The Boy I Love Read Online Free PDF Page B

You haven’t mentioned him to me.’ Sally was taken aback. It only seemed like a few weeks ago
that she had been talking to Muriel and discussing a girls’ night out.
    ‘Sally, you are hopeless! We have not spoken for months. I feel terrible that I have not been in touch to keep you posted, but you know what it’s like with work and everything. His
name is Dave and he is a folk singer with a band. In fact, he is doing a gig on Saturday night at the Hen and Chickens – remember where we always used to go? Well, he will be there doing his
bit, so why not come with me and Mack. You remember Mack, don’t you?’ she teased.
    ‘Oh please, come on. How
is
your hunky brother?’ Sally recalled how she had always been a little flustered around her friend’s big brother. Mack had seemed very moody
and mysterious to a young girl like Sally. She could picture him now with his incredibly blue eyes smiling down at her.
    ‘Doing really well. He is a successful photographer and sculptor. I know he would love to see you, Sal. Shall we meet up at the pub at seven on Saturday then, and you can vet my beloved.
Not that I will listen to a bad word against him!’ Muriel said happily.
    ‘Great. I will see you there. It is so lovely to hear your voice, my dear friend. Bye!’ Sally replaced the receiver, beaming with well-being. Life was good.
    The rest of the week passed all too quickly as Sally put her house in order. She arranged with Douglas to drive up to Crewe on Sunday morning.
    ‘Is that a good idea?’ ventured Dora. ‘We are all going out on Saturday night, don’t forget. Do you want to be looking for digs with a hangover?’
    ‘Mmmm. You have a point, sister dear. But I don’t think I will have any choice. Dad won’t want to spend a weekday up there, will he? I will just have to practise
self-control.’
    In fact, Saturday night proved very jolly, and not at all as raucous as it might have been. Dora didn’t join them at the pub in the end as she decided to go to the movies with an old
friend. (Or a new beau, if the truth be known!) So Sally met Muriel and Dave and the lovely Mack in the Hen and Chickens by herself. It was strange to be back on her old turf having a night out
like normal folk. Sally always distinguished people who were not in the acting profession as normal. Actors were a breed apart, and a group of them together was like a flock of starlings
continually screeching and pecking and jostling for position. Sitting in the pub that Saturday night was pleasantly soothing, and Sally felt very relaxed. Mack was good fun and very attentive. It
almost felt like a date.
    ‘So, what do you think of Dave?’ Mack asked when Muriel had gone to the cloakroom.
    ‘He seems very nice,’ Sally replied truthfully. ‘Why do you ask? And Muriel seems very happy.’
    ‘Well, he
is
my future brother-in-law, so I have a vested interest in the success of the romance.’ Mack got up to go to the bar. ‘Another cider?’
    ‘Yes, please.’ Sally passed him her glass and watched him lope off to get the drinks. He really was very attractive – and such a lovely man, she thought to herself. How good
would it be to find someone like him to share things with? But she knew it was pointless even considering a relationship while she was pursuing her goals in the theatre. She was going to need every
ounce of concentration to do a play every two weeks, and work on the stage management team. At drama school they had had a few classes on stage management, but nothing much. The biggest challenge
had been to build a set to scale with all the scenery and furniture. It was fun, but no one took it very seriously. Certainly Sally herself had never expected in a million years that she would be
employed as an Assistant Stage Manager, for goodness sake! Like most actors her ego was sufficiently healthy that she had assumed she would be playing roles, not making props.
    ‘Penny for them?’ Mack startled her as he sat down and