clinked glasses.
“Gorgeous weather, isn’t it?” She ran her hand through her hair. “Excuse the helmet hair – it probably looks a right state.”
“Looks fine,” I said. She smiled and I noticed her cute dimple again.
“I was out your way last night – I hoped I might bump into you,” she said.
“I was knackered last night so didn’t have a big one.”
“Same here, I didn’t stay.” She paused. “I’ve had a killer week.”
“Lots of eyes?”
“Everywhere you look,” she smiled. “So I thought I’d ride it out.”
“Good plan.”
I decided not to declare my hatred of towpath cyclists right at that moment – strategic planning.
“So tell me about your trip to Sydney – did you meet any cute women?”
Why in the world had I asked that? Lucy snorted.
“I was beating them off with a stick. Or is it a boomerang in Oz?”
“I’m not sure either would work.”
I paused, regaining my composure.
“Okay let me try again. Did you make it to Bondi?”
She nodded enthusiastically.
“It was ace. And I even took some surf lessons.”
“Now that is amazing. I was there three years and never got beyond putting on a wet suit and splashing about in the sea with a board. Fear of sharks.”
“Right,” she said. “Well I can’t say I was a pro but it was fun – and the instructor was cute too.”
“Now we’re getting to the bottom of it,” I said and she laughed. Even at one of my bad jokes. Interesting.
“What about Newtown?”
“Ah well, that’s a whole other story. Oh, and I saw that drag king – your ex, what was her name?”
“Teri?” I said, stunned. I often find my mouth running away with me and telling people stories of my life, safe in the knowledge they’re never going to run into the lead characters who are safely tucked away on the other side of the world. Until now.
“Yes, Butch Cassidy!”
“Oh my god, now I’m really embarrassed…”
“No need. I was really impressed with her – she’s still doing the act with the black dildo by the way…”
I blushed phone box red.
“And it’s just like you said – very realistic shall we say...”
Lucy began to laugh as I gulped at my pint for something to do.
“Hmmm. I’m not sure I could have made you feel much more uncomfortable,” she said. I smiled and flicked my hand nonchalantly.
“It’s fine. It’s just, you know, a blast from the past brought up by someone who’s here and now and I’ve only met you twice. But I’m glad you enjoyed the show. Whatever else she is, Teri’s definitely a pro.”
“Agreed.”
Lucy closed her eyes and stretched backward, arching her body into the sun, straining every muscle to allow the sunshine in. I caught myself staring but turned away quick enough so that when she opened her eyes, I was looking into the water. Smooth, I thought.
“So do you come here often?” she asked.
“Good line,” I said.
“I got them all.”
We both laughed.
“But in answer to your question, yeah I do. I love the water so I walk along the canal or the river, whichever one I fancy.”
“Me too – apart from I bike it. Have you done the Thames Path?”
Her eyes raked my body as she waited for an answer. I felt goosebumps prickle my skin and hoped she wasn’t looking too closely as I evidently couldn’t be cold.
“The bits around London – but I’d love to do the whole thing all the way to Gloucester.”
“Me too.” She paused. “Perhaps we should do a section one day.”
“Maybe,” I smiled. Lucy smiled back.
“I just hope you’re not one of those cyclists who nearly knocks pedestrians into the water at every opportunity.”
“Not me, I was a girl scout,” she said. She leaned over and rang the bell on her bike. “I always ring and always say thank you.”
“Good to know,” I said.
I discovered that Lucy had really enjoyed Sydney and had gone to all my favourite bars, which made me feel homesick and missing my friends. She asked why I’d moved
“Gorgeous weather, isn’t it?” She ran her hand through her hair. “Excuse the helmet hair – it probably looks a right state.”
“Looks fine,” I said. She smiled and I noticed her cute dimple again.
“I was out your way last night – I hoped I might bump into you,” she said.
“I was knackered last night so didn’t have a big one.”
“Same here, I didn’t stay.” She paused. “I’ve had a killer week.”
“Lots of eyes?”
“Everywhere you look,” she smiled. “So I thought I’d ride it out.”
“Good plan.”
I decided not to declare my hatred of towpath cyclists right at that moment – strategic planning.
“So tell me about your trip to Sydney – did you meet any cute women?”
Why in the world had I asked that? Lucy snorted.
“I was beating them off with a stick. Or is it a boomerang in Oz?”
“I’m not sure either would work.”
I paused, regaining my composure.
“Okay let me try again. Did you make it to Bondi?”
She nodded enthusiastically.
“It was ace. And I even took some surf lessons.”
“Now that is amazing. I was there three years and never got beyond putting on a wet suit and splashing about in the sea with a board. Fear of sharks.”
“Right,” she said. “Well I can’t say I was a pro but it was fun – and the instructor was cute too.”
“Now we’re getting to the bottom of it,” I said and she laughed. Even at one of my bad jokes. Interesting.
“What about Newtown?”
“Ah well, that’s a whole other story. Oh, and I saw that drag king – your ex, what was her name?”
“Teri?” I said, stunned. I often find my mouth running away with me and telling people stories of my life, safe in the knowledge they’re never going to run into the lead characters who are safely tucked away on the other side of the world. Until now.
“Yes, Butch Cassidy!”
“Oh my god, now I’m really embarrassed…”
“No need. I was really impressed with her – she’s still doing the act with the black dildo by the way…”
I blushed phone box red.
“And it’s just like you said – very realistic shall we say...”
Lucy began to laugh as I gulped at my pint for something to do.
“Hmmm. I’m not sure I could have made you feel much more uncomfortable,” she said. I smiled and flicked my hand nonchalantly.
“It’s fine. It’s just, you know, a blast from the past brought up by someone who’s here and now and I’ve only met you twice. But I’m glad you enjoyed the show. Whatever else she is, Teri’s definitely a pro.”
“Agreed.”
Lucy closed her eyes and stretched backward, arching her body into the sun, straining every muscle to allow the sunshine in. I caught myself staring but turned away quick enough so that when she opened her eyes, I was looking into the water. Smooth, I thought.
“So do you come here often?” she asked.
“Good line,” I said.
“I got them all.”
We both laughed.
“But in answer to your question, yeah I do. I love the water so I walk along the canal or the river, whichever one I fancy.”
“Me too – apart from I bike it. Have you done the Thames Path?”
Her eyes raked my body as she waited for an answer. I felt goosebumps prickle my skin and hoped she wasn’t looking too closely as I evidently couldn’t be cold.
“The bits around London – but I’d love to do the whole thing all the way to Gloucester.”
“Me too.” She paused. “Perhaps we should do a section one day.”
“Maybe,” I smiled. Lucy smiled back.
“I just hope you’re not one of those cyclists who nearly knocks pedestrians into the water at every opportunity.”
“Not me, I was a girl scout,” she said. She leaned over and rang the bell on her bike. “I always ring and always say thank you.”
“Good to know,” I said.
I discovered that Lucy had really enjoyed Sydney and had gone to all my favourite bars, which made me feel homesick and missing my friends. She asked why I’d moved
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