’ I ask him.
‘I don’t know. I’m looking forward to testing out the power shower in the morning,’ he smiles.
‘It is nice,’ I agree. ‘Just don’t go using all the hot water.’ I wind a piece of pasta onto a fork and bite into it. It’s perfect, so I drain it and start plating up.
‘Nice try. I noticed that your new boiler is a combi, which means that there’s no hot water limit. I might spend a couple of hours in there.’
‘I’m regretting this already!’
‘Hey, it wasn’t my idea to renovate my flat. I was quite happy, but you insisted that I needed this luxury upgrade.’
‘You’re assuming I’m doing it for you,’ I joke. ‘I might just be looking after my inheritance. Here you go.’ I place the plates on the table and bring out the garlic bread and salad. As it’s a Saturday night and we’re not working tomorrow, I’ve opened a bottle of wine and I pour two generous glasses.
