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Authors: Patricia Fawcett
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thought or said?
She liked him.
She liked him a lot.
And that was a start.
SIX
I T HAPPENED ON the next date.
It was cold, sleet in the air, as they came out of the restaurant. The restaurant was only a few doors away from his apartment so they had hurried home and through the lobby. In the lift, Simon had pulled her close and kissed her. Up close like this, she realized how much she missed a man holding her, how lovely it was, and, for a mad moment, she thought he might stop the lift and make love to her there and then.
But the lift had stopped at their floor and the door had opened to reveal one of his neighbours and the moment passed.
‘Let me take your coat,’ he said, helping her off with it and standing very close. Flushed both from the wine and his nearness, not to mention the kiss in the lift, Becky caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She was wearing a new dress, an exquisite black number that fitted and flared. Since meeting this man, she was spending money like there was no tomorrow but she was looking on it as an investment in her future. Marina, as excited as a little girl, had helped her choose this during a quick shop in their lunch hour. It came from a small boutique that Marina frequented and they had been treated like royalty, given a cup of coffee even, as they made their choice. Marina had offered to buy it for her, which had embarrassed her, and although it had been far too expensive, she had insisted on paying for it herself because, as generous as Marina was, it just didn’t seem right to accept such a gift.
Despite her determination, it had been impossible to keep things secret from Marina, who was now acting as a go-between, passing on news to Becky and very likely vice versa although Simon never said anything about it.
‘Esther’s so thrilled that Simon’s got a girlfriend,’ Marina had told her. ‘She’s on tenterhooks wondering how it’s going. I’ve told her all about you.’
‘Marina! I wish you wouldn’t.’
Esther sounded a very pleasant woman, if over-anxious to get him married off.
‘All Simon’s friends are married, you see,’ Marina explained earnestly. ‘And he’s a wonderful godfather to several babies. He’s being left out of things now. Reading between the lines, and I think I know him as well as anybody, he’s getting desperate to get married and start a family. Are you up for that?’
‘I hope it means more than that to him,’ Becky told her. ‘I hope he’s not just thinking of me as a possible mother of his children. That’s a bit insulting. I mean, have I passed the test? Have I ticked all his boxes?’
‘Oh, come on, it’s not like that. That’s why he’s taken so long. He’s been waiting for the right girl to come along. And you, Becky, are her. Have you seen the way he looks at you?’ Marina laughed although Becky was surprised to see a shadow pass over her face. Not for the first time she wondered just what Marina really thought of Simon. ‘I’m amazed he’s behaved himself so far. But it’s time you got together, the both of you. If he doesn’t get on with it soon then you’ll have to do the seducing.’
It was absolutely nothing to do with her but Becky hadn’t the heart to tell her to mind her own business. It was bad enough with her mum questioning her as to how things were going, although, surprisingly, unlike Marina, she hadn’t actually asked the one question that mattered.
Looking in the mirror in the hall of Simon’s apartment, she had to acknowledge Marina’s expertise. The dress was a damned good choice – sophisticated sprang to mind – and not one she would have made on her own. The neckline dipped enough to show off a jet necklace against her pale skin.
‘Warm enough?’
She nodded, not quite trusting herself to speak. She felt incredibly nervous, which was silly because she had done this before, but not with him and that made the difference. This time she just knew it would be special, so
She liked him.
She liked him a lot.
And that was a start.
SIX
I T HAPPENED ON the next date.
It was cold, sleet in the air, as they came out of the restaurant. The restaurant was only a few doors away from his apartment so they had hurried home and through the lobby. In the lift, Simon had pulled her close and kissed her. Up close like this, she realized how much she missed a man holding her, how lovely it was, and, for a mad moment, she thought he might stop the lift and make love to her there and then.
But the lift had stopped at their floor and the door had opened to reveal one of his neighbours and the moment passed.
‘Let me take your coat,’ he said, helping her off with it and standing very close. Flushed both from the wine and his nearness, not to mention the kiss in the lift, Becky caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She was wearing a new dress, an exquisite black number that fitted and flared. Since meeting this man, she was spending money like there was no tomorrow but she was looking on it as an investment in her future. Marina, as excited as a little girl, had helped her choose this during a quick shop in their lunch hour. It came from a small boutique that Marina frequented and they had been treated like royalty, given a cup of coffee even, as they made their choice. Marina had offered to buy it for her, which had embarrassed her, and although it had been far too expensive, she had insisted on paying for it herself because, as generous as Marina was, it just didn’t seem right to accept such a gift.
Despite her determination, it had been impossible to keep things secret from Marina, who was now acting as a go-between, passing on news to Becky and very likely vice versa although Simon never said anything about it.
‘Esther’s so thrilled that Simon’s got a girlfriend,’ Marina had told her. ‘She’s on tenterhooks wondering how it’s going. I’ve told her all about you.’
‘Marina! I wish you wouldn’t.’
Esther sounded a very pleasant woman, if over-anxious to get him married off.
‘All Simon’s friends are married, you see,’ Marina explained earnestly. ‘And he’s a wonderful godfather to several babies. He’s being left out of things now. Reading between the lines, and I think I know him as well as anybody, he’s getting desperate to get married and start a family. Are you up for that?’
‘I hope it means more than that to him,’ Becky told her. ‘I hope he’s not just thinking of me as a possible mother of his children. That’s a bit insulting. I mean, have I passed the test? Have I ticked all his boxes?’
‘Oh, come on, it’s not like that. That’s why he’s taken so long. He’s been waiting for the right girl to come along. And you, Becky, are her. Have you seen the way he looks at you?’ Marina laughed although Becky was surprised to see a shadow pass over her face. Not for the first time she wondered just what Marina really thought of Simon. ‘I’m amazed he’s behaved himself so far. But it’s time you got together, the both of you. If he doesn’t get on with it soon then you’ll have to do the seducing.’
It was absolutely nothing to do with her but Becky hadn’t the heart to tell her to mind her own business. It was bad enough with her mum questioning her as to how things were going, although, surprisingly, unlike Marina, she hadn’t actually asked the one question that mattered.
Looking in the mirror in the hall of Simon’s apartment, she had to acknowledge Marina’s expertise. The dress was a damned good choice – sophisticated sprang to mind – and not one she would have made on her own. The neckline dipped enough to show off a jet necklace against her pale skin.
‘Warm enough?’
She nodded, not quite trusting herself to speak. She felt incredibly nervous, which was silly because she had done this before, but not with him and that made the difference. This time she just knew it would be special, so
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