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Glenwas one ofBarry’sbusiness contacts.Inthe area for meetings, he was at a loose end in the evenings andMarionhad suggested they all meet up for a drink.Allvery casual butDaisyhad her sussed.Inthe spirit of new adventure, she’d said yes.Afterall, what could she lose?
Ithad begun fairly well, despiteBarrynot turning up, citing a mysterious but important business call.Marion, having heard how goodTheStationHousewas, had suggested meeting there.Asthey sat at the exact same table she’d shared withPete,Daisycouldn’t quite meetEleanor’seyes as she once again went through the welcome spiel.
‘Well, this is pleasant, isn’t it?’Marionproclaimed, over her cranberry mocktail.
Eversince biscuit-gate she’d been on a health kick involving consuming little but water, cucumber and celery.Daisyhad spotted her stuffing aGladwin’spasty into her mouth yesterday but decided to pick her battle and ignored it.
‘I’mso sorry my husband couldn’t make it, he’s such a busy bee.He’llhopefully pop by later andsay hello.’
‘AndI’msorry he couldn’t make it,MrsCrawford,’Glensaid. ‘Andit’s very good of you to take pity on me and entertain me.’
‘Oh, sweetie, it’sMarionplease.’Mazgiggled. ‘Dotell us about yourself,Glen.Whatdo you do for a living?I’malways so vague about what pies myBarryhas his fingers in.’
Ashe explained his role in buying menswear for a major department store chain,Daisysurreptitiously studied him.Abouther age, maybe a few years older, he had hair that nice shade of light brown that went blond in the sun.Hisjob explained his immaculate linen shirt, skinny jeans, no socks and loafers look.Hehad a pleasant voice too, accent-less and deep.Daisycouldn’t fault him so far.Hewas drinking a lite beer as he was driving so no woebegone drunken lurches onto the table in store.Ifshe was lucky.Shejust hoped he wasn’t into lawn-mowers.
Marion’sphone trilled out ‘I’maBarbieGirl’.‘Oh, do excuse me,Imust take this.’Sheleft the table, wobbling on six-inch platform espadrilles.
‘Whereare you based,Glen?’Daisysipped herOfftheRailscocktail, it seemed to be a version of aPinaColadaand was strong and scarily drinkable.Pickingout a pineapple ring, she crunched into it.Juicedribbled deliciously down her chin.Shecaught it on a finger and sucked it without thinking.
‘Notfar fromWoking.It’sa great place to live.Ican get intoLondonfairly quickly and the motorway network isn’t too far away.Makesone’s working life easy.’
‘Doyou like to go intoLondonoften?’
‘Ido.Ilike to get to the theatre as often asIcan.Doyou go much?’
‘It’stricky, living inLullburyBay.EvenifIhad the time.There’sa good theatre inExeterand one inYeovilbut it’s not a big theatre scene around here.’
‘Butyou have other attractions.Ihave to confessIlove having an excuse to come toDorset.Freshsea air, the slower pace of life.Thelackof pressure.Ifind it relaxing.’
Daisywasn’t sure about the slower pace of life or lack of pressure; in her experience, neither was true. ‘Isuppose you must.’
‘I’mlooking into buying a little place soIcan have a base here.’
Daisydidn’t think it was the moment to launch into her theory of how second homeowners were pricing out the locals, especially the young, so remained silent.
Glenwent on to tell her all about the rooftop cocktail bar he’d tried on his last visit intoLondonandDaisy’sheart began to sink.Shewasn’t sure they had anything much in common.Shecouldn’t remember the last time she’d been to the theatre and a cocktail here atTheStationHousewas about as sophisticated as she got.Shewas relieved whenMarionreturned.
‘I’mso sorry, my darlings.ThatwasBarryon the phone.Someemergency with the youngest.He’sbackpacking aroundThailand,’ she explained toGlen, ‘and we’re rather worried about him.’Marionfluttered her eyelashes andDaisydidn’t believe a word. ‘Ihave to return tomi casaand try toFaceTimewith him.I’mso sorry to cut short the evening but have fun, you young things.Toodle-pip.’
Itwas amazing how quicklyMarioncould travel on those heels when she had to.
Daisycoughed with embarrassment.
Eleanorreappeared. ‘CanIget you guys anything else?’Shescooped upMarion’sdiscarded glass. ‘Moredrinks?Asnacking platter?’
‘Wecan go if you’d prefer?’Daisytried not to sound too hopeful.
‘Ohno.’Glenshook his head vigorously. ‘Evening’sonly just begun.Let’sstay and have another drink.’Hesnapped his fingers atEleanor. ‘Whathave you to eat?’
Eleanorraised her eyebrows, ignored his rudeness, and listed the options,Daisydied a little inside.Janalways insisted how men treated waiting staff told you a lot about them.
Heordered two more drinks and a cold meats and cheese plateand began telling her about the last play he’d seen at theNational.Asshe listened, she realised he hadn’t really asked her much about herself.Infact, his question about whether she went to the theatre aside, he hadn’t asked heranythingabout herself.
Sheconcentrated on drinking, and eating her body weight inSomersetBrieand, after his lengthy and detailed critique of the second half ofTheCrucible, excused herself to visit the loo.IntheLadiesshe banged her head repeatedly against the door of the cubicle in frustration.Wasit so hard to find a man?Shewasn’t asking for drop-dead gorgeous.She’dturn her nose up at a millionaire.Allshe wanted was an ordinary bloke with whom she shared some common ground, and who liked her.Wasit too much to ask?Itobviously was. ‘Lasttime,Marion.Thisis positively the last time.I.Am.Not.Going.On.Any.Other.Blind.Dates!’
‘Youokay in there?’Awoman rapped on the door.
‘I’mfine.’Daisyflushed the loo. ‘Justcoming out.’Asshe washed her hands she stared at her reflection in the mirror.Shedidn’t think she was bad-looking.Blackhair, so dark it had blue lights, she’d been told her navy-blue eyes were her best feature, not a stick-thin figure but toned through carting flower trays around and trim enough as she never had enough time to eat.Shehad a brain too.Allright, she lackedMinty’son-trend grooming andMarion’shigh-maintenance veneer but if you were going for the girl-next-door look she wasn’t that bad.Wasshe?Whywas it so hard to meet someone?Sheran through this summer’s dates.Bretthad been hung up on his ex,Petewas going to be a lovely friend, and she didn’t even want to get started onMrLiarwho’d disappeared.Rick’sface swam into her vision.Ifonly he had a twin!Anunattached one with exactly the same personality.Sighingand reaching for a towel, she resigned herself to going back toGlenand giving him another chance.
