who was wearing an extraordinary skirt like an adult tutu and an oversized bow in her red hair. Now, I don’t want to be mean, Cora, but really, how could Lottie be threatened by this human version of Minnie Mouse? I could feel my eyes narrowing as she placed a playful hand on his chest. Arjun didn’t notice as he got up to greet them both: shaking hands, taking their drinks order.
Luke moved across to me, held out a hand. Close up I was shocked to see he looked even gaunter than last time, eye bags more pronounced, patches of stubble that he’d missed shaving. As I pulled out a stool for him, even his smile didn’t reach his eyes in the same way. ‘Sit yourself down,’ I said, knowing this separation from Lottie was taking its toll. God, Cora, how I wanted to tell him everything I knew. Lottie and he were both miserable and hiding these meetings had only made things worse. Storm hopped up on the stool opposite. Suddenly everything she did seemed predatory.
‘Right,’ Arjun said, carrying two more drinks over to the table and settling himself on the stool once more. ‘Thanks for coming and I’m so pleased we’re so close to being finished!’ He seemed buoyant and relaxed, our earlier conversation already forgotten: no longer worried about hospitals and treatments but doing what he was passionate about.
Luke opened up an A4 glossy file in front of him and pulled out various sheets of paper – highlighting features as he talked Arjun through what they had done. Storm leant over, proffering her phone. I made sure her hand didn’t brush against Luke, Cora, you’ll be pleased to hear.
Plans were put in place and Arjun talked us through the first event he was planning, Storm explaining how they could use social media to help raise the profile of the app. Lots of words I didn’t understand were being bandied around and I sat quietly sipping at my drink and watching Luke closely over the rim. He was quiet, answering questions but not quite there somehow, eyes glazing, periodically starting and then rejoining the conversation.
Finally it seemed Arjun was finished and everyone was saying goodbye. I was losing my window of opportunity. I needed a reason to linger with Luke. I couldn’t exactly ask him to escort me to the toilet. But what?
‘Luke,’ I said, no real plan in place, ‘can you possibly . . . if it’s not too much bother, show me how to . . . how to . . . ’
The whole group was staring at me.
‘ . . . how to work the cigarette machine!’ I finished triumphantly.
Luke and Arjun frowned.
‘You don’t smoke, Teddy,’ Luke reminded me.
‘It’s not for me,’ I said. ‘It’s for’ – I wasn’t the best liar – ‘someone else.’ I knew it all sounded rather cryptic. Who was I supplying cigarettes to?
Luke shrugged. ‘All right.’
Storm headed to the door. ‘I’ll wait for you here, Luke.’ Her light voice tinkled. ‘Bye, Ted, lovely to see you again.’
Ted. Hmmph. I tried to smile at her but found my mouth wouldn’t move much. ‘Goodbye,’ I said stiffly.
Luke had walked across to the cigarette machine.
‘So, Teddy,’ he said, standing in front of it, ‘you put your money in here, and you press the cigarettes you want, here.’
It was the least complicated machine you could imagine.
Luke was staring. I realised I might have to buy cigarettes. I took out a £2 coin.
Luke was waiting. ‘All right?’
God, cigarettes are expensive. Tentatively I drew out a tenner from my wallet.
Then, placing a hand on his arm, I drew Luke to one side. ‘Luke,’ I said quickly before I could change my mind, ‘just wanted to say I saw Lottie. And she told me she saw you with’ – I indicated Storm by the door with my head – ‘and it looked like I was hiding something. So I think I made her think, think the worst.’ I waggled my eyebrows in an attempt to show him what I meant.
‘Oh,’ Luke said, dragging a hand through his hair. ‘Oh, well, I imagine it did.’
‘Sorry.’ I hung my head.
‘Teddy, don’t apologise, it’s just another thing that would have made things worse between us.’
Luke didn’t deny anything was going on? Oh, Cora, should I have spoken up earlier? Had he been driven into Minnie Mouse’s arms?
‘We have some things we need to, um, work through,’ Luke finished.
Feeling heat build in my neck I realised I was back in one