French Kissing by Lynne Shelby

that he’s hiding in your wardrobe?’
    I explained about Mrs Cooper’s mistrust of minicab drivers.
    â€˜And how are you and Nick?’ Alex said.
    â€˜We’re great. Why wouldn’t we be?’
    â€˜No reason.’ Alex walked across the room and flopped down next to me on my bed, resting on his elbows. ‘I only asked because I haven’t seen much of you lately, and I don’t know what’s going on in your life.’
    â€˜I was thinking the same about you. What have you been up to?’ Apart from picking up girls at fashion launches.
    Alex thought for a moment and then he said, ‘Dear Anna, Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve had some challenging assignments in interesting locations around London, and I’ve taken some shots I’m very pleased with. I also spent a day photographing furniture, which was somewhat less interesting. I’ve played squash with Rob a few times –’
    â€˜Who won?’ I said.
    â€˜Ssh. No interrupting my letter.’ Alex cleared his throat. ‘I played squash with Rob, and I won, although it wasn’t easy, as we’re pretty evenly matched. Rob invited me to call in for a drink on my way home, and I saw your friend Beth –’
    â€˜How is Beth? I’ve been meaning to call her.’
    â€˜Ssh! Beth seemed tired, so I didn’t stay very long. Yours sincerely, Alexandre Tourville. PS. Tomorrow, if you are free after work, would you like to come with me to the National Gallery? It stays open ’til 9 p.m. on Fridays.’
    â€˜Ooh, I do like getting letters,’ I said. ‘ Cher Alexandre, thank you for your kind invitation. I would very much like to visit the National Gallery with you. Á bientôt, Anna Mitchel.’
    â€˜It’s a date, then,’ Alex said. ‘What time do you finish work?’
    I told him, and we arranged that he would come and meet me at Nova Graphics, that we’d spend a couple of hours at the National Gallery, and then go for a meal, and possibly on to a club. We chatted for a while, and then, seeing as we were both yawning, decided to call it a night.
    â€˜I’ll see you tomorrow, then,’ Alex stood up in one sinuous motion. ‘ Bonne nuit .’
    â€˜ Bonne nuit , Alex.’
    He headed out of my room. I lay back on my bed and thought how easy he was to talk to, how easy to be around. And easy on the eye, of course. I ran my hand over the dent on the duvet where he had been lying next to me. My friend. Mon ami. I would miss him when he went back to France.

Twelve
    The following morning, I’d just come out of one meeting and was getting my notes together ready for another, when Beth rang my mobile.
    â€˜Hi, Anna,’ she said. ‘Are you at work? Can you talk?’
    â€˜Yes, I’m at work, but I can talk for five minutes.’
    â€˜Well, it’s short notice, but I know you never see Nick on Fridays, and Rob’s said he’ll look after the kids, so I was hoping that you and I could have a girls’ night out. Go to a bar, somewhere with live music, like we used to –’
    â€˜Beth, slow down. Do you mean tonight?’
    â€˜Yes. Sorry, I’m wittering. It’s what happens when you’re at home with small children all day. You forget how to talk to people over the age of five.
    â€˜I can’t tonight.’
    â€˜Tomorrow?’
    â€˜I’m really sorry, but I’m seeing Nick tomorrow.’
    â€˜Oh, well, maybe some other time,’ Beth said, sounding horribly disappointed.
    â€˜Any other Friday would be fine,’ I said, ‘but tonight I’m going to the National Gallery with Alex.’
    â€˜You’re going out with Alex?’ Beth said. ‘Then why I don’t I come with you? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.’
    Maybe he wouldn’t mind. But I did. I’d been looking forward to my night out with Alex, and really didn’t want a third