thought she was prettier without the make up. Simple Simon, if he remembered her at all, would have seen her with full slap, looking older and well up for a shag.
“I’m sure he’ll be bowled over.”
Hopefully, if not bowled over, at least human enough for a kind word. Looked like he had a bit of cash. These warehouse conversions were all sandblasted brick and glossy black metal, balconies lined up along the river. Probably the type with more cash than sense. But what could Joe say about that? He’d never had either.
He pulled up outside the smart entrance to the block. She opened the door but was obviously terrified as she picked up her backpack and clutched it like a shield.
“Still time to change your mind?”
“I’ll be fine. Don’t wait.”
“You’re joking. What if there’s nobody in? And what about my lucky jacket?”
“Sorry, I forgot about that.”
She started to take it off but he couldn’t let her meet the guy bra-less and desperate. Did she have no idea what she looked like?
“It’s okay, keep it on for now. I’ll get it back later, when you’re sorted.”
He scribbled his number on the back of a paper napkin. “Ring me as soon as you like, okay? I’ll be waiting at my sister’s place, just further along the river.”
She took the napkin and got out of the car. “Thanks. But will you go now?”
What could he do but drive away, feeling like a twat for letting her face it on her own? He should have gone with her but it was too late now. He couldn’t even see if she’d gone in, due to the inconvenient bend in the road as he drove along the quay to Heather’s place.
Heather wasn’t that thrilled to see him, but he’d been expecting the little dig about not being in touch since Christmas. He left all that family stuff to Evie. But she did make him tea, in a china pot, taking after their mother with her unreasonable hatred of tea bags. He told her his version of the latest.
“Evie wouldn’t just fancy a few days on her own in Cornwall. She finally left you, didn’t she?”
“What do you mean, finally? She’s just in a strop. I’m on my way down there to sort things out. Bloody cottage doesn’t even have a phone and she forgot to take her mobile.”
“Maybe she left it on purpose because she doesn’t want to speak to you?”
“Why? What do you know about it? I didn’t come here for an ear bashing.”
Heather slid some ginger snaps onto a plate and carried the tray over to the sofa, its cushions a splash of statement lime green in the otherwise monochrome room. Joe sat down, wishing he’d just waited in the car.
“What did you come for, sympathy? Did you expect her to carry on forever, turning a blind eye to your womanising ways?”
“My what? Don’t I get to put my side of the story?”
“And what would your side be? Golden boy of the family, always the centre of attention. You’re my little brother and I love you. But sometimes you can be such a prick.”
“Thanks, Heather. Make me feel worse, why don’t you? I know Evie looks out for everybody and I take her for granted.”
Heather snatched a biscuit from the plate and snapped it with such force Joe decided he’d better keep quiet and drink his tea.
“It’s not just that. Evie’s my friend, remember. We do talk. She suspected you were up to your old tricks again.”
“Did she, now?”
“It’s not funny, Joe. She gets upset.”
“Believe me, I’m not laughing. I suppose she just couldn’t wait to tell you I’m out of a job?”
“She didn’t tell me, actually. But let me guess what happened. You got caught tomming about? Jesus! Are you ever going to grow up?”
“It wasn’t like that. I left. I thought I’d walk into something better.”
“Do I need three guesses?”
“What do you want me to say? I cocked up but it’s nothing that couldn’t be talked about. She didn’t have
“I’m sure he’ll be bowled over.”
Hopefully, if not bowled over, at least human enough for a kind word. Looked like he had a bit of cash. These warehouse conversions were all sandblasted brick and glossy black metal, balconies lined up along the river. Probably the type with more cash than sense. But what could Joe say about that? He’d never had either.
He pulled up outside the smart entrance to the block. She opened the door but was obviously terrified as she picked up her backpack and clutched it like a shield.
“Still time to change your mind?”
“I’ll be fine. Don’t wait.”
“You’re joking. What if there’s nobody in? And what about my lucky jacket?”
“Sorry, I forgot about that.”
She started to take it off but he couldn’t let her meet the guy bra-less and desperate. Did she have no idea what she looked like?
“It’s okay, keep it on for now. I’ll get it back later, when you’re sorted.”
He scribbled his number on the back of a paper napkin. “Ring me as soon as you like, okay? I’ll be waiting at my sister’s place, just further along the river.”
She took the napkin and got out of the car. “Thanks. But will you go now?”
What could he do but drive away, feeling like a twat for letting her face it on her own? He should have gone with her but it was too late now. He couldn’t even see if she’d gone in, due to the inconvenient bend in the road as he drove along the quay to Heather’s place.
Heather wasn’t that thrilled to see him, but he’d been expecting the little dig about not being in touch since Christmas. He left all that family stuff to Evie. But she did make him tea, in a china pot, taking after their mother with her unreasonable hatred of tea bags. He told her his version of the latest.
“Evie wouldn’t just fancy a few days on her own in Cornwall. She finally left you, didn’t she?”
“What do you mean, finally? She’s just in a strop. I’m on my way down there to sort things out. Bloody cottage doesn’t even have a phone and she forgot to take her mobile.”
“Maybe she left it on purpose because she doesn’t want to speak to you?”
“Why? What do you know about it? I didn’t come here for an ear bashing.”
Heather slid some ginger snaps onto a plate and carried the tray over to the sofa, its cushions a splash of statement lime green in the otherwise monochrome room. Joe sat down, wishing he’d just waited in the car.
“What did you come for, sympathy? Did you expect her to carry on forever, turning a blind eye to your womanising ways?”
“My what? Don’t I get to put my side of the story?”
“And what would your side be? Golden boy of the family, always the centre of attention. You’re my little brother and I love you. But sometimes you can be such a prick.”
“Thanks, Heather. Make me feel worse, why don’t you? I know Evie looks out for everybody and I take her for granted.”
Heather snatched a biscuit from the plate and snapped it with such force Joe decided he’d better keep quiet and drink his tea.
“It’s not just that. Evie’s my friend, remember. We do talk. She suspected you were up to your old tricks again.”
“Did she, now?”
“It’s not funny, Joe. She gets upset.”
“Believe me, I’m not laughing. I suppose she just couldn’t wait to tell you I’m out of a job?”
“She didn’t tell me, actually. But let me guess what happened. You got caught tomming about? Jesus! Are you ever going to grow up?”
“It wasn’t like that. I left. I thought I’d walk into something better.”
“Do I need three guesses?”
“What do you want me to say? I cocked up but it’s nothing that couldn’t be talked about. She didn’t have
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