Chapter Twenty-Three Lee
Chapter Twenty-Three
Lee
‘Woah, the delivery driver’s fast tonight,’ Kat says, but I beat her there, swinging the door open, holding my breath.
Because she’s there. Standing right on the doorstep with her phone held up to her ear, and an anxious smile on her face.
My best friend.
She’s here.
‘Okay, maybe the call is coming from right outside the house,’ she says, ‘but that didn’t sound as dramatic.’
I don’t even hang up the phone, I just charge towards her, and then we’re in each other’s arms and we’re both laughing and squealing and talking all over each other.
It takes me a second to register that we’ve never done this before, that as well as we know each other we’ve never physically been in the same room. Part of me had always been scared that I’d manage to make it awkward when we did eventually meet, but it looks like I didn’t need to worry.
‘Oh my god! You’re real! I can smell you! You smell so good!’ Tara sniffles. ‘Sorry, I sound insane. I’m so happy to see you.’
‘I’m so happy to see you!’ I exclaim. ‘I can’t believe this. What are you doing here?’
‘I was worried about you,’ she admits, taking a step back.
‘I knew you had so much going on and you were basically here by yourself without, you know, anyone who was Team Lee, and I had all this holiday I needed to use up, so I thought I’d surprise you.
It was only when I got here that I realised it was such a strange thing to do, that we’ve never even met in person and—’
I cut her off, squeeze her arm. ‘No, no. You were right. It’s the best surprise. I can’t believe you did this for me.’ I find myself blinking back tears.
Tara’s smile widens, and it’s so strange seeing her standing in front of me.
I knew she was pretty, of course I did, but in real life she’s stunning.
Shorter than me in my heels, and all rounded curves.
She’s wearing a leopard-print coat over the top of a pair of high-waisted jeans and a white T-shirt.
Her dark curls are loose, her skin glows, her eyes are dark and sparkling with mischief.
‘Well, it wasn’t totally selfless,’ she says. ‘You had me intrigued about Roseport and I wanted to see it for myself. This place is amazing.’
‘Right?’ I agree, delighted to have someone to share it with, and then I realise we’re still standing outside. ‘Come in, come in!’ I tug her arm, pulling her inside where the others are all standing around trying not to look nosy.
‘Guys, this is my friend, Tara.’
Nico steps forward first, and Tara’s eyes widen before she darts a look in my direction. I shrug. Yup. I accidentally married the most handsome man in the world.
‘Tara,’ he says warmly. ‘Lee’s told me so much about you, although she refuses to let me join your book group.’
‘Are you a big romance reader?’ Tara asks, taking the hand he offers.
‘Well, no, but I’m always happy to try new things.’ He looks at me then and I feel flustered.
‘I am a big romance reader,’ Kat says, inserting herself into the conversation. ‘And I don’t know about this book club.’
‘Oh, Kat can definitely join,’ I say.
‘Did you just get into town?’ Mei asks Tara.
She nods. ‘Yeah, I dumped my bag at the Airbnb and got a cab over. I didn’t even need an address, just told the driver I was looking for Nico and Lee and he drove me straight here.
It was only when we were on our way that I realised this was either a really cute surprise, or the sort of thing a psychopath would do. ’
‘Or a serial killer,’ Phoebe puts in, considering my friend. ‘Although that’s statistically unlikely as only sixteen per cent of serial killers have been women.’
‘Well, of the ones they caught,’ Tara points out, and Phoebe looks much struck by this.
‘I don’t think you’re a psychopath or a serial killer,’ I grab her hand. ‘I’m so happy you’re here. It’s the best surprise.’
‘Let me get you a drink,’ Nico says. ‘Wine?’
‘I’m interrupting,’ Tara says, looking around, and everyone protests at the same time.
‘You’ll stay for dinner?’ Nico asks. ‘We ordered an insane amount of Chinese food.’
‘Chinese food and wine?’ Tara laughs. ‘Sounds like heaven.’
‘Did you say you’re staying at an Airbnb?’ I ask.
‘Yeah, there’s one above the bar in town.’ Tara accepts a glass of wine from Nico with a smile. ‘There aren’t a lot of places to stay around here with the inn shut but it’s nice… except I am sharing a room with quite a lot of wigs.’
‘Darlene’s wig room,’ Mei explains. ‘She has a pretty extensive collection.’
We’re interrupted at that moment by more banging at the door, but it’s still not the food. Instead, a harassed-looking Luke stands on the step.
‘Hey, Lee,’ he greets me, ‘sorry I’m late.’
‘You’re not late, dinner hasn’t even turned up yet.’ I gesture him inside. ‘This is my friend Tara from home, she just arrived.’ I turn to Tara but she’s staring at Luke with wide eyes.
‘Hello,’ she whispers.
The harassed look melts off Luke’s face, and his own eyes are doing something funny; his pupils are ginormous.
‘Hi,’ he says, and he leans over me like I’m not there to take her hand. He doesn’t exactly shake it, but holds it for a moment in his own while staring at her.
I clear my throat and he jumps back, pink spreading across his cheekbones.
‘I—’ he starts. ‘Sorry. I—’
Fortunately for him, the delivery guy does make an appearance then, and there’s a brief flurry of activity as Nico pays him, Kat and Mei spirit the boxes over to the kitchen and Phoebe heads off to her room, complaining the whole way, with Taco sneaking in behind her to sleep on her bed.
Amid this chaos, Tara stands completely still beside me and I wonder if she realises that she’s dreamily humming ‘Cowboy Take Me Away’ under her breath. Probably not.
We all help ourselves to the food on the counter, piling up our plates before taking our seats around the dining table. Luke practically sprains something throwing himself into the one beside Tara.
Kat is openly laughing at him, but he doesn’t seem to notice.
‘So, Tara, how long are you in town for?’ Luke asks.
‘Just a week,’ she says. ‘Lee made this place sound so interesting, and I thought maybe the big plan would benefit from having someone from Lee’s side of things here to help out.
’ She bats her lashes, and – for some reason – starts talking in the breathy accent of a Southern belle.
‘Y’all, Lee and Nico sure are the cutest couple I’ve ever seen. ’
‘You know you don’t need to do an accent, right,’ I ask, ‘if you’re supposed to be my friend from home?’
Tara pouts. ‘Another tragic instance where I cannot put my drama degree to use.’
I close my eyes. ‘This town is going to love you.’
‘How do you feel about improv?’ Mei asks.
‘Extremely positive,’ Tara beams. ‘So, the guy is turning up when exactly?’
‘The day after tomorrow,’ I say uneasily. Despite his visit being the whole reason I’m here, I’ve been trying not to think about it.
‘That reminds me,’ Mei says. ‘I have a gift for you. Ta da!’
From her copious tote bag she extracts a large envelope. Inside are a stack of laminated cards with photographs on them.
‘My flashcards!’ I squeal.
‘I used the school laminator and everything.’ Mei looks proud.
‘Ugh, I love a laminator,’ Tara puts in, only providing further evidence of our soulmate connection.
‘My students helped me with the info,’ Mei gestures to the cards, and I realise that underneath the photographs are short biographies that include facts like ages and spouses’ names and other, more specific insights such as: Obsessed with an old movie called Clueless; Has a mean dog; Smells kinda soupy.
‘They’re such little jerks,’ Mei says fondly.
‘Please don’t tell me they really think Clueless is an old movie?’ Kat asks, forlorn.
‘We’re ancient,’ Luke sighs into his glass.
‘Hey, speak for yourself. I’m eighteen months younger than you.’ Kat digs her elbow into his side.
We pore over the cards for a while, talking and laughing as I try to commit as much as possible to memory. We polish off most of the food, and I slip a plate of leftovers into the fridge for Phoebe, while Nico shakes his head. Kat opens another bottle of wine.
Then Nico opens another.
This is how I end up with a card attached to my forehead with a piece of washi tape from Mei’s bag, and a slight slur to my words, asking, ‘Am I older than sixty-five?’
Luke, who has a picture of Annie stuck to his own head, squints at me and snorts out a laugh. ‘I guess so. The kids have written “one hundred and ninety”, but that can’t be right.’
‘The oldest person to ever live was one hundred and twenty-two when she died,’ Tara nods wisely, listing a little to one side. ‘So something fishy is going on.’
‘A clue!’ I exclaim. ‘I must be someone very old.’
Nico grins at me, his arm thrown across the back of my chair. ‘Calm down, Poirot.’
‘You’re just upset because you’re still miles off,’ I say, though in fairness, he does have a picture of Button, Art and Annie’s Yorkshire terrier, taped to his head so it’s not really any wonder he’s confused.
‘Wait, wait,’ I say, banging my hand on the table. ‘Am I mean?’
‘Mean as a rattlesnake,’ Kat agrees.
‘I’m Mrs Platt!’ I hoot, ripping the card from my head and everyone cheers and does the same.
‘Lee wins,’ Mei declares. ‘We’re such good tutors.’
She offers up her hand for a high-five and I accept happily. I don’t get enough high-fives in my day-to-day life, I decide.
Luke points at the Mrs Platt card, his expression haunted.
‘That woman’s going to be the death of me. Her granddaughter got her a smartphone and now she WhatsApps me surveillance reports on her neighbour’s cat’s “suspicious behaviour”.’
‘Poor baby,’ Tara croons, and she reaches out to pat his hand, while Luke stares down at her fingers, dumbstruck.
‘I think my friend likes your friend,’ Nico whispers, his lips brushing against my ear and sending delicious shivers through me.
‘It must be bad, he usually has way more game than this.’
I smile. ‘I think you’re right.’
‘Always, Daisy.’ His voice is a low rumble that does things to my insides. ‘I’m always right.’