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Tarek looked at the menu and ordered a cheese and tomato baguette with an Americano while Freya settled on a bowl of soup followed by a fruit scone with a pot of English Breakfast tea.
Once they had placed their order, Tarek turned to Freya. His mood had changed, she could tell. ‘So, why weren’t you honest with me?’
Freya furrowed her brow, confused. Had something happened when Tarek was on his way out of the museum? ‘I don’t know what you mean,’ she said.
‘Oh, come on! What is this between you and me? Are you just playing around with my feelings?’
Freya stared at him. She knew how she felt about him, and unfortunately, so did Jolene, but she hadn’t thought those feelings were reciprocated – at first. Freya avoided eye contact. When, over the course of the past week, had these innocent lunch dates become something more … not just for her, but for him?
‘When were you going to tell me?’
‘Tell you what?’ Freya was taken aback. It wasn’t like Tarek to be argumentative and confrontational. She’d thought they were getting along. Although she did recall that he’d been like that in the beginning when they’d first met – but so had she. They had patched up their differences. Working alongside Tarek, she’d thought they were getting on really well – too well. She dismissed the thought, along with the words she’d had with Jolene that morning. She didn’t want to think about it. She knew what her best friend was saying – she was getting in too deep.
‘That you’re engaged.’
Freya looked into those deep brown eyes and frowned at the thought that Jolene, her best friend, had told him.
Tarek regarded her a long moment. ‘So, it’s true.’
She narrowed her eyes. She bet it wasn’t Jolene. She knew her best friend. She wouldn’t betray a confidence. Freya was convinced she knew what had happened. Some of the other staff members were gossiping about her, and Tarek had overheard. Freya felt angry that they were talking about her behind her back when all she had done was make Tarek feel part of the team by being friendly and helpful. But, of course, there was more to it than that, and Jolene obviously wasn’t the only one who had realised.
‘So, why aren’t you wearing your engagement ring?’ Tarek asked, interrupting her thoughts.
Freya was about to tell him when a friendly older woman came over to their table with their lunch. Placing the baguette and coffee in front of Tarek and the scone and tea in front of Freya, she wished them both a relaxing lunch.
‘Thank you,’ Tarek replied in a dismissive tone.
The woman got the message and abruptly walked away – leaving the two miserable youngsters to get on with it.
‘Well?’ Tarek demanded. ‘What have you got to say?’
Freya poured herself a cup of tea. She looked across the table at Tarek’s pained expression.
‘I am sorry I’ve upset you, but it wasn’t intentional, Tarek. When we first met in the dean’s office and she asked me to support you in setting up the exhibition, I was really angry that you had been sent to Cambridge. I thought I was being seconded to Alexandria. So I was not in a good place and am aware I was downright unfriendly.’
Tarek stirred his coffee.
‘But as we worked together and chatted about your life in Egypt things changed between us,’ Freya admitted. ‘Yes, I am engaged – it’s true. But before you say anything more on the matter, no I did not keep this from you to purposely deceive you.’’
Freya glanced at her hands. ‘The reason I am not wearing my engagement ring is that I’d have to take it off anyway so I don’t damage the artefacts when I’m handling them. It seemed better just not to wear it when I am at work.’ Freya took a deep breath. He listened as she told him how she had met Theo, believing she was in love with him, that he was the one.
Tarek leaned forward in his seat. ‘And now?’
Freya stared across the table at him. ‘I’m confused. I should have told you, but I … I didn’t think it mattered.’
‘Well – it does!’
Freya looked at Tarek and saw the hurt and distrust in his eyes. She told him she was deeply sorry for not being honest with him. ‘How could I, when I wasn’t sure myself what was happening between us?’ she asked. Jolene had told her it was just acrush– but over the past week with Tarek, it had dawned on her that this was no mere crush.
Without speaking, Tarek rose from his seat and went to settle the bill, even though they had hardly touched their food. She stared after him. Why was he treating her like this? She had been honest about her feelings – couldn’t he at least acknowledge that?
Tarek returned to the table. ‘I have to go. There are some posters I have ordered for the exhibition that need collecting from the printers.’
Freya looked at him. His expression was cold and professional. ‘Is that it? After all I’ve said, you’re just going to walk away?’ said Freya.
He tipped his head in response, turned and walked out of the café, leaving Freya staring after him.
Freya walked out of the café. She didn’t feel like rushing back to the museum. Instead, she made her way along the path towards the rock gardens. The afternoon sun was low in the sky and she felt a chill run through her. Freya spotted the glasshouse in the distance and hurried towards it. Stepping inside, she found herself alone. She burst into tears. Jolene had been right – she should never have got involved with Tarek.But you couldn’t help yourself, a little voice in her head responded.
