A Hopeless Romantic Read Online Free PDF Page B

enough that Mia hasn’t answered any of my texts,” Yorky said, picking up the thread after a few moments’ silence. Laura obediently swiveled round to listen. “I’ve texted her four times—why hasn’t she replied? Oh, no. I have to sit in solitary silence, with the TV my only companion, and listen to my flatmate who I’ve known since she was five screaming with pleasure as some git rogers her senseless at eleven A.M. for about the fifteenth time this morning.”
    Laura bit her lip to stop herself grinning. “Sorry.” She went over and patted him on the shoulder. “I’ll make you some tea. Why don’t we all go into the sitting room and have some tea?”
    “No, thanks a bundle,” said Yorky, pulling his tattered paisley dressing gown about him with an attempt at dignity. “I prefer to watch Saturday Kitchen on my own, thanks very much, not squashed up on the sofa with you and Mr. Playaway while he tries to molest you under my very nose.”
    “Okay, okay,” said Laura. This was going to be tricky. She’d had to tell Yorky about Dan, and she hated making him a party to it, making him lie. It wasn’t for long, and so far he’d been great, but…She filled the kettle and affected a tone of nonchalance. “Er…any plans for today?”
    Yorky looked up suspiciously. “Yes,” he said. “You know I have. We’re going out to lunch with Simon.”
    “Simon?” Laura said blankly. She pulled a mug off one of the hooks above the sink and examined it. “Urgh, this is dirty.”
    “Your brother, Simon, who’s about to go to Peru for four months.”
    Laura winced. Simon worked for a charity. He was taking time off to travel to Peru, but since he was going to be volunteering for some other charity, it didn’t really seem like time off to Laura.
    “And then you know perfectly well we’re going round to Jo’s because Chris is away and she wants a hand with painting the kitchen,” Yorky said, glaring at her. “Oh, my God, you’re bailing out. I can’t believe it.”
    “What?” said Laura. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    “You lying bitch,” said Yorky. “Go back in that bedroom, ease those chafed thighs onto the bed, and tell Dan you’re not spending the day with him or whatever it is he’s suggested you do. You’re coming out to lunch.”
    “Honestly, Yorky, I had no idea,” Laura pleaded with him, aware of how weak she sounded. “Sure, Jo mentioned coming round to me, but it was ages ago—I didn’t think it was a proper plan…. No one e-mailed me about it this week—I thought it was a casual arrangement.”
    “Casual arrangement,” Yorky repeated.
    “Yep,” Laura said. “And lunch—hey, you’ll have a much better time without me there. You never see Simon on his own, you can really catch up. And stuff.”
    Yorky looked at her, and Laura realized the atmosphere in the kitchen was no longer one of grumpy, amusing sniping. It was suddenly more tense than that.
    “No, Laura,” he said quietly. “That—that thing you’ve got going on next door with Dan. That’s a casual arrangement.”
    “No, it’s not,” said Laura in a small voice.
    “Oh, God, you stupid girl.” Yorky slapped his hand to his cheek. “I don’t care. Just don’t try to lie to me. It’s not a big deal, Laura, honestly. But”—he held up his hand as Laura made to speak—“don’t lie to me. You know it was arranged ages ago. You, of all people.”
    “What do you mean?” said Laura, feeling her chest tighten.
    “I mean, I’ve always thought you were a good person, someone I could trust, someone I could rely on. Thick and thin, all that.”
    “Oh, for God’s sake, Yorky,” Laura said, her face reddening, feeling cross all of a sudden. “That’s such crap. It’s only lunch, get over it! I am—I am a good person. Dan—I—you know how I feel about him, don’t do this.”
    Yorky turned his back on her and looked out the window, as if he was counting to five. Then he turned around