Last Chance Saloon - Marian Keyes [167]
‘Have you… left… Thomas?’
‘Not as such. But I’m going to after work. I’ll just move a carload of stuff tonight and Ravi’s organizing a van for the rest of my things later in the week.’
‘Well, I can hardly believe it. I’m delighted,’ Katherine blustered. Of course she was delighted, but of all the bloody times…
An hour later Joe sent Katherine an e-mail saying, ‘Further to our not slipping tonight, would you like to go to a restaurant, a bar, a cinema, a theatre, a chippy, a video shop, a night-club, a bowling alley, a Jacuzzi or my flat? Tick as preferred.’
And Katherine had to reply, ‘I’m afraid there’s been a slight change of plan. You see my friend Tara’s having a bit of a drama…’
Katherine was adamant that no one at work should know about them, so Joe arrived at her flat half an hour after she did. When she opened the door his huge, intimate smile was in extreme contrast to the cool detachment they’d shown each other all day.
Bundling her into his coat, he kissed her with violent relief.
‘I hope you weren’t followed,’ she said sternly.
‘I was, but I ran through a Chinese laundry and out the back.’
‘Into an alley filled with cardboard boxes?’
‘And hens. Then I legged it up a fire-escape and climbed through a window.’
‘Into a room where a man and woman were in bed together?’
‘Actually, I think it was a man and a man. So I doffed my hat politely and said, “Pardon me.” ’
‘And one of them said, “Did you see that?” and the other said, “See what?” ’
‘But I was gone!’
They laughed, giddy with the connection.
‘Thank you for the bathmat,’ she said, shyly.
‘When can we try it?’
She shook her head. ‘We’ll have to behave ourselves tonight because Tara could arrive with some of her worldly goods at any minute. Sorry. Definitely not what you were expecting.’
‘We can still go to the chippy and the video shop,’ he said gamely. ‘All isn’t lost.’
‘Yes, but …’ It was far too early for nights in with videos and takeaways. You had to be going out with each other for at least three weeks before that was acceptable. ‘I could try and cook something,’ she said, doubtfully.
‘I’d prefer if you didn’t.’
‘Oi!’
‘Don’t forget, Katherine, you told me ages ago that you can’t cook.’
‘Well, would you chance a cup of tea made by me?’
‘We can go one better than that.’ He fished a bottle of wine from his coat pocket. ‘Da-dah! Oddbins’ finest.’
‘Nice day yesterday?’ she called from the kitchen, as she fetched the corkscrew.
‘It began well.’ He sounded thoughtful. ‘But at about eleven it started to go downhill. And after that the only highlight was a trip to Homebase to buy a bathmat.’
‘You should have stayed here with me,’ she teased.
‘Should I?’ He sounded surprised. ‘I was well up for it, but I didn’t want to overstay my welcome.’
As she came back in, she hoped the relief didn’t show in her face. They walked up to the local chip shop. It had started to rain. ‘From the Ivy to this in two short days,’ she observed, wryly, pushing open the door.
‘What will you have?’ Joe tempted, looking up at the plastic sign. ‘Sausage in batter? Chicken wings? Cheeseburger?’
‘Depends on what you’re having.’
‘Two saveloys and chips. And perhaps we could share a portion of onion rings?’
‘If I give you some of my smoked cod,’ she calculated, ‘can I have a bite of your saveloy?’
‘You can have as much as you want of my saveloy,’ he said, softly.
And suddenly the chip shop disappeared and there was just the two of them. Stock-still and gazing at each other, mute with magic union. Erno, behind the Formica and glass counter, paused from his banging and clattering, and contemplated crying. Young love. There was nothing like it.
They bought two cans of Tizer to go with the food and Erno threw in four free sachets of ketchup and a pickled egg. His way of toasting their happiness and wishing them well.
Then to the video shop where Joe immediately picked out Roman Holiday. ‘Do you remember? The day we had lunch?’ He stopped and squirmed. ‘The day I bullied you into having lunch.’
It was her turn to squirm.