Chapter 23
Beep… beep… beep…
I groaned and rolled over in bed, groped around on the bedside cabinet for my mobile, and blindly pressed a button to snooze the alarm. Relief flowed through me that the most hideous sound in the world had ceased, quickly followed by panic; I’d fallen asleep before Nick replied.
Sitting up, I squinted at the screen, expecting to see a little envelope, but it was blank. I switched the bedside lamp on and stared at the phone again. Still blank. My heart sank.
But I didn’t feel convinced.
At the shop that morning, I found myself constantly staring at my phone. I checked my inbox. I checked it wasn’t on silent. I checked my inbox again.
Shortly before eleven, I breathed a sigh of relief when a text envelope appeared with Nick’s name on it.
?? From Nick
Hi Skye, are you free for coffee at some point today? Have a dilemma and could do with your advice
I leaned against the counter and re-read the short message. Skye?
?? To Nick
Hi Nick, Sarah here. You’ve just sent me that text – not Skye. You OK? Anything I can help with? xx
I had a bouquet to make but I couldn’t bring myself to work. Instead I just stared at the screen. Dilemma? What sort of dilemma? Could it have anything to do with me? I willed him to reply. Quickly.
?? From Nick
Sorry about that. I’m fine. Hope you’re OK and didn’t have a sore head this morning! Have a good week
No kisses? Not even a smiley face? No confirmation to meet up tonight? No acknowledgement of the text I sent him? No mention of the text he sent me? What was he playing at? I shoved my phone back in my pocket and stormed towards the flower buckets to get what I needed for the bouquet.
‘Hey! What have the flowers done to upset you?’
I spun round to face Mum. ‘What?’
‘The flowers you’re grabbing. You’ve already snapped one.’
I looked at the crushed stalks in my hand. I’d actually snapped three.
‘Are you okay, sweetheart?’
‘Yes. Sorry, Mum. Just a bit annoyed.’
‘Anything I’ve done?’
I shook my head. ‘Of course not. Ignore me. Bad morning.’
‘Do you want to talk about it?’
‘Thanks, but I’m fine. And I’d better get on with this bouquet or I’ll have an angry customer on my hands to make a bad day even worse.’
Mum reached out and took my empty hand in hers. ‘Remember that I’m here if you need me.’
‘Thanks, Mum, but I really am fine.’ It was tempting but I didn’t feel like opening up at that moment.
The anger had subsided and I felt silly.
Nick’s text last night must have been the drink talking.
Clearly I’d imagined the chemistry and he wasn’t interested.
I should have ignored his text and not sent that ridiculous reply.
I shouldn’t have deviated from the search for Steven… look where it had got me.
I finished the bouquet and tied a piece of raffia round the bottom. So what if Nick wasn’t interested? I had a load of Stevens on my list so I didn’t care. In fact, I’d contact them all as soon as I got home. That’s what Clare would do. She’d say bollocks to Nick and set up her next date.
I lay the bouquet on the counter. Maybe I’d see if he appeared at quarter to six, though, before I rushed into anything…
I waited over an hour after closing time, just in case.
I must have gone through every emotion in that hour from excitement (maybe he’ll turn up?) to devastation (he’s not going to come) to apathy (I don’t care anyway; I’m a successful woman in my own right and don’t need a man in my life) to anger (why the hell would he lead me on like that?)
The anger became the strongest emotion and eventually spurred me home and into decisive action. As soon as I closed the door at Seashell Cottage, I stormed into the kitchen and grabbed my list off the fridge, scattering the magnets to the floor.
I threw myself onto the sofa with my laptop and logged into the dating site. ‘Goodbye Nick Derbyshire. Stand me up, will you? Well, I don’t need you.’
An hour later, I closed my laptop, feeling exhausted but a lot calmer. I reflected on my updated list:
Ste Parker (original list) – Casual ‘hello’ message sent, apologising for the delay in getting in touch due to setting up new business
Steve Masterson tell them you already have plans for the weekend, but would love to meet up after Christmas, and hope they don’t catch you out with Foxy.’
I thanked Clare and headed back to the shop, feeling slightly more relaxed. I’d give it till the end of the day and message Steven Fox. No point in looking too keen.
Cathy was serving a customer, Jade was still cleaning, and I could hear Mum on the phone in The Outback.
‘Did anything exciting happen while I was gone?’ I asked Cathy and Jade when the customer left.
‘I sold another of those silver teddy bear money boxes for a christening,’ Jade said before shyly adding, ‘and I talked her into a really cute teddy bear, a card, and some gift wrap.’
‘That’s brilliant, Jade. Thank you.’
‘The customer who just left wanted two bouquets; a twenty-pound and a ten-pound one,’ Cathy said. ‘She’s coming back in half an hour.’
‘Thank you both.’
‘What about that guy, Mum?’ Jade said.
My stomach lurched. What guy?
‘Soup for brains,’ Cathy said. ‘Nick came in looking for you.’
Oh my God! ‘Did he leave a message?’
‘He looked a bit disappointed that he’d missed you and said he’d probably see you after Christmas.’
‘Anything else?’
‘No. That was it.’
‘Is he your boyfriend?’ Jade asked.
‘Jade!’ Cathy scolded.
‘No. He’s not my boyfriend.’ But I wish he was.
‘Are you okay?’ Cathy said. ‘You look a bit peaky.’
I waved my hand dismissively. ‘I’m absolutely fine. Just a bit tired from the whole opening a new business near Christmas thing. I’m just going to make a cuppa. Do either of you want one?’
Drink orders taken, I headed into The Outback where I pulled my phone out my pocket and quickly texted Nick.
?? To Nick
Hi. I hear I’ve just missed you. So sorry. Would love to have seen you. Don’t suppose you’re still in town?
I stared at the screen in nervous anticipation while I boiled the kettle, but no reply came.
Two hours later, cashing up complete and the team on their way home, I stood by the counter in the darkened shop and looked at the messages from the three Stevens.
I realised I couldn’t face meeting any of them.
The only person I really wanted to go out with was Nick.
Maybe I blew it when I told him about Steven that first day in the pub.
I slowly typed in a message for Steven Fox then copied and pasted it into the other two message threads:
Thanks for your suggestion to meet up. Can I take a rain check for after Christmas?
I’ve recently moved back here. My best friend from London is coming to stay for the weekend.
We haven’t seen each other in ages and we’ve had this booked in for some time so it would be rude of me to cancel.
Really sorry. Hope you have a fantastic Christmas. ‘Speak’ soon. Sarah
?? To Clare
Thanks for your advice earlier. Decided not to meet any of them just now. Long story. Don’t suppose you can give that work do a miss and come up tomorrow night instead? Need cheering up xx
?? From Clare
Sorry. Would love to but will get sacked if I miss it. Bunch of very important eejits to entertain. Biggest event in the company calendar. Promise to be up by 11 at the latest on Saturday. See you in the shop. Cheer up or I’ll give you a slap xx