by Sophie Hart
Right now, he was watching two of his colleagues, Billy and Raj, play a game of darts. It was a tense match; they were down to the final few throws, and there was a whole five pounds riding on the outcome.
Beside him, Nina was sitting quietly, her long legs crossed as she sipped a glass of white wine with soda. They’d been chatting for most of the evening, and Nick was hugely enjoying her company. She was a lot of fun, and he was aware that she was flirting with him, but tonight he didn’t care. It had been a long time since he’d had his ego massaged like that, and Nina was undoubtedly a very attractive woman. Hanging out with her was a welcome change from Julia’s nagging, and her baby obsession.
‘Yeah! Well done Raj!’
Nick heard a shout from across the pub, and realised that Raj had won the darts game. The others were clapping him on the back, whooping loudly, as Billy shook his head and opened his wallet, handing over a battered five-pound note. As Nick watched, they downed the last of their drinks and pulled on their coats, looking over to where he was sitting.
‘Nick, we’re off now. I’ll see you tomorrow. Night, Nina.’
‘Sure, Billy. See you tomorrow.’
The group walked out of the pub, leaving Nick and Nina sitting amongst a group of strangers. There was an instant shift in atmosphere, and Nick swallowed, suddenly acutely aware that the two of them were now alone together.
‘So, how are you finding everything?’ he asked awkwardly. ‘You’ve been here two months now – that’s gone quickly.’
‘It has, hasn’t it?’ Nina agreed. ‘I’m really enjoying it. And it’s been great working with you – you’re so good at what you do, and you’ve taught me so much.’
‘Well, I don’t know about that,’ Nick harrumphed, but he was quietly pleased with the flattery.
‘And how’s everything with you?’ Nina asked casually, flicking her long, dark hair back behind one shoulder.
Nick shrugged. ‘Oh, you know. Fine, I suppose.’
‘You’ve just seemed… a little down these past few days. It’s probably none of my business.’
Nick smiled ruefully. His phone was sitting on the table in front of him, but he hadn’t received a reply from Julia. She was probably still angry at him, he concluded, thinking how petty his wife could be sometimes.
‘Just a few personal things going on,’ Nick confessed, then immediately wondered why he’d said that.
At that moment, a woman sat down on the other side of Nina, forcing her to shift along the bench towards Nick. Her leg was warm against his, her skirt riding up her shapely thighs as she moved.
‘I’m a good listener, if you ever need to talk,’ she murmured, leaning into him.
Nick shook his head and sighed. ‘You’re not married, are you, Nina?’
‘No,’ she replied, and Nick couldn’t help but notice the fullness of her lips as she spoke.
‘Then you wouldn’t understand.’
Nina reached across, placing a hand on his arm, and Nick looked up at her, startled. Their eyes met and, for a second, something passed between them, something that made Nick’s blood race in his veins and his heart beat faster.
‘Try me,’ Nina whispered softly, an undeniable hint of flirtation in the statement.
Nick’s breath caught in his throat. She was so close that he could smell the lingering musk of her perfume, and see the way her pupils dilated as she looked at him. Her lips were partially open, plump and moist, and Nick found that he couldn’t stop staring at them.
Suddenly, he felt desperate to confess everything; to tell this vibrant, beautiful young woman how alone and scared and trapped and bored he felt in his marriage. How terrified he was that he’d made a mistake, and his secret fear that fifty years of quiet dissatisfaction was all that lay ahead of him. Nina would listen sympathetically, comfort him and…
Almost before he knew what he was doing, Nick leant forwards, the merest of movements bringing him nose to nose with Nina. His lips found hers – warm, soft, dizzyingly unfamiliar – and for a moment he was lost. A host of emotions rushed through him: relief and pleasure and undeniable excitement. Nina kissed him back eagerly, her body yielding to his, and all Nick could think about was how good it felt. He brought a hand up to her face, stroking her cheek, but the second his fingertips touched her skin he jumped away as though he’d received an electric shock. His eyes were wide, his heart pounding. What the hell had he been thinking?
‘Sorry, Nina. I’m so sorry.’ Nick scrabbled to his feet, standing up so quickly that he almost knocked his drink over. Nina stared back at him, hurt and confusion clearly written across her features.
‘Nick, wait—’ she began, but he cut her off.
‘I need to go. Need to get home,’ he mumbled, shaking his head as though trying to dislodge the spell she’d cast. ‘I’m so sorry. I’ll see you tomorrow, at work.’
Nick grabbed his jacket and fled, racing outside to hail a taxi and trying not to think about what had just happened. All he knew was that he needed to get out of there right away. He needed to get home, back to his wife.
Out on the street, the cold air hit him. There were no cabs in sight, and Nick began to jog, his only aim to get as far away from the pub as possible. His lips were on fire, his mouth still full of the taste of Nina, and as he ran he felt a new sensation stir in the pit of his stomach, spreading through his body and threatening to overwhelm him. It was a second before Nick could identify the feeling, but as he found a minicab and climbed into the back, his breathing coming hard, he realised exactly what it was.
It was guilt.
17
Chapter Seventeen
‘If you want to have great sex, find a partner who really turns you on’ – Jackie Collins
Annie was spending her Sunday afternoon in the way she loved the best – chilling out and watching a romantic comedy. This time, it wasn’t her extensive DVD collection that she’d turned to. Instead, she’d ventured to Cinema City, the cosy art-house cinema on St Andrews Street, to see the newly released film, The Tender Night. It was based on a Nicholas Sparks book, with Ryan Gosling and Amanda Seyfried starring as the leads, and Annie couldn’t think of a more perfect combination. The critics had savaged it, of course, calling it schmaltzy, saccharine and unrealistic (‘Have your sick bags at the ready’ advised one particularly vicious review) but Annie didn’t care.
She’d gone to the cinema alone. Having been single for most of her adult life, Annie had a strong independent streak, and wasn’t fazed by the prospect of dining solo if she fancied a meal out, or even going on holiday by herself, on the rare occasions that she took a break from work. If the truth be told, she positively relished going to the cinema alone. She felt sure that if she’d asked her sister, or one of her friends, they’d have been happy to come along. But being on her own meant that Annie could selfishly please herself – pick what she wanted to eat, choose where she wanted to sit, and generally be free to drool over Ryan and sigh at the happy ending, without having to worry about whether or not the person she was with hated the film and was falling asleep.
To Annie, it felt like a huge indulgence to have a little quality ‘me’ time. Some women loved to take a long hot bubble bath with a glass of wine, whilst others liked to shop until they dropped, but for Annie there was no better way to spoil herself than with a trip to see the latest romantic movie.
Right now, she was queuing to get her ticket, leaning over the counter to see what flavour sweets were available. As she moved back, she felt herself knock into someone, her elbow colliding with their rib.
‘Sorry,’ they both apologised simultaneously.
The other voice sounded strangely familiar, and Annie span round to find herself looking straight at Jamie Kennedy.
‘Annie,’ he smiled warmly, seeming delighted to see her. ‘How are you?’
‘Great, thanks,’ she replied, feeling the colour rush to her cheeks as she cursed her own clumsiness. ‘I hope I didn’t hit you too hard.’
‘I’ve
had worse,’ he grinned. ‘The joys of growing up with a brother.’
‘Right,’ Annie laughed. ‘Is Matt with you?’
‘No, he’s out with his girlfriend today. I actually wanted to go into the office, but Matt insisted that I take a break, so I thought I’d catch a film. What are you here to see?’
‘Um…’ Annie stalled, wondering if she should lie. She glanced around the foyer, seeing posters for an animated children’s film, a serious-looking period drama, a re-run of a classic sci-fi flick, and a French movie with subtitles. None of them appealed. ‘The Tender Night,’ she admitted.
A look of recognition crossed Jamie’s face and for one brief moment, Annie wondered if he might possibly be there to see it too.
‘Yeah, I’ve heard of it. It’s not really my kind of thing though.’
‘Oh,’ Annie replied, feeling ridiculously disappointed.
‘I’m something of a sci-fi geek myself,’ Jamie confessed. ‘And Metropolis is an absolute classic, from the 1920s,’ he explained, nodding towards the poster. ‘They rarely show it on the big screen, so I thought I’d make the most of it.’
‘Why not?’ Annie smiled. ‘It sounds pretty cool.’
‘You don’t have to go that far,’ Jamie chuckled, as Annie reached the front of the queue and placed her order. ‘So who are you here with?’ he asked, as the server turned to get Annie her salted popcorn and a small bottle of red wine.
‘I’m here on my own,’ Annie replied instantly, then wondered whether or not she sounded defensive.
Jamie raised his eyebrows, looking surprised. ‘Really? Me too. I didn’t want to inflict my geekiness on anyone else, so thought I’d enjoy my afternoon off by myself.’
‘Good plan. I thought something similar,’ Annie told him, pulling her purse out of her bag and paying for her snacks. She stood uncertainly beside Jamie, waiting while he bought a bottle of beer and a bag of Kettle Chips.
‘Well… enjoy,’ Annie said finally, as he gathered up his things and stepped away from the counter.
‘You too.’
Both of them hesitated, as though they wanted to say something more, but neither of them spoke. Eventually, Annie gave an apologetic smile and went to walk off, but as she turned around she heard Jamie call after her.
‘Annie!’
‘Yeah?’
‘How long does your film last?’
‘I’m not sure… I think it’s quite a long one. The next showing’s at 4.20, so it must be a couple of hours at least.’
‘Right. Mine’s about the same I think so… I was wondering, if you fancied it, I could wait here for you and we can go grab a drink or something afterwards?’
Jamie seemed nervous, his uncertainty making him adorable, as he ran a hand through his hair and looked at her hopefully.
Annie was taken aback, but she didn’t hesitate in her response. ‘Sure. Why not. I’d love to.’
‘Great,’ Jamie grinned, looking relieved. ‘See you back here in a couple of hours?’
‘You’re on.’
* * *
The film was exactly as Annie had expected – romantic, weepy, and with copious shots of Ryan Gosling without a shirt. But Annie couldn’t seem to concentrate. She kept thinking about meeting Jamie afterwards and, for some crazy reason, she felt nervous.
It was just Jamie, she told herself. Jamie, the guy she chatted to almost every day at work when they bumped into each other in the kitchen. Jamie, the techy computer whizz who was into gaming and spent his days developing new apps and other geeky stuff she couldn’t even begin to understand. So why did she feel so anxious, butterflies dancing in her stomach?
She guessed it was because she was seeing him outside of work; if they didn’t get on, it could make things awkward in future. Yes, that’s what was making her nervous, Annie decided, as she swallowed a mouthful of popcorn and tried to get back into the film, where Ryan and Amanda’s characters were having an emotional reunion after being kept apart for over a decade.
When the film finished and the lights came back on, Annie stood up and hurried out of the cinema. Usually, she liked to sit and watch the end credits roll, to keep her immersed in the film and avoid breaking the spell until it was completely over. But today, she didn’t want to keep Jamie waiting.
She rushed out of the door, and as she made her way back to the foyer she could see Jamie leaning casually against the wall. He was engrossed in something on his phone, his hands flying over the keypad, and Annie studied him for a moment. He looked so different to when she usually saw him at work, wearing his weekend casuals of jeans and a T-shirt, a checked shirt and cosy jacket thrown over the top. He looked good, Annie realised, feeling her cheeks grow warm.
Jamie glanced up and saw her walking towards him, hastily putting his phone back in his pocket.
‘Sorry,’ he apologised. ‘Just sending an email.’
‘Working on a weekend?’ Annie teased. ‘Are you never off duty?’
‘Unfortunately not,’ Jamie laughed. ‘So how was your film?’
‘Great, actually. Really good. Totally my sort of thing.’
‘Are you a Ryan Gosling fan?’
Annie bit her lip. ‘Maybe…’
‘Hey, I know all about that. I have a younger sister.’
The two of them were standing round awkwardly, trying to keep out of the way as people streamed in and out of the small foyer.
‘Listen, do you fancy going to grab a bite to eat somewhere?’ Jamie asked. ‘There’s a little Spanish place not far from here. They do great tapas, and jugs of sangria.’
‘Mmm, sounds perfect,’ Annie smiled happily, as the two of them set off walking. ‘So how was Metropolis? Was it everything you’d hoped for?’
‘And more. Can you think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than watching a ninety-year-old, black-and-white German silent film set in a futuristic urban dystopia?’
‘Yes,’ Annie replied immediately, then burst out laughing.
‘Ah, I’m disappointed in you,’ Jamie sighed. ‘So I can’t tempt you away from your rom-coms?’
Annie shook her head. ‘I’m afraid not. I think I’m an addict. There isn’t a rom-com out there that I haven’t seen, no matter how cheesy and clichéd.’
‘Oh, I know all of them.’ Jamie rolled his eyes. ‘My sister forced me to sit through them all when I was growing up. I must have seen Romeo and Juliet a dozen times. I swear that’s what got me through my English GCSE. Leah had the biggest crush on Leonardo DiCaprio, and she played that Cardigans song, ‘Lovefool’, over and over again, until the CD got scratched in a tragic accident.’
‘I love that song!’ Annie exclaimed. ‘Sounds like I’d get on well with your sister.’
‘Yeah, I think you would,’ Jamie said thoughtfully, giving her a sideways glance.
Annie found herself blushing, for some inexplicable reason, but then Jamie announced that they’d arrived at their destination.
‘I’ve never been here before,’ Annie told him, as they entered the tiny little restaurant, called La Casita. It was early still, so the place was quiet.
‘Neither have I, actually,’ Jamie admitted. ‘My brother recommended it. He and his girlfriend come here a lot, but I never seem to have got round to it.’
‘The menu looks amazing,’ Annie commented, her mouth watering at the thought of calamares and patatas bravas.
‘Do you like Spanish food?’
‘I like any type of food,’ Annie laughed. ‘I’m a real foodie. But yeah, Spanish is delicious. What about you?’
‘Same. And anything makes a change from takeaway. Matt and I tend to order in a lot when we’re working late.’
‘It’s hard, isn’t it,’ Annie sympathised. ‘Running your own business. It takes a lot of time and dedication if you want to make it a success.’
‘Absolutely,’ Jamie agreed, as the waiter brought over the bottle of Rioja they’d ordered, and poured out two glasses. ‘But at least we’re getting to do what we
’re passionate about, right?’
‘That’s true. I’ll drink to that. To passion,’ Annie declared, as she and Jamie clinked their wine glasses together. Their eyes met as they toasted, and Annie realised that her heart was beating a little faster.
‘Are you ready to order?’ the waiter asked, breaking the moment as Annie quickly looked down at the menu. They requested a few different plates to share, as was traditional with tapas, and the waiter topped up their glasses before moving away.
‘So how’s everything going with Coconut Crush?’ Annie asked, keen to change the subject.
‘Really well. Surprisingly well, actually. We’ve had so much interest from the industry, and there are a lot of companies wanting to work with us. It’s strange, because for years we’ve been trying to pitch to people and win business, and now suddenly they’re contacting us. We’ve even had companies from California interested in what we’re doing.’
‘Wow,’ Annie exclaimed. ‘So will you be making the move Stateside? Turn into some Silicon Valley big shot?’
‘I doubt that,’ Jamie smiled. ‘One of the advantages of IT is that you can work from pretty much anywhere, as long as you’ve got a laptop and internet access.’
‘So do you think you’ll always stay round here? Even if you had the option of going anywhere in the world, you’d stay in Norfolk?’
‘Well, when you put it like that…’ Jamie grinned. ‘But for the moment I’ve got no plans to leave. All of my family are here, and I don’t see the point in moving to London, or even abroad, just for the sake of it.’
Their food arrived, both of them exclaiming over the delicious-looking dishes of pulpo a la gallega and pinchitos de pollo.
‘So how about your job?’ Jamie wondered. ‘I know you’ve told me a bit about it before, but I don’t know if I really understand what you do.’
Annie smiled. ‘A lot of people don’t. They tend to make these weird assumptions, but it’s quite simple really. I’m basically a counsellor, and when couples are having problems in their relationship – specifically sexual problems – they come and talk to me and I help them work through it.’