This London Love (23 page)

“You just looked so sad, I wanted to cheer you up. Did it work?”

“You certainly derailed my morbid train of thought.” Meg shook her head and blinked twice.

Kate leaned over the table again and repeated her trick. A hot flush swelled in her body. Her mind had gone a bit blank now, too.

“Shall we get the bill and get out of here?” Kate said.

Meg nodded in response.

“Shall we go to your place for a change?” Kate asked.

The grin fell off Meg’s face. “Nah,” she said, hoping it sounded casual. “Your place is closer.” Now it was her turn to kiss Kate. “Plus, it’s been pretty successful so far.”

And Kate had to agree, it had been.

She put up her hand to get the waiter’s attention.

27

The following week and the weather gods had decreed rain, by the bucketload. Outside, the wet stuff was sheeting down, the surface of the Thames churning like a hot wash on extra spin. Inside, however, the mood was upbeat as the first copies of the new magazine were back from the printers. Kate and Dawn were sat at their desks admiring it.

Dawn held the cover at arm’s length and tilted her head. “It looks fantastic Kate, really good. I’d say this could be another award-winner — although I don’t want to put a jinx on it.”

Kate put her head next to Dawn’s. “You could be right. Would have looked better with Meg’s face peering out of it, but what can you do?”

“I agree — that girl is a cover star. Maybe we can put her on the next one?”

“I did suggest it to her, but she said no.” Kate shrugged and smiled.

Dawn put the magazine on her desk and turned to Kate. “So it’s all going swimmingly? What is it now — two weeks?”

Kate shook her head. “Three — and everything is still fine. I keep waiting for it all to fall apart, but I can’t see it happening. I just can’t see a fault in this girl and I’m the expert in finding them.”

Dawn crinkled her forehead. “So it could be serious then?”

Kate cleared her throat. “A bit like the cover, I don’t want to jinx it. But who knows? If everything keeps cracking along as it has been, you might need to dust off your hat before too long.”

Dawn grabbed Kate’s arm and stood up. “Oh my — you’re talking marriage after only three weeks! You are smitten, girl.” She paused. “But then, I suppose that’s the good thing about lesbian relationships, isn’t it? In straight relationships, it’s usually the girl who thinks of marriage before the man and freaks him out. Does that happen with lesbians?”

Kate chuckled. “Oh, you’d be surprised. I’m only sharing the wedding thing with you, not Meg — I’m not a total nutter. Mention the M word and that’s a sure way to see her running for the hills.” Kate paused. “I don’t even know whether she likes ketchup or brown sauce on her bacon sandwich yet. Could be a deal-breaker if she prefers brown.”

“True, very true. These are far more important issues. So when are you seeing her again?” Dawn picked up her trusty diary and notepad, before turning back to Kate for an answer. “Meeting with ads,” she said, pointing over her shoulder.

Kate looked at her watch — nearly 4pm. “Well, I wasn’t meant to be seeing her till Saturday, but I might stop by her shop later and drop in a magazine on the off-chance. I know she really wanted to see it.”

Dawn looked amused. “All casual like, just passing etc.”

“Exactly.” Kate paused, then looked at Dawn. “Not too obvious, is it?”

“Not at all.” Dawn patted Kate’s shoulder, smirking as she strolled off.

***

And so it was just over an hour later, Kate clocked off work early and got on the tube, magazine in bag. Meg was going to love her — she’d been going on about little else ever since the shoot and the interview, which endeared her all the more to Kate. After so many years in magazines, Kate was sometimes blasé about it, forgetting how exciting her job was to strangers. When they’d been out the previous week and Kate had told Meg that Hannah had arranged to interview a recent gold medal winner, Meg had been beyond excited. Kate couldn’t wait to see Meg’s gorgeous face when she saw herself in print.

The tube was packed so Kate had to stand. It was now October, so scarves were being let out of their hibernation and coats dusted off as the autumn evenings kicked the sun into touch and the air cooled. However, on the tube, it was the opposite — still stuffy, with everyone sweating in their cold weather gear.

Kate was no different, shedding her grey scarf as the first beads of sweat dripped down her back. She hated getting the tube and not biking, but turning up looking like a drowned rat was not a good look in anyone’s book. Kate ticked off the stops as the train juddered on its journey, the crowd thinning out as they passed through major interchanges. When she got off at Finchley, she was glad to breathe in the wet, tarmac-scented air.

Kate put up her brolly and strolled down the main road, her eyes taking in the brightly lit signs for fried chicken, a cool new café and more estate agents than were strictly necessary. Cars swooshed by kicking up wet spray, while people huddled in shop doorways to avoid getting too wet. The nights were closing in — it would soon be time for the clocks to go back.

Within five minutes Kate was at Fabulous Flowers and this time there was no dithering. She pushed open the door, pausing to shake her umbrella onto the pavement. The bell rang as Kate knew it would, and then a woman emerged from the back of the shop — but it was neither Meg nor Olivia. Rather, she was Asian with shiny, liquorice hair and a pink shirt that looked fresh out of the packet, judging by its starched collar.

“Hi there — can I help?”

“Hi,” Kate said. “I’m after Meg — is she around?”

The woman turned up the corners of her mouth and shook her head. “Nope — she had some stuff to do today so it’s just me. Can I pass on a message?” The woman rummaged on the counter and picked up a pad and pen, before looking back at Kate.

Kate had a brief flashback of nearly kissing Meg right up against that counter, but put it to the back of her mind. Instead, she held up the bag containing the magazine. “I just wanted to drop something off to her. Is she due back today?”

The woman shook her head again. “She was going straight home — said she had stuff to do, what with putting her house on the market and everything.”

Kate blinked. Meg was putting her house on the market? This was news to her — but then, so were many things in Meg’s world. Kate had opened up to Meg with surprising ease, whereas Meg had been far more guarded. Now Kate came to think about it, she didn’t even know where she lived apart from somewhere around here.

“Perhaps I’ll just drop this off to her at home.” Kate smiled her A-list smile. “I’m Kate by the way, Meg’s girlfriend.” It was the first time Kate had said those words out loud, but she styled it out with aplomb. Kate held out her hand and the woman shook it warmly.

“Anya — part-time help here.” Anya seemed to have no qualms at all that Kate might indeed be Meg’s girlfriend. Perhaps Meg had been standing in this very spot earlier, waxing lyrical about how fantastic Kate was. It was a warming thought.

“Nice to meet you.” Kate turned to leave, but then twisted back, her foot squeaking on the slate-tiled floor. “By the way, I always get it wrong — what number is Meg’s house again?”

Anya frowned, then consulted a large book on the counter. “133.” She smiled again at Kate.

Kate clicked her fingers. “133. Must write it in my phone.” She rolled her eyes at Anya. “And the road again? Only been there twice — went to the wrong street the first time.”

Anya chuckled. “It’s easily done — they all look the same around here.” She consulted the book again. “Blair Avenue. It’s the one with the pub on the corner.”

“Great — you’ve saved me getting lost again,” Kate said. She was a worryingly convincing liar when she wanted to be.

“Catch the 245 if you want to stay dry,” Anya advised as Kate walked out the door.

Kate plugged the address into her phone and Google showed her Meg lived about a five minute walk from her mum, five minutes from the house she’d grown up in. Who would have thought? There was Kate, always thinking she had to move to central London to meet the exciting woman of her dreams, when all along, she was almost the girl next door.

***

Meg was really pleased with how the valuation of the house had gone. Despite Tanya’s misgivings, if they sold and took an equal split, they’d make a tidy sum to help them both start again. That was all she really wanted, and she hoped Tanya would see it that way, too. Yes, there were a few issues the agent had asked her to sort, but with those done, the woman had told her it should be plain sailing — an ideal family home. Meg hoped whoever bought it had more luck than them.

She flicked on the kettle and glanced at the clock — nearly 6pm. Outside, the sky was the colour of lead and the rain was sheeting down as well as drumming on the overhead skylight. Viewed through the skylight, the weather was always dramatic — either blistering sunshine or thundering rain.

Meg crossed her fingers that Tanya would be out tonight, as she fancied doing a spot of cooking, perhaps even baking some biscuits. She hadn’t baked any since life got complicated and Tanya had taken over the kitchen. However, now she was taking steps to get her life back on track, Meg was remembering who she was and what she liked. Running, baking, reading. And even going out for a meal with a hot woman on her arm. Yes, she certainly enjoyed doing that.

A smile slipped onto her face as she grabbed a mug and made her tea. But then her dreams of a Tanya-free evening were shattered as she heard the door slam. Just at that moment, her ex poked her head around the door.

“Hi.” Tanya’s cheeks were glowing red. An umbrella dripped silently onto the carpet by her side, but her hair was bone dry.

“Hey.” The word curdled on Meg’s lips.

“So it went well today?”

Meg walked over and took the umbrella from Tanya’s hand, dumping it in the sink. “You remembered.”

“I told you I was sorry about last time.”

Meg bit back a response, trying to keep the exchange civil. “Yeah, it was good. You got my text about the price?”

Tanya nodded.

“If we sell at what they valued it at, we’ll both make enough to start again.” Meg didn’t take her eyes off Tanya as she spoke.

Tanya slumped against the door frame and chewed the inside of her cheek. After a few seconds, she nodded. “Sounds ideal.” She sighed. “You know, this isn’t really what I ever wanted, us splitting up and selling the house, but maybe you’re right. Maybe it’s time to move on. So I’m not going to put up any more barriers. If this is what you want, I’m happy to go along with it.”

Meg steadied herself on the counter-top as her mouth fell open. “Just like that? You’ve seen the light?” She tilted her head. “What’s the catch?”

Tanya shook her head and smiled. “No catch. You can actually thank Chris — she was on your side.” She shrugged. “You’re right, we should move on with our lives. When does it go on the market?”

“From tomorrow.” Meg pushed her hair off her forehead.

“Great. You can fill me in on the details in a bit — just let me get out of my wet clothes.”

The doorbell interrupted their conversation and Tanya turned. “I’ll go.”

Meg stood in the kitchen, not quite believing what she’d just heard. Perhaps she could invite Kate over sooner than she thought. Make her a lovely dinner, then have her for dessert. She smiled and sat down at the table, waiting for Tanya to deal with whoever was at the door.

It would be the first time they’d sat down civilly in nearly a year.

***

Kate stood on the doorstep of number 133, an excited smile on her face. But that was quickly wiped off when her failed blind date of some weeks earlier opened the door. Tina? Or was it Tanya? Even though she couldn’t recall her name, Kate recalled her demeanour very well. What she was doing at Meg’s house, Kate had no idea. Her stomach plummeted and some rain tracked down the back of her neck. Kate had a bad feeling about this.

“Well, hello,” Tina/Tanya said, licking her lips. “Has it taken you this whole time to track me down and see the error of your ways? And in the driving rain, too.” She raised an eyebrow. “It’s almost romantic.”

Kate shifted her weight onto her other foot and pursed her lips. “Very funny. I was looking for Meg. Is she in?” Kate peered over Tanya’s shoulder.

An amused look passed over Tanya’s face. “She is.” She stepped back to allow Kate into the house. “How do you two know each other?”

Kate shook out her umbrella for the second time in half an hour and stepped into the hallway. “We’re kinda seeing each other.”

Tanya’s face registered surprise. “Really?” She stretched the word out like an elastic band.

Kate nodded.

“You and Meg?”

“That’s right.”

At that moment, Meg appeared in the doorway.

Kate looked up and smiled — she couldn’t help it.

In contrast, the colour drained from Meg’s face like it had a crack in it.

“Hey.” Kate couldn’t quite pick up on the vibe circling the hallway, but she was pretty sure she didn’t like it.