Читать книгу The Wedding Date - Jennifer Joyce - Страница 18

Chapter 9

Jumping Straight Back Into The Dating Game

Text Message:

Ryan: Code Red

Delilah: Eh?

Ryan: Code Red. I’m on a date with that girl I met on Twitter. Code Red means she’s a fruitcake so you need to phone me with an emergency so I can get out of here

Delilah: Do your own dirty work! Pig!

Ryan: Come on, Delilah. Please!

Ryan: Code Red!

Ryan: CODE RED!

‘See anybody you fancy?’

Lauren and I are standing out on a muddy field, pretending we’re not utterly miserable as Ryan’s football team plays against another local school. Ryan is in his element, jogging up and down the perimeter while yelling encouragement to his pupils. This isn’t my favourite way to spend my Saturday mornings but Lauren and I try to support Ryan whenever we can’t think of a reason to get out of it and, it turns out, when I’m on the hunt for a man.

‘I keep telling you, this isn’t about fancying anybody.’ I blow on my fingers to try to warm them up but it doesn’t work. ‘I’m not looking for an actual boyfriend.’

‘I know, I know.’ Lauren rolls her eyes. ‘You’re looking for a temporary love interest.’

‘Love doesn’t even come into it!’ My heart isn’t going anywhere near this project. It’s in tatters enough as it is.

Lauren lets out an exasperated puff of air. ‘It’s a figure of speech.’ We both jump as a roar erupts around us; Ryan’s team has scored a goal. We cheer along and pretend we’ve been paying attention to the match. ‘But you have to find the guy attractive, right? You can’t date somebody you don’t fancy.’

‘I can.’ And I will – it’ll probably make this whole project easier. Nothing muddies a plan like raging hormones.

‘What if you met somebody seriously hot and he asked you out?’

‘I don’t know.’ I haven’t had to face that dilemma as I haven’t really found anybody ‘seriously hot’ since Ben. I’ve found men cute and charming and I’ve even had a bit of cheeky flirting going on with a few, but that’s just a bit of fun.

Ryan looks our way so Lauren and I jostle about a bit and shout out a few ‘nice shots’ and ‘come on, boys’ to show our enthusiasm for the match.

‘What about that guy over there?’ Lauren asks once Ryan’s attention is back on the field and we can act naturally again. ‘He keeps checking you out.’

‘Who?’ I have a good look around at the spectators but Lauren grabs me by the arm and pulls me in close.

‘Don’t make it so obvious,’ she hisses. ‘But the guy with the red trainers.’

I look down at the ground until I spot them. I’m suitably impressed when my eyes trail up the body. ‘I suppose he is pretty cute. Is he seriously checking me out?’ My answer comes when he turns to face me and gives me a wide smile. ‘Oh, cripes. He’s coming over.’

Any hint of bravado leaves my body as the bloke comes to a standstill in front of me.

‘I haven’t seen you here before, have I?’ It’s only a tiny fairy step up from the gag-tastic “do you come here often?” line but I find myself forgiving him, mainly because he’s cute and could be a contender for Project Wedding Date. Lauren and I don’t make these trips to the football pitch a regular occurrence but we do occasionally turn up and I haven’t noticed him before either. But then I have been walking around in a bit of a daze since Ben. Deciding to date again – in whatever form – has obviously opened my eyes to cute guys again, which can only be good news.

‘That’s my nephew, Lewis.’ He points out one of the boys but I can’t tell which one – they all look the same to me – but it’s one of Ryan’s lot and not the opposition.

‘We’re here with the boys’ PE teacher.’ I point out Ryan, who is yelling something across the field and waving his arms about.

‘But he’s just a friend,’ Lauren chips in. ‘Delilah’s single.’

My cheeks burst into flames. I’d forgotten how excruciating dating can be. It was never like this with Ben, which proves how right we are for each other.

‘Delilah? Nice name.’ I swear to all that is holy that if this guy starts crooning Tom Jones at me, I’m walking away. But he simply smiles while I go a bit redder in the cheeks department.

‘Do you have a name?’ Lauren asks and I glare at her. Does he have a name? No wonder she’s single too if this is how she initiates conversations.

Instead of backing away never to be seen again – which he should – he laughs and nods his head. ‘I’m Jack. And yes, before you ask.’ He half turns towards Lauren but keeps his gaze on me. ‘I’m single too.’

‘It’s like fate!’ Lauren looks past us, towards the football pitch before placing her hand on Jack’s arm. ‘Will you excuse me? I think Ryan’s trying to get my attention.’

Ryan isn’t trying to get her attention at all. When Jack and I look out onto the pitch, Ryan is caught up in trying to break up a scuffle between the opposing teams.

‘Does your friend play Cupid often?’ Jack asks as Lauren weaves her way through the crowd.

‘Fortunately not.’ My cheeks are still quite warm but the fact that Jack hasn’t run a mile is quite promising. Could Jack be it? Could he be my plus one for Francesca’s wedding? I try to see him through Ben’s eyes and conclude that yes, Jack is a pretty good contender. He’s taller than Ben without towering over me ominously, handsome without being arrogant (I have to admit – begrudgingly – that Ben had a tad of arrogance about him) and he seems like pleasant enough company.

‘She means well,’ I say and Jack nods effusively.

‘Oh, yes. Absolutely.’ Jack nods a bit more. ‘She seems like a good friend.’

Ben never really liked Lauren. He said I became loud and uncouth whenever I was with her, which is totally unfair. I can be loud and uncouth without Lauren’s encouragement, thank you very much.

‘I should go and find Lewis.’ The whistle has been blown, signalling the end of the match. Ryan’s team has won two-nil. ‘But I’d really like to see you again.’

‘Yes,’ I decide. ‘I’d like to see you again too.’

Jack’s snowed under with work at the moment so I don’t get to see him until the following week. We’ve sent texts back and forth and Jack has phoned me a couple of times but it’s good to see him again and confirm that I didn’t imagine how cute he is. Yes, he will definitely look good as my plus one. Jack picks me up and tells me we’re heading to a lovely little restaurant in the countryside. It takes quite a while to get there but Jack assures me it will be worth it.

‘What do you think?’ Jack asks when we finally arrive at the secluded pub restaurant.

I look around the small, dark room. It isn’t quite what I was expecting but it’s a quaint little place with a proper open fire. ‘It’s cosy. And quiet.’ Quiet is an understatement. There’s only one other customer; an elderly man in a tweed jacket and mud-encrusted wellies who’s nursing a pint of bitter.

‘Good.’ Jack winks at me. ‘That means I get you all to myself.’

The landlord wanders out from the back of the pub and looks taken aback to see new customers in his establishment. He blinks at us before asking what we’d like.

‘You serve food, don’t you?’ Jack asks. He takes his phone out and tries to open his internet browser but there’s no signal here. ‘It said you did on TripAdvisor.’

I’m surprised at Jack’s words. From the way he’s been talking, I assumed he’d been here before, several times. I thought it was his favourite place to dine.

‘Aye, we do food.’ The landlord nods and leads us to a table by the fire, producing a menu which consists of a single laminated sheet of paper. ‘Are you having a starter?’

There is only one starter available: soup of the day.

‘What soup is it today?’ I ask as I shrug off my jacket.

‘Heinz tomato, love.’

We decide to have a starter plus a main course of sausage and chips for me and egg and chips for Jack. Neither of us fancied the third and final choice of liver and onions.

‘I’m so sorry about this,’ Jack says as the landlord heads off to the kitchen. ‘It has five stars on TripAdvisor, I swear.’

‘I thought you’d been here before.’

‘I have but it was a couple of years ago. They must have changed hands since.’

‘Never mind.’ Jack looks so crestfallen but the location of our date isn’t what’s important. As long as we have a nice evening together, that’s all that matters.

And we do have a nice evening. The food is edible and we have the added bonus of a drunken serenade by the man in the wellies as we eat. Jack and I chat about our lives and work and Jack tells me about his nephew, who is in Year Eight at Ryan’s school.

‘Do you want kids of your own?’ I ask and Jack nods. We’ve finished our meal and the landlord has taken away our dishes but we’ve remained by the fire where it’s cosy. The landlord has disappeared again and with the only sounds coming from the back of the pub where the man in wellies is attempting to woo a wilting pot plant with a ballad and the crackle from the fire in front of us, we could be in our own little cottage.

‘One day. I love kids. I just have to meet the right girl first.’ Jack chooses that moment to lean in and kiss me, to convey that maybe, given time, I could be that girl. ‘I’m sorry. Was that too soon?’

‘No, it’s fine. Really.’ It’s an odd sensation being attached to lips that don’t belong to Ben. Jack’s lips feel different and the fuzzy feeling is missing from my tummy, but it’s a pleasant enough kiss and I wasn’t expecting – or wanting – fireworks anyway.

‘I think this could be it,’ I tell Lauren. We’re once again standing on a muddy field as Ryan’s football team tear up and down the pitch. It’s freezing so we’re bundled up in thick coats, hats, scarves and gloves to ward off the cold. We’d usually find some excuse to stay at home (in the warm) but I’m hoping to see Jack again. We agreed to see each other after our date but Jack has been busy with work again and we haven’t had the chance to meet up.

‘The kiss was that good?’ Lauren asks and I give her a chiding look.

‘No, Lauren. The kiss was ok but you know I’m not looking for Mr Right.’ I’ve already found him but unfortunately he’s set on making Eden Mrs Right and not me. ‘Why are you so fixated on seeing me settled down? What about you?’

‘What about me? I don’t need a date for Francesca’s wedding.’

‘That’s not what I’m talking about.’ I take a furtive glance around the field but Jack doesn’t seem to be here. ‘I’m talking about you finding yourself a boyfriend. A real, permanent one.’

Lauren gives a wave of her hand. ‘I’m fine as I am.’

‘I don’t think you are.’ I sneak another glance for Jack. ‘You’re as hung up on Courtney as I am on Ben.’

Lauren gives a humourless laugh. ‘I am not.’

‘You really are.’ I take another look around the crowd gathered on the side lines. ‘Oh, there he is!’ I’m up on my tiptoes when I spot Jack loitering at the back. Grabbing Lauren’s arm, I start to drag her through the crowds but stop abruptly when I see that he isn’t alone.

‘Who’s she?’ Lauren asks but I shrug. ‘His sister?’ Lauren thrusts a thumb at the pitch. ‘The kid’s mum?’

All the tension that has been building up in my body and making my shoulders rise higher and higher leaves my body in a sudden rush. I visibly deflate, only just managing to stay upright as my suddenly floppy body makes for the muddy ground.

‘Of course it’s his sister!’ Still, I’m in no rush to go over there. As much as I enjoyed my date with Jack, I really don’t want to meet his family. I melt back into the crowd, taking Lauren with me.

‘Um, Delilah.’ I feel the resistance as Lauren stops, her body refusing to be led back to our original spot. ‘I don’t think that’s Jack’s sister after all.’

‘What do you mean?’ I ask but one look at Jack tells me everything I need to know. It seems the mystery woman enjoys Jack’s kisses much more than I did on our date.