by Anna Samuels
‘So, uh…what are we doing today?’ I asked her.
‘Well, as it’s so packed on the beach, it’d be helpful to stay open for another hour or so if you don’t mind? Then we can go back to mine?’
‘No problem. I like being here,’ I told her. ‘In fact, I like being in your company no matter what we do.’
She smiled at me, a gentle curve of her lips as her eyes met mine. ‘Ditto, honey,’ she replied softly.
I felt my cheeks warm and then I looked away embarrassed as customers walked in. I turned to wander the gallery whilst the physical reaction of being near her filled every little part of me.
A little over an hour later, Allie closed the shop. I had helped her in the gallery when things got busy by packing up art in bubble wrap and bagging them up for her while she took the money. We made a good, efficient team and I enjoyed every second of working alongside her.
When the gallery was locked, Allie turned to me with a strange look on her face.
‘What?’ I asked.
‘Fancy a quick walk first?’
‘Where to?’ I frowned.
‘The house,’ she smiled.
‘Oh!’ I exclaimed, following her thought process. ‘Sure! Let’s go!’
We made our way up the coastal path towards the top of the cliff. We then walked along the top until we were stood underneath the property we had been discussing this afternoon.
‘Wow,’ Allie breathed in a low murmur.
I looked over at her and followed her eyeline. She was staring up the high windows where a balcony stood proudly at the front of the house. From that point, I could imagine that the whole bay could be seen. ‘It’s beautiful,’ I commented.
She nodded slowly. ‘Six bedrooms, three bathrooms, it has two reception rooms and a large garden out the back…my idea of heaven.’
‘What would you do with all that space?’ I wondered.
She shrugged. ‘Live…’
‘Wouldn’t it feel big?’
‘I don’t always plan to be alone,’ she told me, looking over at me. ‘I would want to share it with a family ultimately…’
I nodded and looked back to the house.
‘I, uh…I heard from Katie this week…’
‘You did?’ I replied, glancing at her and feeling awkward now.
‘Yes. She was…she was apologetic about the whole thing and then…well, I told her I knew…’
‘About the baby?’
‘Yes,’ she nodded.
‘She wasn’t happy I had found out.’
‘Oh dear…did you tell her it was me who told you?’ I asked, worrying about the impact of it.
‘I did, yeah…there was no-one else who would have told me though when you think about it.’
‘No…’ I mused. ‘So, what did she say?’
‘She said that it had to be over and that she was going to be true to Lauren and the baby from this point on.’
‘What did you say to that?’
‘I told her fine…I actually pissed her off after that…’
‘How come?’
‘Ah well…you may not like this,’ she told me.
‘What?’
‘I uh…I told a little, white lie…’
‘What was it?’ I asked, frowning.
‘I told her that we had hit it off and I was dating you…’
‘You didn’t!’
‘Yeah…I’m sorry, Cass but I didn’t want her thinking I was all distraught and troubled by her ending things. I thought she can have some upset back in her direction. I don’t want to drag you into all of this but you came to mind as ammunition. I told her to forget us because I had met someone I was far more suited to…you!’
‘I see…I bet she loved that!’
‘Not really,’ she chuckled.
I smiled.
‘You’re not mad?’
‘Why would I be mad?’ I asked warmly.
‘I don’t know…because I lied.’
I met her eyes. ‘Well, it made you feel better about things so I’m fine with it.’
‘Thanks, Cass…so…shall we go back to mine?’ she suggested.
I grinned happily. ‘Sounds like a plan!’
Chapter 10
The house
When we got back to Allie’s house, she let us in and headed straight to her computer.
‘What are you doing?’ I wondered.
‘Oh, you don’t mind do you? I want to look up the house…see how much it’s been put on for.’
‘Oh, of course! Yes, I’d be intrigued to see too!’ I told her, walking over to look over her shoulder.
She brought up the website of the estate agents who had offered me a job opportunity and then scrolled through the listings in search of the house. When she got to the right one she gasped.
‘What?’
‘It’s on for less than I imagined!’ she told me with wonder in her voice.
‘Oh really?’ I said, looking. ‘£600,000?’
‘Yes…I would have expected more.’
I glanced at her. ‘Can you afford that type of money?’ I asked.
‘No, not alone,’ she replied, turning to look at me.
‘Then why torture yourself?’ I questioned.
‘Because it’s the house!’ she told me. ‘It’s been the dream since I moved here. I’ve been waiting and watching for so long that I thought it would never come on the market. Now it has, I can’t give up the dream.’
‘But how will you afford it?’
‘I don’t know yet,’ she murmured thoughtfully. ‘I want to see inside first and then I’ll think it through.’
‘I’d love to see inside too,’ I told her. ‘It looks stunning from the outside, I’d love to see what they’ve done from the inside.’
‘Why don’t you come with me when I do then?’ she asked. ‘It’d be good to have your opinion when I’m viewing it…and you are an estate agent!’
‘I am,’ I nodded. ‘I’d love to,’ I smiled. ‘That sounds like something I’d like to do.’
‘Shall I book it then?’
‘Yes!’
‘Can I phone them now?’ she asked me.
‘Blimey, you’re keen!’ I laughed.
‘I can’t begin to tell you, Cass…this is like…well, it’s like a dream come true.’
I smiled at her and hoped her excitement wouldn’t lead to disappointment. ‘Yeah…’
She met my eyes. ‘Don’t worry, Cass.’
‘No?’
‘No. I’m not an idiot, I’m just excited. Life should be full of adventure and striving for more each day, right? Even if I don’t get the house, I’m still going to try.’
I nodded, but wondered how. I didn’t know the ins and outs of her financial situation but what she had told me had made me think she was in a similar situation to myself.
I watched as she picked up the phone.
‘Hello! Yes, I’m interested in one of your properties…’ she began.
I went to sit on the sofa as I listened to her book an appointment to see the house on Monday at half past five. As she hung up, she rose from her seat and came to sit beside me.
‘All booked.’
‘Great…’
‘So, can you come?’
‘On Monday at five thirty?’ I questioned.
‘Yes.’
‘I’ll try,’ I told her. ‘I usually finish around that time so I’ll see if I can get off an hour early.’
‘It would be amazing if you could but don’t worry if it’s a no,’ she replied.
‘Okay. I’ll see what my boss says,’ I smiled.
‘Great!’ she said, beaming. ‘So! You ready for a boat trip?’ she asked.
‘You were serious?’
‘Hell, yeah! I borrowed my friends boat for the occasion!’
‘Wow! How exciting!’ I said, feeling surprised she had gone to the effort for me.
‘You’ll love it. Come on, let’s get on out there! We don’t want to waste the d
ay!’
I smiled at her enthusiasm. She loved life and she seemed to live each day to the max which I admired. I was too settled in my ‘comfortable’ little existence, I realised. It was taking someone like Allie to shake that up a little and rock my boat.
We left her small, seaside home and she led me down to the other side of the beach. There she set about preparing the little boat for a trip around the cove and then got me to help wheel it down to the shore. After a few final preparations, we were off.
Sat on a wooden bench, with the wind whipping my hair wildly, Allie navigated her way outwards. We passed the picturesque line of rocks which sat boldly in the sea and around the cove we went, affording views of the coastline which were unrivalled.
‘This is beautiful!’ I called out above the noise of the wind and the sea.
‘I know! You wait till we get around the other side!’ she yelled back.
I smiled at her and turned to admire the view. I was really enjoying simply being in Allie’s company and was pretty confident that she was feeling the same. I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye as she steered the boat around the cove. She looked absolutely gorgeous. Her short, blonde hair was whipping against her brow and her eyes looked as bright and green as the sea. Her cheeks bore a flush of pink; a testament to the concentration her task demanded. I sighed inwardly. She was stunning.
‘Look, Cass!’ she called. ‘A seal!’
I turned with a frown, thinking she was joking but as I followed the line of her finger, I saw that she wasn’t kidding. There was in fact a seal, frolicking in the water a little way off from where we were. I gasped. ‘Wow!’
‘We get them around here sometimes. You don’t see them often though so remember this!’
‘I always will,’ I told her with a smile.
She smiled back happily and then turned back to steering us around the cove.
We were out on the water for an hour and a half. Allie showed me little coves which were near Hope and we floated in quiet waters while enjoying the sunshine. It was a perfect moment in time which I knew I would never forget; partly because of the wonderful experience but mainly because of the company.
Back on dry land, we headed back to Allie’s house. She let us in and the house seemed quiet once the door was shut behind us.
‘Right…let’s make a plan,’ she said, from behind me.
I turned around to look at her. ‘A plan?’
‘Yes. We said a film and dinner right?’ she questioned.
I nodded. ‘I think so.’
‘I have some wine and was thinking…why don’t you stay…I have a sofa as well as a bed so I can sleep there and then we don’t need to worry about time running away with us…’
My eyebrows rose in an involuntary surprised response. ‘Stay?’
‘Yeah…it makes sense. You can enjoy some wine and I get company tonight.’
‘I, uh…is that a good idea?’ I said, before I could stop myself.
‘I think it is. We’re friends, right?’
I understood her meaning. She was clarifying our relationship so I didn’t feel awkward about any intimacy involved in staying the night. ‘Yes, of course we are.’
‘So, it’s not a problem-I mean, unless you don’t want to.’
‘No, I, uh…I want to…I was just…well, on one condition,’ I said finally.
‘What’s that?’
‘I sleep on the couch. You can’t go giving up a comfy couch to sleep on the sofa!’
‘Why not?’
‘Because it wouldn’t seem right! I’ll stay, but I sleep on the sofa. Agreed?’
She looked reluctant at first but then she nodded. ‘Agreed. So, relax! I’m going to make some dinner.’
‘Can I help?’ I asked.
‘Sure,’ she smiled.
I got up and headed to the kitchen with her.
‘What are we making?’ I asked.
‘I have fish…so fish and chips? Fish pie?’
‘Sounds great!’
‘Which one?’
‘Either! I’m not fussy!’ I smiled.
‘Okay…well, I make a mean fish pie!’
‘Fish pie it is then!’
‘Can you peel some potatoes and put them onto boil then?’ she asked.
‘Sure,’ I said, setting to work. While I did that, Allie prepared the fish and the white sauce needed in order to assemble the fish pie together. As we worked alongside each other in the tiny kitchen we chatted.
‘Do you like cooking?’ I asked.
‘I do, yeah…it’s a simple pleasure and I like to eat well so I cook from scratch as much as I can.’
‘Me too. I like homely dishes like Mum used to make at home so I do the same.’
‘What are you good at making?’ she asked.
‘Hmm…cottage pie, roast dinner, spaghetti Bolognese…things like that!’
‘You sound surprisingly similar to me,’ she commented.
‘Oh really?’
‘Yes…I make all of those things often too.’
‘I like all the traditional meals…occasionally I like to go out and try something new but mainly I like typical homemade meals.’
She nodded. ‘So, do you go out for meals much? Like on dates?’ she asked.
I glanced at her as I felt her eyes were on me. They were. I felt myself blush slightly. ‘I, uh…sometimes.’
‘Sometimes?’
‘Well, I get asked out…I just pick and choose when to accept.’
‘So, have you been on any dates recently?’ she wondered.
‘A few…’
She laughed. ‘You’re not very forthcoming on this subject!’
‘No,’ I replied, ‘well, I haven’t had the best experiences.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes. My friends like setting me up because I’m the only single one left. The women they set me up with though! It’s just horrible!’ I exclaimed, suddenly animated.
‘Why is it horrible?’
‘Because it’s women I’d never want to be with…and many of them with so much baggage or issues that I just couldn’t bear it!’
‘Oh…’
‘I like a simple life. I can’t take complicated and heavy…it’s just not me.’
‘I see…so why do your friends keep setting you up?’
‘Because they seem to be on an endless quest to see me married off…it doesn’t seem to matter to whom though!’
‘Well, after what I told Katie, I think they may be leaving you alone now.’
‘Oh yes,’ I replied, thinking. ‘I hadn’t thought of that.’
‘We could be useful for one another,’ she murmured. ‘You can be there for me when I have to face Katie and I can be there for you when your friends are trying to matchmake. With each other there; none of them can bother us!’
‘I hadn’t thought about it like that. It’s actually a really good solution.’
‘We may have to pretend a bit if we find ourselves in their company.’
‘I can pretend,’ I grinned. ‘I mean, you’re not totally heinous!’ I laughed.
‘Oi, you!’ she chuckled, and poked me in the ribs in a playful manner.
I jumped, while still laughing.
‘Payback time,’ she commented.
‘Sorry,’ I murmured, with humour in my voice. ‘Well, I’m bound to be invited to one of their regular dinners before long so I’m sure the opportunity to fake it will arise.’
‘Yeah,’ Allie sighed, leaning against the counter. ‘Katie already mentioned a get together in a few weeks actually. I thought I would try and avoid it but she was insistent that we come.’
‘We?’
‘Yes, we. It was after I lied about us.’
‘Oh,’ I murmured. ‘Well, that’d be okay. I don’t mind.’
‘You don’t?’
‘No…we’ll just have fun with it.’
She smiled at me but said nothing. Turning back to the dinner we were making, our conversation turn
ed back to food.
After preparing dinner, we sat down to eat on the sofa and turned on a film to watch. The movie was a romance and I found myself gripped by the storyline and watching avidly. We chatted infrequently as it was a good story and the time past by slowly. By the time the end came, dark had crept in and when I looked out of the window, I could see the moon shining brightly.
‘It got dark.’
‘I know…look at that full moon!’
‘It’s gorgeous,’ I said, leaning back against the sofa and staring out of the window.
Allie looked over at me. ‘I’m glad you stayed.’
I met her eyes. ‘You are?’
‘Yes. I enjoy your company, Cass.’
‘Ditto,’ I smiled. ‘It’s really nice to have a relaxing evening with someone you enjoy being around! I think it helps that we decided to become friends,’ I commented.
She nodded slowly but looked thoughtful. ‘And you’re happy with that?’ she questioned.
‘What? Being friends?’
‘Yes.’
‘I…yes! Of course I am! I love your company.’
‘Same here. I just…’ she trailed off.
‘What?’ I questioned.
‘Well…we do get on so well, I just wonder…’
‘What?’
‘Well, is it just friendship?’ she asked.
I met her eyes and felt my mouth go dry. ‘Allie…’
‘I shouldn’t have said anything…’
‘No, it’s fine,’ I told her, meeting her gaze and swallowing hard. ‘I’ve…well, I’ve thought about that too recently,’ I revealed.
‘You have?’
I nodded. ‘Yes.’
‘And what do you think?’
‘I think…I think it’s an option,’ I said slowly.
Her eyebrows rose.
‘But not now,’ I continued quickly.
‘No? Why?’ she questioned.
I smiled at her. ‘Because I’m enjoying being your friend. I’m enjoying getting to know you.’
She nodded slowly, her eyes dropping downwards.
‘But that doesn’t mean never…I’d like to think that sometime…sometime after we’ve been friends for a bit and when you’re over Katie…perhaps we could…try?’ I suggested.
She reached over and laid her hand gently on mine, immediately sparking a physical reaction inside of me. ‘I’d like that,’ she replied softly.