car and opened the passenger
door. “I don’t know. Women’s problems probably. Text her or something.”
Pam scowled. “I did already. She’s not answering
my texts. Which is weird, she usually does.”
I sighed again and dropped my briefcase into the
passenger seat. “Pam, as much as I’d love to hang around and discuss the state
of Lucy’s health with you I am actually on my way somewhere.”
“To see Luce?”
“Yes.”
“Okay then.” Pam paused and shot me a grin. “Everything going okay?”
“Yep. It is indeed.”
“Well tell her to text me, ‘cause I was thinking
that next weekend you guys should come round mine. The
painful double date stylee . Gabe can cook. He
cooks so well. I don’t obviously, and he gets these cupcakes. Luce will die for
them.”
I grinned despite myself. “Who’d have thought
it, huh?”
Pam laughed and laid a hand on my arm, suddenly
all seriousness. “Me. For a long, long time.”
It was a short drive to Percy’s, giving me
plenty of time to think, and I was early despite moaning to Pam that she was
holding me up. Lucy was early too, and I frowned. I’d planned to meet her
inside the café, talk to her before she met up with Alex. Give her my support.
Not meet her randomly in the street. But the moment her bus pulled up she
jumped out and jogged across to the ATM a few doors down.
Anger gripped me, knowing what she was doing. Last time, Luce. Last time. And also because she was so clearly ill. When she was
feeling a bit low she dressed down. I’d picked up on that. And standing there
in sweats, Uggs and a Hollister hoodie she was clearly feeling like shit. I cursed beneath my breath. We’d get this
over and done with and I’d take her home. Feed her something hearty and cuddle
her up.
The idea of a night in front of the TV came to
me. Just Luce and I curled up together. Warm beneath the
duvet. My heart squeezed and I shook ever so slightly as I entered the
café. I’d completely fallen for her. There was no doubt about that, and this
was the last step to making things right between us.
Once Alex was out of the picture, the thieving
bastard, Lucy would be mine.
I took a quick look about as I walked the grimy
linoleum to the boothing area. There weren’t many
people around. Not surprising on a Wednesday night at this time. A few locals by the looks of it in casual clothes. A wreck
of a man hunched over in a dirty combat jacket alone in one of the middle
booths and two elderly couples seated together. My guess was Alex hadn’t
arrived yet. Good. I would grab Lucy as soon as she came in, and we could have
that chat before he turned up.
I slid into my usual booth, tapping my foot,
waiting.
Mere moments later she
arrived. I slid back along my seat, holding my
breath, waiting for her to look in my direction. Only she didn’t. She made her
way a little to my left, to a table about four or so up from me and off at an
angle.
I couldn’t work out exactly where she was going
until she turned slightly, shifting into my view, and then I saw, and I
watched, horrified, as she stopped next to the wreck, sighed and passed him
across a wad of cash. He nodded, shook his head and nodded again, before
sliding the money into his dirty jacket pocket.
What the fuck? I gaped, unable to believe what I
was seeing. Unable to believe any of it. Agog I
watched as Lucy turned to go, but the wreck reached out and pulled her sleeve.
I stood immediately, not even really thinking, ready to step in and plant him a
facer. Teach him exactly what someone gets for touching my woman. But the sight
that greeted me next was enough to make me pause.
The wreck of a man was crying. Tears streaming
down his face, and even from my distance I could hear the sobs and words mixed
together. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m
sorry.
Lucy halted her exit, dropped her bag on the
table and smiled. The smile was not a pleasant one. It was almost helpless. Like she didn’t know what else to do. Eventually
door. “I don’t know. Women’s problems probably. Text her or something.”
Pam scowled. “I did already. She’s not answering
my texts. Which is weird, she usually does.”
I sighed again and dropped my briefcase into the
passenger seat. “Pam, as much as I’d love to hang around and discuss the state
of Lucy’s health with you I am actually on my way somewhere.”
“To see Luce?”
“Yes.”
“Okay then.” Pam paused and shot me a grin. “Everything going okay?”
“Yep. It is indeed.”
“Well tell her to text me, ‘cause I was thinking
that next weekend you guys should come round mine. The
painful double date stylee . Gabe can cook. He
cooks so well. I don’t obviously, and he gets these cupcakes. Luce will die for
them.”
I grinned despite myself. “Who’d have thought
it, huh?”
Pam laughed and laid a hand on my arm, suddenly
all seriousness. “Me. For a long, long time.”
It was a short drive to Percy’s, giving me
plenty of time to think, and I was early despite moaning to Pam that she was
holding me up. Lucy was early too, and I frowned. I’d planned to meet her
inside the café, talk to her before she met up with Alex. Give her my support.
Not meet her randomly in the street. But the moment her bus pulled up she
jumped out and jogged across to the ATM a few doors down.
Anger gripped me, knowing what she was doing. Last time, Luce. Last time. And also because she was so clearly ill. When she was
feeling a bit low she dressed down. I’d picked up on that. And standing there
in sweats, Uggs and a Hollister hoodie she was clearly feeling like shit. I cursed beneath my breath. We’d get this
over and done with and I’d take her home. Feed her something hearty and cuddle
her up.
The idea of a night in front of the TV came to
me. Just Luce and I curled up together. Warm beneath the
duvet. My heart squeezed and I shook ever so slightly as I entered the
café. I’d completely fallen for her. There was no doubt about that, and this
was the last step to making things right between us.
Once Alex was out of the picture, the thieving
bastard, Lucy would be mine.
I took a quick look about as I walked the grimy
linoleum to the boothing area. There weren’t many
people around. Not surprising on a Wednesday night at this time. A few locals by the looks of it in casual clothes. A wreck
of a man hunched over in a dirty combat jacket alone in one of the middle
booths and two elderly couples seated together. My guess was Alex hadn’t
arrived yet. Good. I would grab Lucy as soon as she came in, and we could have
that chat before he turned up.
I slid into my usual booth, tapping my foot,
waiting.
Mere moments later she
arrived. I slid back along my seat, holding my
breath, waiting for her to look in my direction. Only she didn’t. She made her
way a little to my left, to a table about four or so up from me and off at an
angle.
I couldn’t work out exactly where she was going
until she turned slightly, shifting into my view, and then I saw, and I
watched, horrified, as she stopped next to the wreck, sighed and passed him
across a wad of cash. He nodded, shook his head and nodded again, before
sliding the money into his dirty jacket pocket.
What the fuck? I gaped, unable to believe what I
was seeing. Unable to believe any of it. Agog I
watched as Lucy turned to go, but the wreck reached out and pulled her sleeve.
I stood immediately, not even really thinking, ready to step in and plant him a
facer. Teach him exactly what someone gets for touching my woman. But the sight
that greeted me next was enough to make me pause.
The wreck of a man was crying. Tears streaming
down his face, and even from my distance I could hear the sobs and words mixed
together. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m
sorry.
Lucy halted her exit, dropped her bag on the
table and smiled. The smile was not a pleasant one. It was almost helpless. Like she didn’t know what else to do. Eventually
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