by Lacey London
‘Hi…’ I stammer, blinking to make sure I’m not hallucinating. ‘What are you doing here?’
Dusting a non-existent piece of fluff from her blazer, she purses her lips and looks behind me cautiously. ‘I… I just thought it would be nice if I came along to see you in action.’
Completely floored by her presence, I stare back at her open-mouthed, totally lost for words.
Sensing my shock, her cheeks flush violently and she looks down at the ground in embarrassment. ‘You mentioned that I didn’t take an interest in your work and I wanted to show…’
‘Thank you.’ I whisper, cutting her off mid-sentence. ‘I really appreciate it.’
Completely in awe that she actually took on board our conversation the other day, I stand frozen to the spot.
‘So, can I come in?’ She murmurs, smiling thinly.
Holding open the door, I beckon her inside and allow the door to close with a thud behind us. She’s here. She has actually come along without being asked, pressured or begged to do so. Pinching myself discreetly, I wince as I realise I’m not dreaming.
Hearing the door open, Yvette looks over her shoulder as we step into the room.
‘This is my mum.’ I explain, hoping that the presence of another person doesn’t scare her away. ‘She’s here for the same reason you are.’
‘Hello.’ Yvette says, in a matter of fact manner.
Holding out her hand for a polite shake, my mum nods sternly and the two of them stand in an uncomfortable silence. Looking at the scene in front of me, I move my gaze from Yvette to my mum and back again. Two mothers of two daughters, both of which have swallowed their pride, stopped making excuses and started to make an effort. It just goes to show that no matter how far you’ve gone down the wrong road, it’s never too late to turn back and do the right thing…
Chapter 37
Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I lean towards the glass and try to recognise the woman staring back at me. For the past three hours, Aldo has preened and beautified me to perfection. My skin is flawless and my hair has been curled like it’s never been curled before. I look like I’m getting ready to attend The Oscars, not a blind date that I have little to no interest in.
‘I feel sick.’ I groan nervously, as Aldo backcombs my hair into oblivion. ‘I don’t think I want to go.’
‘That’s a lie and you know it.’ He retorts, grabbing a can of hairspray and fixing my tousled waves in place.
I manage a tiny smile and look down into my lap. He’s right. Despite being incredibly nervous, I am intrigued to meet the famous Pierce Harrington. After how much Aldo has raved about him, I secretly can’t wait to put a face to the name. I mean, is Aldo right? Has he really found my soulmate? Is Mr Harrington the man that I’ve been searching for all these years?
‘You’re all done.’ He announces, standing back to admire his handiwork. ‘Do you want a quick drink to calm your nerves?’
My stomach flips as he spritzes me with perfume. ‘I already feel nauseous. I don’t think throwing alcohol into the mix right now is a good idea.’
Aldo nods and grabs his car keys. ‘Great, because there isn’t time for one. Let’s go.’
Following him outside, I hold on to his arm and cautiously hop into the car. As we pull away from Blossom View, my mouth becomes overwhelmingly dry as I realise just how nervous I am. This is my first date in over a year. A whole three hundred and sixty-five days have rolled by and I haven’t had any kind of romantic involvement with a member of the male population.
Flipping down the visor, I peer into the mirror and give myself a silent pep talk. It’s just dinner. A lovely lobster dinner with a man whom my best friend believes is my future husband. What better way is there to get back into the dating game?
‘Do we need a code?’ I ask suddenly, removing a tiny mascara smudge from beneath my left eye. ‘Just in case I don’t like him and need to make a swift escape?’
Aldo shakes his head and laughs. ‘Trust me, you won’t want to escape...’
We approach London Road and I try to calm my racing heart as I spot Il Migliore up ahead. The twinkling lights shine brightly against the sunset, creating the perfect backdrop for the perfect first date.
Closing my eyes to steady my breathing, I physically jump in my seat as Aldo pulls on the handbrake.
‘What are you doing?’ I scold, immediately tending to my ruffled curls.
‘Jump out here. If we go around to the car park, you’re going to be late.’ Reaching across the seat, he gives me a quick hug as a car beeps behind us.
‘But I just need a moment to compose myself…’ Trying to play for time, I take a deep breath as Aldo ushers me out of the car.
‘Just go! You will have an amazing time. I promise.’
With the irate driver becoming more enraged, I push open the door and give Aldo a final wave. Watching him drive away, I dither on the pavement before making my way into the restaurant and cautiously scanning the room. Is he already here? A quick glance around the intimate dining area confirms to me that he isn’t. Not knowing whether that makes this easier or more difficult, I give my name to the waitress as she leads me to a quiet section of the restaurant.
Taking a seat in a plush velvet chair, I order a glass of fizz and admire the beautifully decorated booth. The pristine cloth is adorned with dozens of tiny crystals, each one soaking up the light from the flickering candle in the centre of the table. If I could design the perfect setting for the perfect date, this would be it.
Suddenly feeling rather optimistic, I smile gratefully as an ice-cold flute is discreetly placed in front of me. Taking a much-needed sip, I get comfortable in my seat and smooth down my dress. It’s exactly eight o’clock, which means he should be here at any moment. Hearing footsteps heading my way, I bite my lip as a tall figure comes to a stop at the opposite side of the booth.
‘Sadie?’ A deep voice asks.
Forcing myself to look up, my lips stretch into a smile as I take in the handsome man in front of me.
‘Pierce Harrington…’
* * *
He’s perfect. He’s absolutely perfect. Aldo was right. Pierce Harrington is more perfect than perfect could possibly be. He’s just… faultless. From his deep chocolate eyes and head of dark curls, to his impressive physique and infectious personality. There’s not a single thing about him that isn’t immaculate. He’s well-educated, but not patronising and passionate without being overbearing. Yes, Pierce Harrington is most definitely a ten.
I honestly didn’t believe men like this existed. Pierce Harrington ticks all of the boxes and then some. Every woman in the room is giving him the eye. I can practically see love hearts floating around their heads as they shamelessly admire my date. After my disastrous last relationship, I would have been perfectly happy meeting someone who simply wasn’t an adulterer or a commitment-phobe. Pierce has certainly raised the bar in the dating game.
Thanking the waiter as he swaps my plate for a delicious-looking dessert, I nod along as Pierce tells me about his charity work for terminally ill children. After many years as my best friend, Aldo clearly knows exactly what I am looking for in a man. Pierce and I have the same interests, we share the same political views and we are both passionate about matters of the mind. I have to hand it to him, Aldo has found me absolutely everything I was searching for, all rolled into one devastatingly beautiful package.
Listening to him speak, I tell myself how lucky I am. My dream man is sitting right in front of me. I should be bouncing off the walls right now. I should be ecstatic at finally meeting such a wonderful guy, but something is missing. On paper, Pierce is flawless. He has absolutely everything that I thought I wanted, but something is missing. Regardless of how dreamy his eyes are, how lovely his smile is and how impeccable his manners are, that buzz inside me just isn’t there. Of course, I am attracted to him, but is he a man I could envisage myself spending the rest of my life with?
Pierce’s eyes soften as he
talks about his gallery and I return his smile with a grin of my own. What is wrong with me? I am sat in a stunning restaurant, having a candlelit dinner with a fabulous man and I still feel as though there’s a piece missing. Pierce is perfect. He’s every woman’s dream. If this isn’t what I am looking for, what is? What is it I am holding out for?
Twirling my fingers around the stem of my glass, I study Pierce’s handsome face and try to picture who I would rather have sat in his place. If Perfect Pierce isn’t the one for me, who is? Where do you go to next when even perfect isn’t good enough?
Resting my elbows on the table, I take a sip of bubbles and smile to myself. Maybe perfect isn’t what I’m looking for after all. Perhaps perfect is overrated, because we weren’t born to be perfect, we were born to be real…
Chapter 38
Passing the friendly builder a cup of tea, I stand back and watch him get to work. It turns out that the damp was much worse than he initially thought. If I wouldn’t have taken Aidan’s advice and addressed the issue, things would have quickly gone from bad to worse. As he strips back layer after layer of soggy plaster, I usher Mateo into the garden and take a seat on the bench.
After my date with Pierce last night, I had the rather awkward task of informing Aldo that I didn’t want to see him again. Needless to say, that conversation went down like a lead balloon. As perfect as Pierce was, my heart was insistent that he wasn’t the man for me. Throughout the course of the evening, I tried to ignore my gut instincts and convince myself otherwise, but the heart wants what it wants and bizarrely, my heart just doesn’t want Pierce.
Pushing myself up, I follow Mateo between the rows of billowing laundry and come to a stop at the far end of the garden. Crouching down, I run my fingers through the dry ground and let out a surprised giggle. The seeds that Aldo and I planted have finally started to grow. Tiny green shoots are poking through the soil. They’re barely visible, but the evidence is definitely there! New life is forming right before my eyes, but only now have I taken a moment to stop what I’m doing and appreciate it.
Looking over at Mateo, I smile to myself and lie back on the grass. Whether we realise it or not, there are new beginnings starting all around us, we’re just too preoccupied with menial tasks to see them. Every time we open our eyes in the morning is another opportunity to rewrite the rules and change the direction in which our lives are going. Each day brings a new opportunity, a new adventure and a new chance to live life to the fullest. There are seven days in a week, but someday isn’t one of them…
* * *
Staring at the blank canvas, I brush my hand over the fabric and sigh sadly. When I rolled out of bed this morning, I decided that today would be the day that I fell back in love with painting, but despite my many efforts to generate some enthusiasm, I just can’t pick up a brush. With the builders busily working at the dreaded damp downstairs, Mateo and I are locked in the spare room, surrounded by paint, canvases and more brushes than I could ever dream to use.
Pulling over a stool, I bite my lip and force myself to pluck a brush from the pot. Hovering over a palette of rainbow-style colours, I dip the brush into a strip of forest green and hold it an inch from the easel. It’s been so long since I dared to approach a canvas that I’m afraid of doing it wrong. Taking a deep breath, I brace myself before swiping the brush across the empty page. Relief washes over me as the canvas springs to life, making my shoulders feel instantly lighter. Laughing with joy, I dive back into the palette and add a splash of indigo to the mix.
My heart starts to race as one by one, I create a vibrant display of colour on the sheet in front of me. Adding smears of scarlet and splashes of sapphire breathes life back into a part of me that has been empty for so long. I failed to see it at the time, but when I wrote my unhappiness list, I missed one major thing and that was my artwork. Not having the passion to paint has clearly bothered me more than I realised. With each stroke of my brush I feel anxiety leaving my body. Every emotion that has built up inside me is being poured out onto the canvas and the result is stunning.
Art is my release. It is the place I come to when nothing else makes sense. I had become so obsessed with not returning to an easel until the time felt right, but in doing that I stopped appreciating the art that was all around me. Life itself is art. How we dress, the way we talk, how we smile and the way we laugh are all examples of the unique art we create without even realising it. Sometimes, that art doesn’t turn out exactly as we would like, but the beauty is still there, you just have to try a little harder to see it.
Hearing a knock at the door, I abandon the colour palette and wipe my hands on my dungarees. With Mateo right behind me, I sprint down the stairs and quickly remove a blob of paint from my nose as I pull open the door. Feeling my jaw drop open, an astounded laugh escapes my lips.
‘Aidan!’ I exclaim, not being able to hide my joy. ‘What are you doing here?’
Shrugging his shoulders, his eyes crease into a smile as he grins back at me. ‘I asked myself that same question as I knocked on the door.’
I let out a shocked gasp as Mateo brushes past me to greet him. ‘I… I thought you were going to New Zealand?’
‘So did I…’ Aidan brings his eyes up to meet mine and shakes his head. ‘I got a cab to the airport, I had the tickets right there in my hand, but something inside me told me to tear them up.’
Reaching into his pocket, he produces a ticket that has been torn into a million pieces. Letting the shredded paper fall through his fingers like confetti, he takes a step towards me.
‘Running away wasn’t the answer. I need to put down roots and make my mark where I am happiest. Being in the airport made me realise that my future doesn’t lie in New Zealand. My future is here, in Cheshire. I want to be surrounded by the countryside, I want to be close to the support group and most of all, I want to be close to you.’
Our eyes meet and I feel my heart pound in my chest as he picks up Mateo and nuzzles his nose against his.
‘So, what do you say, Sadie Valentine? Can I come in?’
To be continued…
If you are struggling with anxiety, help is available to you.
Mind Infoline
0300 123 3393
Anxiety UK Infoline
08444 775 774
Anxiety United
www.anxietyunited.com
Follow Lacey London on Twitter
@thelaceylondon
Have you read the first book in the Anxiety Girl series?
Anxiety Girl
Sadie Valentine is just like you and I, or so she was…
Set in the glitzy and glamorous Cheshire village of Alderley Edge, Anxiety Girl is a story surrounding the struggles of a beautiful young lady who thought she had it all.
Once a normal-ish woman, mental illness wasn’t something that Sadie really thought about, but when the three evils, anxiety, panic and depression creep into her life, Sadie wonders if she will ever see the light again.
With her best friend, Aldo, by her side, can Sadie crawl out of the impossibly dark hole and take back control of her life?
Once you have hit rock bottom, there's only one way to go...
Lacey London has spoken publicly about her own struggles with anxiety and hopes that Sadie will help other sufferers realise that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
The characters in this novel might be fictitious, but the feelings and emotions experienced are very real.
Other books by Lacey London
The Clara Andrews Series
Meet Clara Andrews
Clara Meets the Parents
Meet Clara Morgan
Clara at Christmas
Meet Baby Morgan
Clara in the Caribbean
Clara in America
Clara in the Middle
Clara’s Last Christmas
The Clara series is exclusive to Amazon.
Meet Clara Andrews
Book 1
Meet Clara Andrews... Yo
ur new best friend!
With a love of cocktails and wine, a fantastic job in the fashion industry and the world’s greatest best friends, Clara Andrews thought she had it all.
That is until a chance meeting introduces her to Oliver, a devastatingly handsome American designer. Trying to keep the focus on her work, Clara finds her heart stolen by Michelin starred restaurants and luxury hotels.
As things get flirty, Clara reminds herself that inter-office relationships are against the rules, so when a sudden recollection of a work’s night out leads her to a cheeky, charming and downright gorgeous barman, she decides to see where it goes.
Clara soon finds out that dating two men isn't as easy as it seems...
Will she be able to play the field without getting played herself?
Join Clara as she finds herself landing in and out of trouble, re-affirming friendships, discovering truths and uncovering secrets.
Clara Meets the Parents
Book 2