Chapter 19
?? From Nick
Hi you. Tomorrow night’s been rescheduled for a week on Thursday.
Hope you can still make it then. I’ve been offered another week’s work in Edinburgh which I’d turned down for Bob’s do but might as well take seeing as it’s changed date.
I need to do some prep or I’d have suggested a drink.
Can’t wait to hear about your first day xx
Damn! I slumped back on the sofa at Seashell Cottage on Sunday afternoon.
Feeling my shoulders sag with disappointment, I had to check myself.
‘So much for re-living the beach moment,’ I muttered.
But at least it gave me another week to search for Steven.
I kept blowing hot and cold on it. One moment, I drifted into a fantasy about kissing Nick, but then I thought about the discovery of the lighthouse photo and Grandma’s bracelet and started fantasising about the Steven appearing imminently.
?? To Nick
That’s a shame. Have fun in Edinburgh. Next Thursday’s fine. Same time and place? First day exceeded expectations. Exhausted now xx
?? From Nick
Glad you can still come. Everything’s the same but the date. Hope you get to relax today after all that prep for opening day. Have an amazing full first week. Will be thinking of you lots xx
‘Will you be thinking of me because you fancy me or thinking of me because it’s my first full week?
’ I said to the phone. Auntie Kay and Elise were convinced he was into me, but I kept having doubts about that too.
What if he just wanted friendship? I could make a fool of myself if I wasn’t careful.
I shook my head and put the phone down before I typed an appropriate text for my pro-Nick moments that would be completely inappropriate for my search for Steven.
Lying back on the sofa, I phoned Clare, figuring she was probably home from her working weekend.
‘Sounds like your first day was grand,’ she said. ‘So why do you sound so down just now?’
‘I’m not down. I’m just tired and stuffed full of Sunday lunch, courtesy of my Mum. I was fine when I was there but, now that I’m back at the cottage, I don’t really know what to do with myself.’
‘Once you get into a routine at the shop, I guarantee you’ll be grateful of Sundays off. No Elise?’
‘I don’t see her every day, you know. She helped in the shop yesterday but I probably won’t see her again till the end of the week.’
‘You know what you need?’ Clare said. ‘A night on the beers with me. I’m seeing my Leeds client on Friday so I’m coming to stay for the weekend whether you want me to or not. What time can you be home on Friday?’
‘Shop shuts at half five so about six.’
‘I’ll be there for six.’
‘I might have other plans.’
‘Do you have other plans?’ she asked. ‘Because I’d love to hear that you had plans for a night of steamy sex with a stranger.’
‘I might have.’
‘Hmm.’ Clearly dismissing that as a possibility, Clare continued, ‘Make me something full of calories for dinner.’
‘You’re on.’
‘I should let you cook for me more often.’ Clare spooned another huge dollop of lasagne onto her plate on Friday night. She’d already devoured an enormous plateful, a jacket potato, a side salad and most of a garlic ciabatta. ‘You’re not too shabby at it.’
‘Thanks. I think. Have you not been fed this week?’
‘I get sick of living off hotel food and pre-packed sarnies. This is real food. Lots of cheese. Lots of garlic. Yum.’ Clare broke off another piece of garlic bread. How the hell she stayed a perfect ten was beyond me.
‘So one of your online favourites turned out to be a sex offender?’ she said.
‘The bloke from Mario’s? I didn’t say that. I just said he was creepy.’
‘Have you had any more messages?’
‘I had a bad dream about creepy bloke and it put me off. I haven’t checked them all week.’
‘Sarah!’
I grimaced. ‘I was a bit too busy the week before too.’
‘Sarah!’
‘It was opening week this week so it’s not like I haven’t been busy.’
‘And the week before?’
‘Getting ready for opening week. I looked on the Monday night but I honestly haven’t had the time since then.’
She narrowed her eyes at me and sighed. ‘I suppose you do have a legitimate excuse, but the shop is open now which means excuse time is over. It’s time for a serious action plan, but before we log on, have you got any pudding in?’
‘Syrup sponge and homemade custard; your favourite.’
‘Oh my God, Sarah. Not only do you cook the most amazing lasagne in the world, you get old school puddings in, make your own custard and have a fridge full of wine. I think I may change my name to Steven and marry you myself.’
‘Thirty-eight messages.’ Clare whistled when we sat down on the sofa with my laptop a little later.
‘That’s a lot of admirers, young lady. We may have to forfeit a night out as it looks like we have a full evening’s work ahead of us, so we have.
’ She grabbed the laptop off me and balanced it on her knee. ‘Are you sitting comfortably?’
‘Why are you in the driving seat again?’
‘Why do you bother asking? Ready?’
It was a bit more promising this time. ‘This one’s from a Steven.’ Clare scrolled down the page. ‘And, at first glance, he seems fairly normal.’
We both stared at the screen, reading the message:
Dear Sarah, I’ve never joined a dating site before and was a bit dubious until I read your profile. There are some strange women out there but I’m sure you’ve come across some strange men too!
Why did I join? I’m 32 and was happy with my single life until my friend Ade’s wedding a couple of weeks ago when it dawned on me that I was the only single one there.
I’m an engineer and work is male-dominated and it’s not easy to meet someone when you’re out and none of your mates are single.
I like your profile. We sound very similar. I’m intrigued as to what your business is.
A week on Friday, I’ll be on a stag do in Whitsborough Bay.
The stag is a massive Dr Who fan so we’re doing a pub crawl in Dr Who costumes.
Don’t panic that we’re a bunch of geeks because I’m not into sci-fi myself.
The stag is a Dalek and I’m Tom Baker’s version of Dr Who (if you’ve never watched it, he played the fourth Doctor in 1974–81 – I Googled it!
He’s the one with the long striped scarf and curly hair).
If you’re around, please come and say hi.
We’re meeting at 7.30 and working our way down town.
If you can’t make it or don’t fancy it, it would still be great to hear from you.
In fact, even if you can make it, it would be great to hear from you first; break the ice and all that!
If you do come, remember the hair is a wig – I don’t have a huge curly bouffant normally! I’m waffling so I’ll say goodbye. Steve.
What do you think?’ Clare asked. ‘Not that I need to ask given that huge cheesy grin.’
‘He sounds nice. A week today, eh? Could be tempted.’
‘Er… no. It’s tonight your man’s talking about.’
‘It can’t be. He said a week on Friday.’
‘Look at the date.’ Clare jabbed the screen. ‘He sent it last week. That’ll teach you not to check your messages for nearly two weeks.’
‘Pants.’
‘How would you like to meet your doctor tonight?’
‘Sod it, why not? Is there a photo?’
Clare clicked on the link back to his profile. ‘Not yet.’
‘Oh well, I guess I won’t be able to miss the scarf and bouffant. Who else have we got?’
‘Don’t you want to get ready to meet him?’ Clare asked.
‘Yes, but it may look a bit desperate if we’re there right at the start. There’s a standard pub crawl down town so we’ll easily find him a few pubs in. And I’m dying to read my other responses. There may be someone even better.’
‘You’re the boss,’ she said. ‘But I’m still in control of your laptop.’
An hour or so later, we had a shortlist and an action plan. My search for Steven was starting to feel more positive although I did feel my resolve crumbling when I spotted a message from someone called Nick, which instantly got me thinking about Nick Derbyshire.
There were some tempting messages from non-Stevens, but Clare put her foot down and refused to let me even finish reading them, let alone make contact. I didn’t argue. I knew exactly who my first port of call would be if I deviated from Stevens.
I didn’t tell Clare about Nick because it would provide her with the perfect excuse to call off the search for Steven.
Despite the strong attraction to Nick, I still wasn’t ready to make that step.
I wasn’t ready to dismiss the CD and I wasn’t prepared to risk hurting him and losing him as a friend.
The shortlist read:
Check out Steve Dennison on pub-crawl tonight
Go to The Coffee Corner for take-out on way to shop tomorrow to check out the manager, Stéphan Marcell
Message Stevie Barnes, Steve Berry, Ste Parker, Steve Masterson and Stephen Fitzpatrick
Arrange dates with one or more of the above
Get very drunk tonight. And probably tomorrow night too
Buy bacon for sarnies on Sunday morning. Buy ketchup for Clare
Clare grabbed the list and marched into the kitchen.
I followed her and watched as she stuck it to the middle of the fridge with some magnets.
‘This is your rulebook,’ she said. ‘You do not, under any circumstances, deviate from the list. You’re allowed to add new Stevens but you do not correspond with or meet anyone who is not called Steven or some variation of. Agreed?’
‘Agreed.’
‘It’s now eight-forty-five. I already look gorgeous but you seriously need to whack some make-up on as we’re off out to meet your man Dr Who.’
My pulse quickened. Was I ready for this? ‘You don’t think it’s too late to go out?’
‘You were the one who wanted to wait. Don’t you dare think of bottling it now.’
‘But—’
‘But nothing. Look, you, there’s no need to be nervous. Auntie Clare’s with you every step of the way. If he’s grim, we’ll leave. If he’s gorgeous, we’ll stay and I’ll help you clinch the deal.’
I smiled gratefully. ‘Okay. Steve Dennison, here we come.’
‘You have an absolute maximum of fifteen minutes to get ready. We need to be in our first pub by quarter past.’
‘I love it when you’re masterful.’ I winked at her as I headed for the stairs.