exotic, almond-shaped eyes, almost perfectly balanced, with an interesting nose. ‘Well,’ he thought. ‘Might as well try and make some new friends now that I’ve said it.’
‘Pete!’ Maggie smiled up at him and Becca, her cheeks burning a furious red, stared intently into the bottom of her glass. ‘Hi, nice to bump into you again. This is my god-daughter Becca. She’s just been telling me her top ten best ways to get a boyfriend.’ Becca squealed and Maggie guessed she might not have been quite tactful enough with her god-daughter’s sensitive feelings. ‘Only for my benefit though, because I’m such a sad case,’ she added, hoping this would ease Becca’s discomfort. Becca did raise her eyes for a moment to steal a glance at Pete before looking away again, clearly covered in confusion.
‘Can I join you?’ Pete asked, pulling up a chair at Maggie’s nod. ‘I just went to pick up my emails but there wasn’t anything from Stella. It’s been two weeks now. It made me feel a bit, you know …’ He didn’t know why it seemed all right to unburden, without preamble, his emotional stress on this virtual stranger, but he was just sure she’d know how he felt.
‘Oh no,’ Maggie said, thinking for a moment. ‘But you know what? I bet she lost your email address during her journey and she’s been waiting for you to send a message to her so she can reply. I bet that’s it. You said she was a bit ditzy, didn’t you?’ He hadn’t, actually, but she had somehow gathered it from the things he’d said. Maggie smiled broadly at Pete, who brightened instantly.
‘Yeah,’ he said. That might be it.’
The waitress brought over the coffee he’d ordered and Becca, having composed herself, straightened in her chair and flicked her hair off her shoulders.
‘Are you in food then?’ she asked Pete primly. He looked disconcerted.
‘Um, no, I’m … well, I’m starting teaching tomorrow at the uni,’ he told her with a small smile. Becca lost all power of speech and decided not to pursue the conversation any further.
‘
I
am. In food, I mean.’ Maggie seamlessly covered Becca’s paralysis. ‘I run,
ran
, a catering business with Christian, that’s my … you know.’ She hurried on. ‘Fresh Talent we’re called. We only use locally grown organic produce. We started out with weddings and christenings, but then we built up corporate contracts and we’re opening an office in the City really soon. Fresh Talent 2.’ Some of her brightness faded. ‘Of course I’m not actually involved in it any more, at the moment, since well, you know.’
Pete nodded, feeling it was better to say nothing.
‘What do you teach?’ Maggie asked.
‘Oh, well, nothing before. I work in film and TV special effects and model making. I used to make TV models, but I thought while Stella was away I’d make a few changes and this came up. In a couple of weeks I’ve got an interview to work on a film. I’m shitting myself.’ Pete squirmed a little under Becca’s riveted gaze and Maggie wondered if she was transmitting her love to him even now.
‘Well.’ Maggie gathered up her keys and purse, deciding to save Pete from any further embarrassment. ‘I guess we should be going. I have a mountain of paperwork to do and Becca’s got to …’ breathe again, she nearly said, but instead she finished, ‘do homework. I’m sure you’ll hear from Stella again. I mean, the woman agreed to marry you!’
Pete nodded, feeling reassured. ‘Well, I might see you again then,’ he said, wondering if he should attempt a formal arrangement in the spirit of friendship, and then dropping the idea quickly. She’d think he was a desperate weirdo, trying to make friends with a girl he hardly knew.
‘Yeah.’ Maggie paused momentarily. What would he think if she suggested they meet up for a coffee sometime without the panting teenager? She dismissed the thought. Really she hardly knew him, he could be a raving lunatic in real
‘Pete!’ Maggie smiled up at him and Becca, her cheeks burning a furious red, stared intently into the bottom of her glass. ‘Hi, nice to bump into you again. This is my god-daughter Becca. She’s just been telling me her top ten best ways to get a boyfriend.’ Becca squealed and Maggie guessed she might not have been quite tactful enough with her god-daughter’s sensitive feelings. ‘Only for my benefit though, because I’m such a sad case,’ she added, hoping this would ease Becca’s discomfort. Becca did raise her eyes for a moment to steal a glance at Pete before looking away again, clearly covered in confusion.
‘Can I join you?’ Pete asked, pulling up a chair at Maggie’s nod. ‘I just went to pick up my emails but there wasn’t anything from Stella. It’s been two weeks now. It made me feel a bit, you know …’ He didn’t know why it seemed all right to unburden, without preamble, his emotional stress on this virtual stranger, but he was just sure she’d know how he felt.
‘Oh no,’ Maggie said, thinking for a moment. ‘But you know what? I bet she lost your email address during her journey and she’s been waiting for you to send a message to her so she can reply. I bet that’s it. You said she was a bit ditzy, didn’t you?’ He hadn’t, actually, but she had somehow gathered it from the things he’d said. Maggie smiled broadly at Pete, who brightened instantly.
‘Yeah,’ he said. That might be it.’
The waitress brought over the coffee he’d ordered and Becca, having composed herself, straightened in her chair and flicked her hair off her shoulders.
‘Are you in food then?’ she asked Pete primly. He looked disconcerted.
‘Um, no, I’m … well, I’m starting teaching tomorrow at the uni,’ he told her with a small smile. Becca lost all power of speech and decided not to pursue the conversation any further.
‘
I
am. In food, I mean.’ Maggie seamlessly covered Becca’s paralysis. ‘I run,
ran
, a catering business with Christian, that’s my … you know.’ She hurried on. ‘Fresh Talent we’re called. We only use locally grown organic produce. We started out with weddings and christenings, but then we built up corporate contracts and we’re opening an office in the City really soon. Fresh Talent 2.’ Some of her brightness faded. ‘Of course I’m not actually involved in it any more, at the moment, since well, you know.’
Pete nodded, feeling it was better to say nothing.
‘What do you teach?’ Maggie asked.
‘Oh, well, nothing before. I work in film and TV special effects and model making. I used to make TV models, but I thought while Stella was away I’d make a few changes and this came up. In a couple of weeks I’ve got an interview to work on a film. I’m shitting myself.’ Pete squirmed a little under Becca’s riveted gaze and Maggie wondered if she was transmitting her love to him even now.
‘Well.’ Maggie gathered up her keys and purse, deciding to save Pete from any further embarrassment. ‘I guess we should be going. I have a mountain of paperwork to do and Becca’s got to …’ breathe again, she nearly said, but instead she finished, ‘do homework. I’m sure you’ll hear from Stella again. I mean, the woman agreed to marry you!’
Pete nodded, feeling reassured. ‘Well, I might see you again then,’ he said, wondering if he should attempt a formal arrangement in the spirit of friendship, and then dropping the idea quickly. She’d think he was a desperate weirdo, trying to make friends with a girl he hardly knew.
‘Yeah.’ Maggie paused momentarily. What would he think if she suggested they meet up for a coffee sometime without the panting teenager? She dismissed the thought. Really she hardly knew him, he could be a raving lunatic in real
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