‘What about me?’ I heard Daniel say in the background.
‘Is that Daniel? Is he listening in on this? You haven’t put me on speakerphone have you?’
‘No, but he’s in bed next to me and he overheard.’
‘Wait, you’re in bed? I didn’t interrupt anything, did I?’
‘Oh, it’s okay. Daniel can go all night, can’t you, Dan?’
‘Er, too much information, thanks!’ I shook my head, trying to rid myself of unwelcome images. ‘No wonder the poor lad looks knackered.’
‘That’s just working on the house. I’ve made him have a night off tonight so we can snuggle.’ She made contented little noises, like she was nuzzling Daniel’s neck, and I rolled my eyes. ‘So, what are you doing talking to me when you’ve met this amazing new man? Why haven’t you set about seducing him? Is he playing hard to get?’
‘Not really. We kissed in the bar and then he walked me home, but we said goodbye at the door.’
‘What? Boring!’
‘Elena, I didn’t even know him five hours ago.’
‘And? Do I need to remind you what a crap year you’ve had? You could do with a bit of action.’
‘Ha ha! No, you don’t need to remind me. But I am a lady…’ I paused while I waited for Elena to stop howling with laughter. ‘I just didn’t think it would be a good idea, that’s all,’ I huffed.
‘So, what’s he like then?’
‘Tall, dark-blond hair that looks curly, but he styles it so it’s all neat, killer cheekbones, blue eyes, nice teeth.’
‘How old?’
‘Thirty-fiveish?’
‘Another older man? Are you sure he isn’t married?’
‘He says not but you never know, I suppose. He reckons he works too much.’
‘What does he do?’
‘He’s a detective.’
‘Really?’
‘Yeah. Well, I’ll let you two get back to whatever you were doing. I just wanted to share.’
‘Well, I’m glad you did. Thanks for phoning. Love you.’
‘Love you, too!’
I hung up and looked around at my empty front room. The heating had gone off for the night and the house was starting to feel cold. Suddenly, I wished I’d asked Anthony in and was snuggling with him under the covers, like Elena was with Daniel now.
***
I felt great the next morning and got up early enough to walk to work and go to the flower market before opening the shop. The world felt fresh and new and full of hope. It was still dark when I left the house and the pavement was white with frost. It made me feel Christmassy and I got a surge of excitement thinking about decorating the shop this weekend. I wondered if I’d see Anthony that day and if we could go out again this evening. The scent of his aftershave was still on my coat, and I breathed it in as I walked through the frosty morning. It made me smile and filled me with anticipation and longing.
‘You’re looking very happy today!’ Bobbi said when she came into work later that morning. She’d plaited her silvery lilac hair so she looked about ten years old. She leaned on the counter next to me, her tiny crystal nose stud glinting in the shop lights. ‘What’s going on?’
‘Nothing! Just excited about Christmas, that’s all!’
‘Really? Already?’ Her brow creased.
‘Well, we’re decorating the shop this weekend, aren’t we? In fact, I might do the window display today if we’re not too busy.’
‘Yeah, but…’ Bobbi shrugged and gave me an appraising look. ‘You look happier than that. You’ve got a proper glint in your eye. Have you met someone?’
‘Me? Who would I meet?’
‘You have, haven’t you!’ Bobbi pointed her finger in my face and bounced up and down on her cherry-red Doc Marten’s. ‘Who is he? Tell me!’
‘Shh, no one.’ I looked around furtively to check no one was about. ‘I met the new tenant from upstairs yesterday. We went out for dinner. His name’s Anthony Bascombe and he’s gorgeous!’
‘Really? Oooh! And you went out for dinner with him? Tell me more.’ Bobbi rested her chin in her hands and looked up at me with huge brown eyes, like a child waiting for her bedtime story.
I shook my head. ‘There’s not much to tell really. We ate dinner, he walked me home, end of story.’
‘Was there a kiss? There was a kiss, wasn’t there? Tell me there was a kiss!’
‘Yes, there was a kiss.’
Bobbi squealed and clapped. ‘Hurray! A man at last.’
‘Oh, thanks, Bobbi. Nice to know you have such faith in my love life.’
‘Well, you know, after Patrick and everything we were all a bit worried.’
I rolled my eyes and walked through into the back room. I’d bought some mistletoe from the market this morning and had planned to make kissing balls to display in the window. We’d been quiet so far today and it would be good to make a start. It would give us something to do between customers anyway and free up some time at the weekend. Plus, it might stop me obsessively looking out of the window, waiting for Anthony to stop by. I kept telling myself he was work, but my stupid head wouldn’t listen. I kept staring at the door hopefully. Bobbi and I chatted as we worked and it didn’t take us long to make the kissing balls and fill crystallised vintage jars with white flowers and red berries. We suspended them from a large rustic branch that was fixed in the window display. It usually had floral birdcages hanging from it, but I’d decided to just have one large birdcage in the base of the window filled with a sprawling display of red and white roses, green foliage and large red sparkly balls. When we’d finished, Bobbi went outside to check what it looked like. I waited for her response, only to find she wasn’t looking at the window display at all; she was staring off up the street instead. Feeling impatient, I rapped on the glass to get her attention.
Bobbi jumped at my sharp knock and looked back at me as if she’d been somewhere far, far away. I pointed at the display and rolled my eyes when she turned back to look in the direction she’d been gazing in before, as if in some kind of trance, and offered a half-hearted thumbs-up to placate me. Annoyed, I opened the door and stepped out into the street to have a look myself.
‘Oh, that looks quite good, doesn’t it?’ I said, pleasantly surprised. ‘Maybe we should add a string of fairy lights around the branch. What do you reckon?’
‘Really good,’ Bobbi said, not looking at me or the display at all.
‘You don’t think it’s too plain, though? I think Mum might think it’s too bare.’ Bobbi didn’t respond. Frowning, I followed her line of sight, only to find Anthony Bascombe standing a few feet away, deep in conversation with a tall, black-haired man. Heat surged through me and my legs turned to jelly.
‘Do you think he’s famous?’ Bobbi whispered. ‘He’s gorgeous.’
I sighed deeply, annoyed that my stomach had gone all fluttery at the sight of him. ‘No, that’s Anthony!’
‘Really?’ Bobbi’s jaw dropped just as Anthony looked up and saw us watching him. He smiled and raised a hand before returning to his conversation. Realising I was staring in much the same way as Bobbi, I took hold of her sleeve and dragged her back into the shop. ‘Oh my God! You didn’t tell me he