Chapter 21
‘Dylan? This is a surprise.’ Sporty cagoule, chinos, casual but smart and sexy AF.
‘I’ll be off,’ said Trevor, and he squeezed past, lifting his helmet in the air. He looked back. ‘Today meant a lot, Lili. I can’t thank you enough. I already feel better than I have in a long time.’
‘Lovely to see you, Trevor,’ said Lili and she smiled, then turned to Dylan. ‘Please… come in.’ She closed the door behind him.
Over his shoulder, Dylan shot Trevor a curious look and then he went in. ‘Thanks, Lili.’ He took off his anorak, threw it onto the stairs and lifted up the bag again. In a daze, Lili led him into the kitchen.
‘Coffee?’ she asked, moving plates smeared with cream and jam onto the worktop next to the sink. Bobbin was on the lawn and looked in. The bird jigged from side to side, a happy dance as if it could tell Lili, despite her questions, was secretly pleased to see the surprise caller.
‘Cheers, that’d be great. Sorry to drop by unannounced, it was a spur of the moment thing.
I’ve been visiting my aunt in Falmouth. I stayed over last night.
She’s widowed now and hasn’t been well, so Dad asked me to call in, seeing as he and Mum are in Italy.
Fish and chips in front of Strictly – took me back to Saturday nights as a kid.
Me and Harry used to partner up and do lifts like the stars and attempt the Rumba. ’ He swivelled his hips.
Lili covered her eyes. ‘How can I unsee that?’
A rich warm laugh filled the kitchen as he took her hand and twirled her around. ‘Anyway, my aunt’s made me this steak pie.’ He opened the bag and took out a dish covered in foil.
Right. Pie. Dylan was as transparent as she’d thought. The opposite of Sean. Lili smiled.
‘Truro’s on my way home and it’s a good size for two. If you hadn’t got any other plans tonight… would you like to share it? Food always tastes better with company.’
An evening not to do with business? Perhaps he’d changed his mind and really did want?—
‘We could discuss my aunt. She’s thinking of giving her house a refresh and donating the old stuff to a charity shop.’
Of course. What was Lili thinking? Dylan was into decluttering people’s lives; it made sense that he wasn’t about to fill up Lili’s with romance.
And her life was already full, thank you very much.
Not that it had always felt that way, this last couple of months, with the anniversary of Em’s death.
Lili cringed. Had she judged Dad too harshly?
The first anniversary of the divorce, he’d got drunk and been arrested after almost picking a fight in a pub. Everyone had a different way of coping.
Maybe Dad’s way was simply more honest.
‘Sounds good,’ said Lili brightly, and she put on the kettle.
She shivered. Dylan was wearing a shirt with the sleeves rolled up, so he clearly wasn’t cold.
Where possible she layered up instead of putting on the heating.
Bills were expensive now she alone paid them.
Lili made her excuses and hurried upstairs to fetch a cardigan, thoughts about Dylan swirling around her head.
It’s for the best to cut all ties. But he gives you all the feels.
You might get hurt. But he’s kind and funny.
He’s not interested. But he called in.
He’s just a friend. He’s one hot Roman gladiator .
Hardly focusing, she grabbed the nearest cardigan from her wardrobe. As she went back down the stairs, and almost reached the bottom, her right foot stepped onto the hood of Dylan’s anorak that had been left there. The coat slipped against the carpet.
Lili lost her balance.
Went to grab the banister.
But she wasn’t quick enough and gave a shriek as she fell forwards, down the remaining few steps.
Arms outstretched, she broke her fall, but her head still smacked down onto the hallway floor.
Everything was black. Until slowly it wasn’t.
She felt… warm… comfortable, as if in a deep sleep she didn’t want to wake up from.
In and out she breathed, her mind empty of doubts and worry and sadness.
What a luxury. But gradually, tug, tug, tug, she got pulled away from that melting oasis of contentment.
Reluctantly, she opened her eyes. The handsome, tanned face of a man leant over her and Lili’s blurry vision focused.
‘Hail Caesar…’ she muttered.
‘Lili? What happened? Lili? Are you okay? You’ve been out of it for a few seconds.’ A touch of panic tinged his voice. What was the problem? She felt quite comfortable.
‘We who are about to die salute you…’
‘Lili, what are you going on about? Does it hurt anywhere?’
Drip by drip, reality found its way in. She blinked rapidly. Who was he? Was she in a public place? She focused on the wallpaper. Why was this man in her house? She glanced sideways. How come she was lying on the carpet?
‘You fell down the stairs,’ he said. ‘Was it far? Does your neck hurt? Your back?’
She tried to sit up.
‘No, just lie flat for a moment,’ he said and got up. He paced the room, then dropped back down again.
Gladiators should mind their own business .
She blinked. Reality flooded her brain. Deep lines were etched into the man’s face and he took out his phone. Dylan. The pie.
‘I’m okay,’ she said and pushed herself up. Sitting, Lili leant against the wall. ‘Seriously. My left hip’s a bit sore but…’ She looked up the stairs, pushing down a gag reflex. ‘Christ, I was lucky. Stupid too. Should have seen your coat. At least it was near the bottom and not at the top.’
‘No, this is on me, chucking it down there, turning up unannounced… Look, let me ring for an ambulance, you need checking over.’
‘No way. Those services… are stretched as it is, with… real emergencies,’ she said, feeling faint for a second. ‘All I need is a glass of water.’
She staggered to her feet and rubbed one of her wrists.
Dylan jumped up and led her through to the lounge.
How embarrassing. Lili hated a fuss. She’d be fine in half an hour.
Dylan gazed at the flowers, the camera and incense before fetching her a drink.
Whilst she sipped, he sat down next to her and tapped into his phone furiously.
‘Then let me take you,’ he said and looked up. ‘You blacked out. You were confused when you came around. A rib might be cracked. A&E isn’t far. I just googled and the Royal Cornwall Hospital is just down the road.’
‘But—’
‘No arguments.’ He got up and blew out the incense sticks. ‘ Alea iacta est .’