Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Lilly had survived her first shift behind the bar but knew it wasn’t the job for her.
She tried to reason that it was so tired after her ordeal but knew that she didn’t have the stamina for a busy bar like Blue’s.
Elijah had phoned her first thing that morning to make sure she was ok and had got home safely and asked if she would go out on a date with him.
He wanted to talk to her about something in person rather than over the phone. It made her nervous that he couldn’t say what he wanted but she relaxed a little when he wanted to talk to her over dinner. If he wanted to break up with her, he wouldn’t do it in a public place in a romantic setting.
She’d refused by saying that she didn’t want to go out in public so soon after working at the bar.
Instead, she invited him to her place for dinner.
They could relax and she didn’t have to worry about who would be coming into the restaurant.
She didn’t mind the recognition, but she did value her privacy.
Lilly didn’t want the city gossips wagging their tongues that she was out on a date.
It rarely happened so was a talking point when she was spotted.
She liked Elijah, probably a little too much too soon.
He had a natural manner, and she wanted to be in his company.
She also needed to tell him she couldn’t take his offer of a job at Blue’s.
Doing this privately would be much easier.
If they were seen out in public this soon, then word would get to her mother.
Then on top of quitting her job, being in the hospital for drug taking and now dating a bar owner.
It would give her untold grief. It wouldn’t be fair on Elijah if there were a chance at a future with him. She needed to do it her way.
Lilly had spent longer than necessary choosing which outfit to wear.
Depending on how the night played out would dictate what she wore.
She wanted him in her bed, there was no denying that, but she didn’t want to come across as easily seduced.
She felt foolish when she wanted to call him to see what he was wearing.
It was dinner at her home so she assumed casual but what if he arrived in a suit?
She couldn’t remember a time when she had been this indecisive, it didn’t matter what she wore on other dates because she was rarely interested in the man across the table from her.
Her dates had always been set up by her parents.
The men she had slept with she had never publicly dated, just casual acquaintances that she met up with occasionally.
Her parents didn’t know about these types of dates, they wouldn’t have approved.
She can still hear the mantra her mother used to tell her about children being conceived out of wedlock.
It was as if her mother had never heard of contraception.
After giving herself a telling off, she chose a floaty pale blue dress, matching kitten heels, underneath she wore nude hold-ups and a fitted blue lace teddy. If he did strip her, he would be pleased with what he saw and if he didn’t, she would still feel sexy in what she wore.
Finishing her makeup with a sweep of mascara she gazed at her reflection, gone was the primness of her corporate suits and now loose fitting dresses had taken their place.
She felt happy and relaxed, something she hadn’t felt in a while.
Another feeling she hadn’t felt in a while was nerves.
Elijah would be here soon and she needed to finish making the starter course.
Wandering through her home she straightened the cushions of the sofa, she had bought some films for them to watch later on after they had eaten dinner.
She wanted to have a leisurely, relaxing evening and get to know him a little better.
Dinner and a movie seemed a perfect choice, she was happy he agreed to come.
Entering the kitchen, she looked at the kitchen table and wished she had a better one. It was rare for her to invite anyone into her home and when she did, she spent too much time criticising her choice of furniture.
Lilly had been browsing through the small narrow streets in Brighton a few years back and had spotted the table and fell in love with it.
It was huge and battered. It had seemed like several families had sat around the pale wood table.
It was covered in scratches and dents, if only the table could tell its stories.
She often wondered if anyone had been bent over it and had experienced an orgasm.
Now it just seemed old-fashioned and felt embarrassed that she had a tattered table.
Elijah had never given any clue to a snobby side and so being worried about that now seemed ridiculous.
Harry’s sister Elizabeth, had been in Brighton on a big case.
Lilly had been invited to tag along to help with the details.
Once it was over, Elizabeth flew back to Edinburgh and Lilly had stayed on as she had fallen in love with the seaside town.
The chairs around the table didn’t match the table or each other and that is what she loved about it.
Something disorganised in her overly organised life.
Her mother, of course, hated it and refused to eat at it.
It was no loss as far as Lilly was concerned, she hated when she came over at the best of times, scrutinising the place she lived in.
Grabbing her oven gloves and lifting the cheese bread out of the oven, she sliced up the baguette and placed the chunks into a basket.
Dinner was ready. She just needed to make the spaghetti once they were ready for the main course.
She had chosen a simple Italian menu, Italian meats, cheese bread and olives to start and then Spaghetti Bolognese to follow.
If they made it as far as dessert then they could have the ice-cream.
She heard the buzzer on the intercom and hurried over to answer it.
She was nervous that he was here but excited to see him all the same.
Pressing the release button she let him into the building.
Straightening her dress, she walked over to the door and opened it waiting for him to arrive. She hoped she wasn’t underdressed.
She looked down the corridor and couldn’t see him, standing entirely still she strained to hear his footsteps, but she couldn’t.
She should’ve asked who wanted to get into the building and not just assumed it was him.
There was no one coming, and the feeling was acute in her heart.
She had a horrible feeling that he wasn’t coming tonight and all this preparation would be a waste.
It was out of character for her not to check who had come in, but she was so excited to see Elijah.
She regretted not checking, especially after the other night.
She had been called by the police officers to give a statement, but she hadn’t gone down to the station yet.
She was putting it off because she didn’t remember much and blamed herself for being in the alley.
Lilly closed her front door, locking it and walked back down the hallway to the kitchen island and poured a half glass of wine, she took a sip and glanced up at the clock.
He was due half an hour ago, and he hadn’t sent a message or called to say he was going to be late.
His bad manners irritated her, but she knew he had a stressful job that wasn’t a regular nine to five routine.
After an hour had gone by she put the starter plates in the fridge and went to change into yoga pants an oversized jumper.
Digging through her bottom drawer, she looked for her fluffy socks.
Her feet were cold, as was her heart. She felt a fool for asking him out and then getting stood up.
She wasn’t going to call him, if he was busy he didn’t need her hassling him and if he had forgotten she didn’t want to know.
Taking the ice-cream tub out of the freezer and skipping a bowl she grabbed a spoon and made her way to the sofa. She was going to watch one of the black and white movies she had bought for tonight. She may as well get some enjoyment out of the evening.