by Katie Ginger
‘Oh.’ Lottie felt her face grow hot. She’d made a complete fool of herself. A complete fool. She looked like a total arse now and cleared her throat. ‘Really?’
‘Really,’ Jeremy laughed. ‘Perhaps we could talk about it more over coffee sometime. I’d love to help if you’re still looking for volunteers.’
His openness combined with the fact that he wasn’t actually the devil incarnate had thrown her and she was utterly lost for words. ‘Umm … right … okay.’
‘I thought that as I’ve refurbished a lot of buildings before I could help with the more technical side of things. I know all about building regs and planning permission – all the exciting stuff.’ He bowed his head and kept his eyes down, embarrassed.
Lottie felt herself smile and he lifted his eyes to meet hers. They were as green as fresh spring leaves.
‘And I could give you an idea of how much things should cost. It’s boring, but it might be useful.’
‘I’m sure it’ll be really helpful,’ Lottie said quickly. She fiddled with her cardigan sleeves. She was going to have to apologise for her behaviour now. She felt stupid and mumbled the words out. ‘Sorry about before. I – I’ve just been working really hard on this and—’
Jeremy held up his hands. ‘No need to apologise. Passion’s a wonderful quality.’
From the burning at the tops of her ears she knew she was blushing.
‘Listen, can I take your number or email? Then we can talk some more another time. I can see you’re really busy today.’
Lottie’s heart flipped over and she told it to calm down. It was only a business meeting. Not a date. She took her phone from the back pocket of her jeans and fumbled around trying to find her own number.
‘Here’s my card,’ Jeremy said, giving her a business card from a small silver holder. Lottie took it just as Sid approached.
‘Alright, Lots?’ he asked, standing beside her to face Jeremy.
‘Yes, I’m fine, thanks.’ Sid stared at her expectantly. ‘Oh, sorry, I should introduce you, shouldn’t I? Sid, this is Jeremy Bell. Jeremy, this is Sid Evans.’
‘Nice to meet you, Sid,’ said Jeremy, offering his hand.
Sid took it and gave it a good shake but he didn’t give his usual cheerful grin. ‘You too.’
Silence descended and Lottie frowned at Sid. He was normally so friendly and chatty. What had come over him? ‘Sid and I have known each other forever,’ she said to Jeremy filling the void.
‘Are you involved in the theatre as well, Mr Evans?’
Lottie felt Sid’s shoulder against hers he was standing so close.
‘Sort of. I’m the reporter with the local paper and we’re covering the renovation of the theatre.’
Jeremy nodded then smiled at Lottie. ‘I see. You’re doing such a fantastic job, Miss Webster. It really is remarkable.’
‘Lottie and I work together, don’t we, Lots?’
She gave a quick smile at Sid, then turned back to Jeremy. ‘Yes, I’m the photographer.’
‘That sounds exciting.’
‘It’s not,’ said Lottie, giving a little laugh.
‘But it is fun, isn’t it?’ replied Sid, nudging her.
‘Jeremy wants to be involved in the theatre campaign too.’
‘I definitely do,’ replied Jeremy. ‘Tell me, Miss Webster, what’s your next step?’
Lottie began to relax and her shoulders dropped to their normal position below her neck, rather than hiding up near her ears. ‘I really need to start looking into how much it’ll cost to sort out all the repairs.’
‘Fantastic,’ said Jeremy, his eyes brightening. ‘That sounds like something I could help with. When do you think we could—’
‘Lottie?’ shouted Mrs Andrews angrily from across the way. She was stood by the theatre door holding a broken mop, her dress was covered in dirty water and she was glaring murderously at a small child. ‘Lottie!’
‘Oh no. Sid, could you just go and sort that out, please?’ Sid didn’t move. ‘Sid?’ she asked again and reluctantly he nodded. She didn’t blame him. No one wanted to deal with Mrs Andrews in a mood.
‘Nice to meet you, Mr Evans,’ Jeremy called.
‘Yeah, you too,’ replied Sid as he grumpily shuffled off.
Lottie turned back to see Jeremy smiling down at her and her stomach jumped up and tried to strangle her lungs. He had a crooked but sexy smile and perfect teeth.
‘So, how about we meet for a coffee some time to talk about the theatre?’ said Jeremy. ‘I could give you an estimate for the repairs and take you through what needs to happen first?’ Lottie swallowed and nodded. ‘Great. How about next Saturday? I can’t really do much before that I’m afraid.’
The smile on her lips lifted her cheeks so high she could almost see them in her peripheral vision. ‘Umm … yes, that’d be lovely. Thank you.’ Inside, Lottie groaned. Should she have said thank you?
Jeremy smiled and held out his hand. ‘It’s been lovely to meet you, Miss Webster. See you then.’
Lottie smiled to herself as Jeremy walked back into the crowd. Sid had finished with Mrs Andrews and was now over in the corner talking to a leggy brunette swishing her hair around. She seemed to think she was in a shampoo commercial but it was still another person she’d never seen in the town before. Her nan was right. The theatre really was bringing everyone together, and she, Lottie Webster had made it happen.
Chapter 11
Mrs Andrews responded to Sid’s help by caressing his arm and shooting lascivious glances that made his skin want to climb off and hide behind a bush. He glanced back over his shoulder. Lottie was still talking to that bloke and what was worse, she was smiling. She couldn’t be flirting, could she? Lottie didn’t know how to flirt.
Something about this made Sid anxious. Jeremy was too suave, too sophisticated, too perfect, too … smug. His teeth were straight and not tombstone-y, his hair was shiny and behaving itself and it was clear he was one of those gym-type blokes. He probably drank protein shakes, like the seagulls. Sid hadn’t thought Lottie would go in for that sort of thing. But maybe she was just being polite as he wanted to help with the theatre.
There was no denying the day had gone well, better than anyone expected. And even Lottie with all her stressed out worrying and pessimism couldn’t deny it. He’d got some lovely quotes for the next article and the town really seemed to be behind the theatre. Even the mayor, when he’d given his quote, conceded how well things were going.
Sid peeked over his shoulder again. Lottie was still talking. He scowled and went to get a drink from the ice cream van. ‘Hello, Rob. Can I have a can of Coke, please?’
‘Here you go, mate, it’s on me, I’ve made a killing today.’ He took one from the chiller behind him. ‘Thanks for inviting me along. I’ll make a donation over the next few days when I know where I am.’
‘Brilliant. Thanks. Every little helps.’
As Rob passed him his can, a long lithe arm reached out holding a five-pound note.
‘Can I have the same, please?’
On hearing Selena’s voice, Sid turned and his heart stopped for a second. The way Selena was dressed took his breath away. She was wearing a tight Captain America T-shirt and tiny shorts over her long, toned legs. Her hair was down and curling about her shoulders. She looked like a model. Selena smiled. ‘Hey, stranger.’
Sid’s mouth had suddenly gone dry and his tongue felt like a husk. ‘Selena. Hi.’
‘Hey.’ She looked down and shuffled her feet. ‘How have you been? I haven’t seen you for a few weeks.’
‘No, sorry. I’ve been really busy with this.’ He motioned around him. They’d texted a few times but, unsure how he’d come across and not wanting to risk one of his awful jokes being taken the wrong way, he’d kept them short and sweet.
Selena tossed her hair back over her shoulder. ‘I was worried you were avoiding me.’
Sid quickly shook his head. ‘No, no, I haven’t. I wasn’t. I’ve just,
you know—’
‘Been busy?’
‘Yeah.’ Sid scratched the back of his head.
A small smile appeared on Selena’s plump lips. ‘So, you haven’t been avoiding me then?’ She seemed so insecure and shy. Like him.
‘No,’ he replied a little too quickly. ‘Definitely not.’
Sid remembered the awkwardness of sitting in his car at the end of their first date and swallowed as his body jittered with embarrassment. He lowered his head. It unnerved him to stare at such a perfectly beautiful woman and he was so completely inept when it came to flirting. ‘I, umm … I—’
‘Listen,’ said Selena, opening her can of Coke. ‘It’s okay. If you don’t want to see me again that’s fine. I’m not offended.’ She gave an odd laugh that Sid couldn’t understand. ‘It doesn’t have to be weird or anything—’
‘No, it’s not that.’ He reached out and his fingertips brushed her skin sending a tingle through his hand. She looked at him kindly. ‘I’m just not very good at dates and things like that.’
Selena pouted. ‘Maybe you need a bit more practice.’
‘Maybe I do.’ Sid smiled and congratulated himself on some good flirting.
Selena took a sip of her drink and Sid watched her long elegant neck as she tipped her head back. ‘So what have you been doing today?’ she asked. ‘Are you writing another article?’
‘Yeah.’ Sid pulled his notebook from his pocket. ‘People really enjoyed it and I’ve got some good quotes.’
‘Can I give a quote?’ she asked, brushing her hair back.
‘Of course.’ Sid grabbed the pencil from behind his ear and opened his notebook. Back on safer ground, he was feeling more confident.
‘I was going to say that I think it’s amazing we might get the theatre back. I think it’ll be brilliant.’ Selena blushed. ‘That’s not very clever is it?’
‘It’s still a good quote,’ he reassured her. A dimple appeared in her left cheek. Selena really was the prettiest girl he’d ever seen, apart from Lottie. From the corner of his eye he could see Jeremy and Lottie laughing and smiling. And they’d already swapped numbers. His heart squeezed and he knew he had to be brave again. ‘Listen, I think we’re all heading to the pub after this, did you want to come?’
A moment of hesitation flickered across her features. ‘I’d love to, but I’m actually here with my friend. It’s her birthday.’
‘Oh, right. I see.’ Sid chastised himself for being overconfident and dropped his eyes. He didn’t want to see a pitying look on her face.
‘But we might swing by later. If I come will you buy me a drink?’
Sid smiled and the way she looked at him flooded his body with a feeling he hadn’t had since 2003. ‘I might do.’
Her eyes flashed. ‘If you do, I might lend you my St Elmo’s Fire soundtrack.’
Sid smiled and a chuckle forced its way out of his mouth. He really had thought it was only Lottie who liked cheesy Eighties movies. With a carefree shrug he said, ‘How can I say no, then?’
Selena looked over her shoulder at her friends, then back to Sid and her hair wrapped around her neck like one of those slow-motion TV shots. ‘Okay, see you later.’
A little while later Sid went with Lottie and the rest of the Greenley Players to the pub but kept his eyes on the door. When he thought of seeing Selena again, his stomach squirmed and he found himself shuffling in his seat.
‘So, Charlotte Webster has a date,’ said Gregory, cradling his gin and tonic. They were jammed into a corner of one of the oldest traditional pubs on Greenley seafront. It was tiny, dark, and always packed, but it was an institution in the town and Sid and Lottie had been drinking there for years. The owner was cricketing mad and every wall was covered with photos and souvenirs.
Sid looked up from his pint.
‘That Jeremy Bell is rather lovely.’ Gregory nudged Cecil’s arm. ‘Come on then, tell us all about him.’
Sid didn’t want to hear about Jeremy Bell and tapped the corner of the beer mat on the table.
‘It’s not a date,’ said Lottie, slowly turning her wine glass in her fingertips. ‘We’re just meeting for a coffee to discuss the theatre and how he can get involved. He said that as a property developer he—’
‘A property developer?’ replied Sid, sitting up. ‘You didn’t tell me he’s a property developer. He’s probably after the land, Lottie.’
Gregory and Cecil caught the severe note in his voice and scanned his face.
‘He isn’t,’ she said, turning a little pink. ‘He said he develops commercial property, like offices. He doesn’t build homes.’
Sid’s forehead creased with deep lines of concern. ‘What sort of commercial property? It’s not anything like, oh, I don’t know, theatres, maybe?’ He told himself it wasn’t jealousy, he’d let those old feelings go. It was just that they’d worked so hard on the theatre and he couldn’t understand how she’d risk it.
Lottie paused. ‘He definitely said offices.’
‘He could be lying, Lottie. You only met him today.’ Okay, that sounded a bit ridiculous even to him, but still. ‘Or he could be planning to put up an office block where the theatre is.’
Gregory and Cecil swung back around but Sid saw them raise their eyebrows at each other.
Lottie looked back down into her glass and Sid felt a twinge of guilt. He’d embarrassed her in front of everyone. ‘I didn’t get that impression. He said he wants to help.’
An uneasy hush fell between them and Gregory and Cecil turned back round, their nosiness obviously getting the better of them.
‘So, what else do you know about him?’ asked Gregory, glancing between the two of them. Sid chewed the inside of his cheek. He really didn’t want to know any more about Jeremy sodding Bell right now.
Lottie’s voice carried a happiness he hadn’t heard in a long time and it was crushing to think he’d never made her sound like that. ‘He lives in London during the week and he has a second home here on the …’ She trailed away but Sid had to know how the sentence ended, even though he already suspected the answer.
‘A second home where?’ he asked.
Lottie’s eyes flicked up from under her eyelashes. ‘On the marina.’
Sid knew he was being weird. He just couldn’t shake this feeling that she had let him down. He wouldn’t be like this if it was some nice normal bloke. It was just that Jeremy was the type of person they’d always disliked. A posh, put together toff. He grabbed his empty pint glass and headed up to the bar just as the door opened and Selena walked in. She came straight up to him while her friends went and found a table.
‘Hello again,’ she said, standing close. Sid couldn’t help but notice her large breasts jutting out from the top of Captain America’s shield.
His annoyance at Lottie turned to confidence in Selena’s presence. ‘Hello. I was just ordering a drink. Did you want one?’
‘Yes, please. Can I have a glass of Prosecco? I’d love some bubbles.’
Sid leaned his lanky frame over the counter and ordered. When he turned to watch the room he deliberately avoided Lottie’s gaze even though he knew she was watching him.
‘I can’t stay long,’ Selena said. ‘Like I said, it’s my friend’s birthday so I’ll have to get back to them soon, but I wanted to say hi, as I promised.’
‘That’s okay,’ said Sid, hiding his disappointment. He’d hoped she’d be staying a while. He heard Gregory and Cecil laugh loudly and noted Lottie was still watching him. ‘Listen, I was wondering if you fancied going out again sometime?’
‘I’d love to,’ Selena replied with a wide smile and stood a little closer to him. ‘I can lend you that CD then.’
He had to watch his big bony elbows or he was going to knock into her boobs. Suddenly feeling the need to impress, Sid turned to the bar and said, ‘Actually, mate, can I make it a bottle of Prosecco, please?’
Selena stared wide eyed. ‘You don’t need to do that. I’ve already said yes.’
‘I know,’ Sid replied, his self-assurance returning. He spied Lottie still staring. ‘I just thought you and your friends might like it. You said it was a birthday.’
‘Thank you.’ Selena lifted her head and kissed him on the cheek. The touch of her lips on his skin sent his heart into spasm and an adrenalin rush through his body. ‘You’re just the sweetest. Call me tomorrow, okay?’
‘Okay,’ he replied, trying to stop himself imagining kissing her properly, and while Selena took the bottle to the table and her friends screamed in delight, he picked up his pint and headed back to the Greenley Players. Lottie could see whoever she wanted. He was moving on. And who could be more perfect than Selena?
Chapter 12
‘Can I have a skinny mocha, please?’ said Lottie as the barista took her and Jeremy’s drinks order. They were sat on the patio at one of her favourite cafés on the seafront. A couple of chain places had opened up in town which meant before long all the cafés, even the small independent ones Lottie preferred, were serving different types of coffee made any which way you chose. It was a good thing as far as she was concerned.
‘Did you want whipped cream on that?’ asked the barista.
‘Yes, please.’ What was the point if you didn’t have cream? Lottie watched the frothy waves roll back and forth on the shore and the gentle breeze blew stray strands of hair into her face. She loved the taste of the briny air and the way the smell mixed with the scent from the little vase of flowers on the table.
‘I’ll have a black filter coffee, please,’ said Jeremy. He was looking more relaxed this morning in a T-shirt, jeans and trainers. His plain T|-shirt looked weirdly desolate. She’d obviously grown far to accustomed to Sid’s dubious taste.
Once the barista had gone Lottie asked, ‘So how were you hoping to get involved in the theatre, Jeremy?’
He raked his hand through his short hair. ‘Well, you mentioned before about the place needing fixing up. As a property developer I thought maybe I could take a look and give you some pointers. Let you know how much it might cost.’