16. Audrey
It was a ruse. Lucy and Will had tricked me again, forcing me to play nice with Theo as if I hadn’t dealt with him enough at their dinner party. Sure, I might’ve enjoyed it, and maybe we happened on an agreement of sorts, but that didn’t mean I was ready to become Theo’s best friend. And that definitely didn’t mean I would’ve offered to run errands with him. But the damn masterminds had laid out their trap, and I’d fallen right into it.
Well, I guess they didn’t trick me again, since last time Lucy admitted she didn’t know the connection with Theo. But I still felt I had grounds to complain. “What’s next on the list?” I asked, turning my head towards a dressed-up Theo, making me wonder if he’d ever dressed down over the past five years. “We’ve got carrots, onions, pumpkin, coriander—”
“You mean cilantro?” Theo corrected, earning a swift jab to the side.
“Are you actually going to be helpful here?” I complained, my hands filled with vegetables. “Take a damn bag off of me.”
Instead of just the one, he took both paper bags I’d collected so far. Still, because I had to ask for the help, I was in no way willing to offer a thank you. “As you wish,” he stated, knowing I’d catch his Princess Bride reference. I certainly wasn’t going to give in to the cheap attempt at flirtation. Everyone knew The Princess Bride, and he was going to exhaust himself trying to earn points from me. He caught my empty stare, and snapped back into action. “It looks like we’re just needing the meat. I know a good butchery up ahead,” he said.
“Remind me why we’re doing this again?” I asked. If Lucy was doing this errand, she’d at least be getting paid for it. When Theo said he was going to put in the extra work to make me miss London, this was not what I thought would be on the agenda.
“It’s Lottie’s birthday. I’m happy to pitch in a few hours of my morning to make her smile,” he explained, looking at his phone to double check we’d crossed off all the jobs on our to-do list, before leaving the market strip.
“That’s because you know her.” I put my hands on my hips, realising I should be feeling a little more charitable… but I’d only met this kid for the first time at dinner, and I didn’t feel emotionally attached enough to her to lose my Saturday over it. Especially with Theo. “What kind of kid begs for a homemade lamb and pumpkin pie for their birthday?” I asked, my eyebrows knitting together as I tried to process the thought.
“The snooty, rich kind.” Theo laughed. “No offence intended to Team Will.”
I turned to him, noticing the expensive watch on his wrist and the brand-name sunglasses he wore. Not to mention, the multi-million-dollar events corporation he’d be inheriting from his father. “You’re one to talk.”
“Hey, truce, remember?”
I hummed as we walked on. “I know, I’m not trying to tease,” I said, wondering what my words actually meant. The reality is, I was confused about who he really was. “It’s just that I didn’t get that impression from you all those years ago.”
He smiled, biting his lip in thought. “You’re thinking about that time again?”
Betraying me, I felt a blush make its way across my nose, and I wished it looked like sunburn. “It’s hard not to. Meeting you again, it makes it feel like five years was only yesterday. It’s a strange feeling, like growing older never happened at all.”
“I understand,” he said, not pushing me too far. “But honestly? You really didn’t get that impression of me back then, when I was able to drop everything and book a flight to Australia, renting a house at a whim?”
Touché. He was a snobby rich boy from day dot, and I was just too self-involved to notice.
With some more casual bickering, we made our way to the butchery he recommended. It was different to the butchers I was used to in Australia—it was more boutique, the kind you’d brag about visiting, not the ones that reeked of blood and smelt somewhat clinical. I could imagine all the housewives or husbands who were regulars here, making sure to buy the newest oven-ready product for a meal to be made with minimal effort. It was also decorated in woodsy pine needles, and little pine cones were scattered around too, with holiday jingles playing on a speaker in the background. There was even coarse salt lining the countertop as if it were snow. But just as I worried how much the price of the slabs of meat would actually be, I discovered it was surprisingly affordable.
“What can I get you?” A young girl peered over the counter, likely an apprentice of the trade. She fit in with the style of the store completely, with a little rustic apron and platform boots—they made her tall enough to make eye contact with customers.
Theo looked around at the different cuts of lamb, pointing at a few as if he were Lucy, knowing exactly what seemed fresh and tender. I had never been confident with ordering a cut of meat for this exact reason, since I’d normally just point to whatever was on special. Tasteless, Lucy would tell me, and she’d be spot on. Before I knew it, Theo tapped Will’s credit card, and the job was done.
“Back to Will’s?” I asked, and with a nod of Theo’s head, we were there in no time.
Theo used his own key to open the front door, not bothering to knock, and upon entrance I heard Lucy’s familiar playlist. It was blasting hits from any romantic comedy that came out between the ‘90s and early 2000s. I made my way to the kitchen, where I knew she’d set up camp, prepping her dishes early enough for our ingredients to fall right in. Her puff pastry layer for the main course was already shaped to a large piece of crockery as if it was cling wrap, and I could see a cake on a stand, ready for decoration once the meal was finally in the oven.
“You’re a lifesaver,” Lucy said gratefully, taking her ingredients from the bags we brought in. “This is going to be one of my best meals yet.”
“Trying hard for the kids, huh?” I jeered, knowing she was probably trying to impress a little bit more than Charlotte’s taste buds. I looked over to Theo who was standing across the room, and he gave me a wink. It was odd, having an inside joke with him… knowing that we both found the same thing relatively hilarious. Although, it was a little off-putting to be stuck in the middle of whatever this unspoken crush of Will and Lucy’s was.
“I’ll always try hard for these kids,” Lucy deadpanned. “They pay me too well.”
“Lucky them.” I laugh. “Where’s Will?”
“I’m over here!” He called out, and I watched Lucy’s face go pink over her payment comment, mouthing the words ‘he heard me’.I followed Theo as he took off to the lounge room, where the girls fell asleep last time. But the girls weren’t here. Instead, Will was quickly setting up some Christmas stockings on the fireplace, filling them with goodies before the children returned.
“Where are they?” I asked, giving him a polite wave as a greeting.
“My mother is currently charting them around an assortment of parks across London.” He grinned. “She’s visiting from out of town, so it was the perfect distraction to get them out of the house.”
“They’ll be gone for a while then.” Theo’s brows shot upwards.
“And you’re… Christmas decorating?” I asked.
“It’s not the typical birthday decor, is it?” Will grabbed an ornament from a bag, dangling it over the side of the wooden mantle. “She probably doesn’t know the difference though.”
My mouth curved into a goofy grin. “Shooting two birds with one stone. I applaud your efficiency.”
“Best parent awards are irregular around these streets.” Will joked. “Thanks though, for your help today. It really meant a lot, and you’ve taken a huge weight off Lucy’s shoulders.”
“Anytime,” I said, hoping he wouldn’t actually take the offer seriously. I knew Lucy had the hots for Will, and while I could condone some co-worker canoodling, some professional boundaries were best left uncrossed. Lucy being brought into too many family favours outside of her working days was one of them. It could be a tricky balance, honing in a relationship with someone you worked for, not that I would ever need to know. You had to use your time wisely with these things. If you couldn’t separate work and pleasure, you’d end up getting nothing done and having no fun. But like Theo said, one day wouldn’t hurt for the sake of the girls. And with the atmosphere in this festive townhouse, the music playing loudly, and the fireplace beating the chill of winter into submission, I could have been there all day.
Just like that, Theo tried to take advantage of the thought. “Are you sure you don’t want to stick around?”
I’d already told them of my plans to deliver and ditch, but I couldn’t trick myself into thinking this was my lifestyle. I needed to keep a comfortable distance, where I could protect my heart in the process, like always. “Yeah, I better head off.” I fixed my coat, ready to brave the low temperature once more. “I hope Charlotte has a good time, though. She’s in great hands,” I complimented Will.
He nodded gratefully. “I appreciate it.”
Theo looked like he was ready to walk me out the door, but I held my hand up as a stop symbol. “We’ve seen enough of each other today,” I played it off in jest, but I’m sure everyone knew I was being serious. “I’ll catch you at work.”
“See you then, Audrey.”
And once I made the quick shuffle back to my pastel-painted townhouse, my heart began to sink. It’d been so long since I’d felt a community around me, especially since I left that seaside town. I’d put my energy into work and keeping up with Lucy, but I hadn’t been invited to a birthday slash holiday festivity in years, even if it was a kids party. I would be lying to say I didn’t regret my choice… that I had the urge to turn around and run right back inside, ready to stuff myself with cake and laugh until the night was done. But I had to stop myself. I was going to leave this little community soon enough, and I couldn’t let myself get too attached to them. Not this time, and especially not with Theo.