dinner with that bastard was going beyond the call of duty." Kathy put a hand on Sarah's shoulder. "You deserve a bloody medal."
*******
Stewart had caught her off guard when he called. Normally, she would have had any one of a dozen excuses ready to put him off. Instead, she had found herself agreeing to dinner.
Stewart had a bunch of flowers in his hand when she answered the door.
"Thanks. I'll put them in water."
He followed her into the kitchen.
"I saw the interview. I thought you were great."
"Not really."
"You did everything you could. Everyone knows that."
"It's nice of you to say so." Sarah was hopeless with flowers - they would probably be dead by the morning.
Stewart had chosen a rather nothing restaurant specialising in bland food. Time dragged as Sarah tried, but failed to care about anything he had to say. When she felt her phone vibrate, she made an excuse to go to the ladies. No doubt it would be a text from Jody, in her matchmaking capacity, asking how the date was going.
The text was from Andrew Cross:
I enjoyed dinner. How about a real date next Saturday 8.30pm?
Andrew
How many times had she read the message? How long had she been in the ladies?
'Real date' - what did that mean? Why was he asking her out?
"Is everything okay?" Stewart asked when she eventually returned to the table.
"Sorry?”
“Are you okay Sarah? You look... strange.”
“I'm fine.” She tried to compose herself. “Sorry – I just felt a little light headed. I'm okay now.”
*******
The next morning, Sarah checked her phone again. Had the text message been a dream? No - it was still there. A 'Real Date'. He wanted to take her on a 'real date'.
Stewart had done most of the talking in the restaurant. After she'd received the text, Sarah hadn't been able to think about anything else. She'd been relieved Stewart hadn't expected coffee when he took her home. Or perhaps he had, but she hadn't picked up the signal.
Maybe Andrew Cross has asked her out because he wanted to talk about Milners again. Perhaps he'd had a change of heart about closing the place down. She knew none of that was true. Why would he mention a 'Real date' if he simply wanted to talk business again?
What was she waiting for? Why didn't she reply and get it over with? There was no way she could go on a date with the man who was about to take away the livelihoods of all of her friends.
Her fingers hovered over the keypad on her phone. In her mind's eye, she could see him climbing out of the pool, water dripping off his hair onto his chest. She could remember how his hand had felt on hers.
She typed out her reply and hit 'send'.
I can't - sorry
Sarah
She stared at the screen for ages after the message had been sent. It had been the right thing to do - what else could she have done? Why did she feel so bad?
*******
"I was going to ask about the date." Jody collared Sarah as soon as she walked into the office. "But I can tell by your face."
"What?" Sarah couldn't figure out how Jody knew about the text.
"With Stewart?"
"Oh right. Stewart. Yeah - it was fine. We went for a meal."
"Fine? Bloody hell - that doesn't sound good."
"I don't think I was very good company."
"He really likes you Sarah. He told me."
"Does he? I'm not sure we are a good match."
“You need someone in your life. You've been by yourself for too long since...”
“David? You can say his name. I'm okay about it now.”
“Stewart is a really good guy. Why don't you give him a chance and see where it leads.”
“I...”
“Have you seen the paper?” Geoff came charging into the office. If his expression was anything to go by, the news wasn't good.
Geoff's entrance had saved Sarah from having to explain why she didn't think Stewart was the man for her, but she wasn't thrilled by the headline in the front page of the paper which Geoff had laid on the desk.
MILNERS TO CLOSE
“It's
*******
Stewart had caught her off guard when he called. Normally, she would have had any one of a dozen excuses ready to put him off. Instead, she had found herself agreeing to dinner.
Stewart had a bunch of flowers in his hand when she answered the door.
"Thanks. I'll put them in water."
He followed her into the kitchen.
"I saw the interview. I thought you were great."
"Not really."
"You did everything you could. Everyone knows that."
"It's nice of you to say so." Sarah was hopeless with flowers - they would probably be dead by the morning.
Stewart had chosen a rather nothing restaurant specialising in bland food. Time dragged as Sarah tried, but failed to care about anything he had to say. When she felt her phone vibrate, she made an excuse to go to the ladies. No doubt it would be a text from Jody, in her matchmaking capacity, asking how the date was going.
The text was from Andrew Cross:
I enjoyed dinner. How about a real date next Saturday 8.30pm?
Andrew
How many times had she read the message? How long had she been in the ladies?
'Real date' - what did that mean? Why was he asking her out?
"Is everything okay?" Stewart asked when she eventually returned to the table.
"Sorry?”
“Are you okay Sarah? You look... strange.”
“I'm fine.” She tried to compose herself. “Sorry – I just felt a little light headed. I'm okay now.”
*******
The next morning, Sarah checked her phone again. Had the text message been a dream? No - it was still there. A 'Real Date'. He wanted to take her on a 'real date'.
Stewart had done most of the talking in the restaurant. After she'd received the text, Sarah hadn't been able to think about anything else. She'd been relieved Stewart hadn't expected coffee when he took her home. Or perhaps he had, but she hadn't picked up the signal.
Maybe Andrew Cross has asked her out because he wanted to talk about Milners again. Perhaps he'd had a change of heart about closing the place down. She knew none of that was true. Why would he mention a 'Real date' if he simply wanted to talk business again?
What was she waiting for? Why didn't she reply and get it over with? There was no way she could go on a date with the man who was about to take away the livelihoods of all of her friends.
Her fingers hovered over the keypad on her phone. In her mind's eye, she could see him climbing out of the pool, water dripping off his hair onto his chest. She could remember how his hand had felt on hers.
She typed out her reply and hit 'send'.
I can't - sorry
Sarah
She stared at the screen for ages after the message had been sent. It had been the right thing to do - what else could she have done? Why did she feel so bad?
*******
"I was going to ask about the date." Jody collared Sarah as soon as she walked into the office. "But I can tell by your face."
"What?" Sarah couldn't figure out how Jody knew about the text.
"With Stewart?"
"Oh right. Stewart. Yeah - it was fine. We went for a meal."
"Fine? Bloody hell - that doesn't sound good."
"I don't think I was very good company."
"He really likes you Sarah. He told me."
"Does he? I'm not sure we are a good match."
“You need someone in your life. You've been by yourself for too long since...”
“David? You can say his name. I'm okay about it now.”
“Stewart is a really good guy. Why don't you give him a chance and see where it leads.”
“I...”
“Have you seen the paper?” Geoff came charging into the office. If his expression was anything to go by, the news wasn't good.
Geoff's entrance had saved Sarah from having to explain why she didn't think Stewart was the man for her, but she wasn't thrilled by the headline in the front page of the paper which Geoff had laid on the desk.
MILNERS TO CLOSE
“It's
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