13. Thora
THORA
T hora watched Lucas as he sneaked the teddy to the little girl. He was so kind and thoughtful, and it made her feel giddy. Like a teenager. It was so strange seeing Lucas again in the village and as a man and no longer the boy she’d loved.
She wandered back to her family and found Rosie and Reggie grinning at her.
‘Who’s that then, Mum?’ Rosie asked.
‘Who?’ She looked behind her to buy herself a moment.
‘That tall, handsome stranger.’ Rosie cocked an eyebrow.
‘Oh that … That’s Lucas.’
Rosie frowned at her brother. ‘Do we know a Lucas?’
Reggie shrugged. ‘Don’t think we do.’
They both turned their attention to Thora, and she looked at her parents for support. They were feigning interest in a shop window, so she looked back at her children.
‘Lucas is an old friend.’
‘Likely story.’ Rosie giggled. ‘An old friend who makes you blush and smile like you’ve just won the lottery.’
‘I did not!’ Thora shook her head, wondering if she did, in fact, smile like that when she saw Lucas.
‘Do too!’ Reggie nodded. ‘That man makes you blush, like Rosie does when she sees her boyfriend.’
Rosie slapped her brother’s arm. ‘I don’t have a boyfriend!’
‘She does. He’s on the swim team.’ Reggie grinned.
‘He’s not my boyfriend! He’s just a friend!’ Rosie glared at Reggie.
‘And you look at him like Mum looks at that man over there.’ Reggie pointed, and they all turned to see Lucas approaching them.
‘He seems nice, Mum,’ Rosie said. ‘If you like him, why not ask him out?’
‘It’s not like that.’ Thora held up her hands in exasperation, but she had a feeling she wasn’t going to win this conversation before Lucas reached them. ‘We’re old friends.’
‘You dated him, didn’t you?’ Reggie asked.
She gave a small nod. ‘A long, long time ago, yes.’
‘Mum has a boyfriend!’ Reggie announced, and Thora was about to tell him to be quiet, but then Lucas joined them.
‘Hi,’ he said, his smile directed at her before he looked past her at the twins.
She smiled back. ‘These are my children, Rosie and Reggie.’
‘Hello.’ Lucas shook their hands and Thora watched as her children evaluated him.
Did they see him as an old man now, the way they saw her and their dad?
When you were fifteen, anyone over twenty-five seemed old.
If only they knew how quickly life passed you by.
But then she was glad they didn’t because she wanted them to enjoy the innocence of youth before they had to face that reality.
‘Nice to meet you, Lucas,’ Rosie said.
‘Same,’ Lucas said.
‘OK then … Shall we get a drink?’ Thora asked, keen to move away from her family and their curiosity. She handed Barry’s lead to Rosie. ‘Keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn’t eat anything off the ground.’
‘Of course I will, Mum.’ Rosie rolled her eyes.
‘Bye for now,’ Lucas said, and they walked across the square. ‘What would you like to drink?’ he asked.
‘I don’t mind. Actually, I’m fine. I haven’t long had a drink,’ she said. ‘Uhm… sorry about that.’
‘About what?’ His brow furrowed.
‘My children. They’re very nosey and they want to work everyone out. Apparently, I was blushing when we spoke earlier, and they said that meant there was something going on between us.’
Lucas laughed. ‘They don’t know about us then?’
Thora glanced over at her children and they averted their gaze. ‘It’s a strange one because I was married to their dad, Finn, for years and so speaking about previous relationships just seemed … odd.’
‘Relationships? There were others?’
Thora looked deep into his eyes. ‘No, Lucas. I meant a past relationship. There was you and then there was Finn.’
‘Finn. Nice guy.’
‘He’s lovely, and he’s also in a relationship with a man now.’
‘Oh… I see.’
‘He didn’t know he was gay until after we split up. I think he suspected there was something about being with a woman that wasn’t right for him, but it was only after we split that he was able to work things out.’
‘So… you’re divorced.’
‘I am.’
‘And not in a relationship.’ It was a statement, not a question, because she’d told him the other day.
‘Nope. Nor are you.’ She watched as his smile broadened.
‘Nope.’
‘Cool. It’s great that we resolved that.’ Laughter bubbled inside her along with the thrill of being so close to Lucas. ‘We wouldn’t want any confusion left between us.’
A beat of silence fell between them as they let the confirmation of their single status sink in. Here they were at the same time, in the village almost two decades after they’d split up. It was Christmas, and they were both single. What were the chances of that happening?
‘You’re smiling,’ she said.
‘I can’t help it. Being around you makes me smile.’
‘That’s nice.’ She nudged him.
‘It is.’ He nudged her back.
‘Shall we go for a walk? Or do you need to get back to your dad?’
‘To be honest, I don’t have long. I can’t leave him sitting on the bench in the cold.’ Lucas pointed over at where his father was sitting by the harbour.
‘Of course not!’ She sighed. ‘I should let you get back to him, then.’
‘I wish I could come for a walk with you and talk more.’ He gazed into her eyes. ‘I’m staying here for Christmas though, so perhaps we’ll be able to talk more another day?’
‘I’d like that.’ She nodded.
‘OK then. You’re working this week at the café?’
‘I’ll be there tomorrow and I’m closing up for Pearl and Ellie. They’re going shopping.’
‘I’ll swing by then.’ He leant closer. ‘And we can have a chat without the pressure of your children staring at me like they’re worried I’m going to throw you over my shoulder and run away with you.’
They both looked over at Rosie and Reggie. He was right; they were staring at their mum and Lucas.
‘OK then. See you tomorrow.’ Thora walked away from him, her heart fluttering wildly.
Lucas wanted the chance to speak to her alone, and it made her feel ridiculously happy.
This was ridiculous because she was forty-one and had responsibilities and other demands on her time, but for some reason, when she was around him, she felt young again.
Free again. Like a woman and not a daughter, mother, or divorcee.
Like she could be the woman she’d once been again because Lucas had known that woman.
He saw her in ways no one else could do because of their history.
It was uplifting and terrifying all at once.