Chapter Thirty-Nine
I got back to Lisa’s to find the lights off and no sign of life. I assumed she and Juan were both in bed and asleep. I paused, cocked an ear. There were no faint sounds of murmured pillow talk.
I crept about in the dark, carefully negotiating furniture, then let Cindy out for a final wee. A sudden noise behind had me spinning around. The torch from Lisa’s phone eerily lit up her face.
‘Blimey,’ I whispered. ‘You look like something out of a Halloween Fright Night.’
‘Cheers,’ she muttered indignantly. The light went off. ‘Where on earth have you been?’
‘Out,’ I said simply.
‘I know that.’ I sensed her eyeroll in the darkness. ‘But you’ve been gone for hours.’
I shrugged.
‘Well, you wanted the place to yourself. I obliged.’
‘Even so,’ she said, blowing out her cheeks. ‘I started to worry. Where have you been?’
‘I went to the pub.’
‘You can’t have done,’ she said. ‘Juan and I ended up getting dressed and went to The Cricketers for a nightcap. We didn’t see you there.’
‘That’s because I didn’t go to The Cricketers.’
I let Cindy back inside. She crept across the room and collapsed into her basket with a groan of contentment.
‘So where did you go?’ Lisa prompted.
‘The Starlight Arms,’ I replied.
‘The Star–’
She broke off and this time gave a huff of annoyance.
My eyes had now adjusted to the shadows. I could make out her features thanks to moonlight spilling through the lounge windows. The curtains hadn’t been drawn against the night.
‘Why do you keep going to that village?’ she grumbled. ‘It’s ridiculous, Tilly. You’re behaving like someone obsessed. Tormenting yourself. Look’ – she touched my arm – ‘don’t take this the wrong way, but have you thought about counselling? I think, after everything that’s happened in the last few months, you might benefit from talking to someone impartial.’
‘Oh, for goodness’ sake,’ I sighed. I flopped down on the sofa that I had yet to make up as a bed. It suddenly dawned on me that this would be the last night I’d spend here. Hurrah! ‘I don’t need to speak to a counsellor. Or see a psychiatrist. Or do online therapy. Or – for that matter – take up yoga or reinvent myself.’
‘Now you’re being silly,’ she said, sitting down beside me. ‘I’m only looking out for you.’
‘Well, thank you, but there’s no need. And actually, I have some news.’
I shifted on the sofa so that I was facing her. Lisa was still peering at me in consternation.
‘You have good news since I last saw you?’ she frowned.
‘That’s right,’ I nodded, unable to resist smiling. ‘I’m moving out tomorrow.’
‘What?’ she squawked. Her neck tucked into her shoulders, as if dodging a bullet. ‘What are you talking about, Tilly?’ she hissed.
‘I went to the Starlight Arms and bumped into Milo Soren. Remember him?’
‘How could I ever forget?’ she said disdainfully. ‘Of course I remember him. He’s the new owner of Starlight Cottage. A man you cannot stand. So, what did you do? Empty your drink over his head? Cause a rumpus? Get barred?’
‘On the contrary,’ I said, as happiness bubbled up inside me. ‘We got chatting. He’s actually really nice. And then we went back to his place.’
‘Hold it right there, lady.’ Lisa stuck one hand up like a lollipop lady about to stop the traffic. ‘What the blazes are you saying? Did you go back to Starlight Cottage and get your leg over?’
‘Don’t be daft,’ I snorted.
‘I don’t believe you,’ she harrumphed. ‘I can see your eyes shining. They’re like two twin headlamps.’ She peered at me in the gloom. ‘You’ve definitely shagged him.’
‘I definitely have not,’ I countered.
‘Bet you wanted to.’ She waggled a finger at me.
‘That is classified information,’ I retorted.
‘Omigod!’ she crowed. ‘Don’t tell me that you’ve got the hots for Milo Soren.’
‘That is also classified information,’ I giggled.
‘I’m going to put the kettle on.’ She stood up. ‘And I’m telling you now, madam, you are going to spill the beans.’
I flopped back against the sofa, making several squeaking noises to myself. I then wrapped my arms around my torso so that I was hugging myself. For a moment, I tried to pretend it was Milo hugging me. Unfortunately, there were no zingers, so my body wasn’t fooled. Neither was Lisa. She was staring at me from where she was standing, slowly shaking her head.
‘My oh my,’ she said wryly. ‘You have got him bad.’