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She playfully pushes me once she has found her feet and tells me to grab the basket full of tomatoes and bring them inside.
“Tell me those flowers are from Liam.” She points to the white roses that are now sitting in a vase on the kitchen table. I nod and smile, regaining my composure, letting a sneak of a blush settle in my cheeks, heating me from the inside out.
“He sent them to my office today. He is coming here for dinner tomorrow night, remember? I’m cooking but…” I hesitate, knowing what I’m about to say will have her cackling at me, “I need you to be a no sex buffer for us.”
Nora whips her head around to face me. “Sorry, you want me to stop you two from having sex? Oh, honey, that willnothappen. That’s like asking me to stop the rain,” she cackles just like I thought she would, and continues pottering around the kitchen.
“Seriously, Nora. I just need you to be there with us. Then he’ll go home and that will be that. No sex,” I beg.
I almost have to convince myself here, because the truth is that all I have been able to think about since the charity event is Liam. Being trapped underneath his warm, hard body would be an absolute dream, but I can’t. I’m not ready. But I can’tthinkaround him, and I need to be able to think if I’m going to go there with him.
Sometimes what you really, really want isn’t what you need.
Fuck, it would be good, though.
“I’ll do my best but I’m no miracle worker… Saying that, it would be good to catch up, the three of us, like old times. What are you going to cook? You can use these tomatoes if you like?”
“I was thinking meatballs and pasta with a salad. I’d love to use those tomatoes for the sauce, if you don’t mind? Do we have basil in the herb garden?” I look out the window to check, not really sure what I’m looking for.
Nora nods and points to the huge basil plant outside, giggling at my attempt to know which plant is which. Nora suggests she pick up some of our favourite wine and I agree. This is going to be easy, the three of us, like old times.
Easy.
Dinner, drinks.
Sex.
No, no sex. Absolutely none.
Nora steals my fleeting attention. “I spoke to Zoey this morning about our next event, and she is happy to help again. She said we nailed it last time.” Nora’s voice is laced with pride.
We really did nail it. Raising over £185,000 is insane for our first event. It means we can get started on the therapy programmes straight away. Nora has already outlined several ways we can help some of the children we already know, and I’m planning some of the activity days. The biggest problem we have right now is having enough hands to help us.
“Do you think Zoey would help us with the activity days?” I ask out loud.
“Yeah, definitely… I think Liam would too, if you want him to, that is. I also asked a couple of my friends from the gym and they’d love to help. Do you remember Jill and Iris? The sweet ladies at my Zumba classes? They’re fully invested already.”
This is what I love, organising all of this, knowing we are going to make a difference. It makes my whole body sizzle with purpose.
“Oh, before I forget, Jean Pierre said we can use the pool for an afternoon if it works, but I’m not sure about the nightmare of risk assessing that one. Can we look into Victoria Park for other events? Picnics maybe. Then maybe therapy space… do you think your office would let us rent a room a few times a month?” I watch Nora as she dries the tomatoes on a piece of kitchen towel as my mind buzzes with the excitement of all this coming to life.
“I think we could probably use my office. I’ll talk to Phil and let you know. Maybe we should look at the cost of a small unit somewhere that we can use for sessions because they will become regular, I’m guessing.”
“Great idea. I bet Zoey will know people.”
“Come to think of it, Liam might know somewhere that could work, too.” She looks at me. “Would that be okay? He said at the event he wanted to help as much as he can.” She shrugs casually. I hadn't thought of that. Of course him and his dad’s business is property, so it makes sense.
I nod. “Yeah, we can ask him.”
“So, what time is he coming over tomorrow?”
“Around eight.”
Nora turns to face me. “You’re okay about it?”
Laughter explodes nervously from my mouth. “I’m…” I bite my lip. “Nervous about diving headfirst into something I’m not ready for.”
There’s no point in lying to Nora about that; she would see right through me if I brushed it off, and it has actually made me feel better by saying it out loud. I feel my shoulders relax for the first time today.
