We finally managed to escape and I enjoyed the feel of Luke’s hand in mine as we walked down the street, the lights reflected on the wet pavement, cars and buses moving by, other couples and groups out for dinner, chat from restaurants, live music coming from the inside of a nearby bar, the smell of onions and petrol clashing in the air.
‘I’m not in the mood to go home quite yet,’ Luke said, squeezing my hand, the other holding a bag with our pictures rolled up. ‘Let me treat you to dinner.’
My stomach rumbled, coupled with a momentary panic about the work mounting up, the things I had to do. Then I thought of our evening together. Grandad had been right, it had been nice to share it with Luke. I pushed all other thoughts away as I leaned in towards him. ‘That sounds perfect.’
Chapter 11
Love is thinking you know someone well and them still surprising you
PEG, 88
I slid the shower doors open.
‘Sooooo, what’s the surprise?’
‘Oh my God, Lottie.’ A naked Luke looked out at me, the shower steaming up the mirror as he pushed back his slick hair. ‘For the eighteenth time, you’ll have to wait and see.’
Water was sprayed in my face before I giggled and turned away. I felt giddy with it. The whole day stretching ahead, Luke being all mysterious. Recently I had started to crave these days: our times together. We had been on a wonderful treasure hunt in Hyde Park, an evening at the ballet, a champagne-fuelled picnic that had ended in the pub when it started to rain. This morning he had woken me up early despite it being a Saturday and told me to get ready for a surprise. I had been badgering him about it every minute since.
‘What should I wear?’
‘Actually your grandad told me to give you something. Hold on.’
I waited in my matching lemon yellow bra and pants as Luke moved across to our shared wardrobe and pulled out a plastic clothes cover.
‘Here you go. Shoes are at your discretion. Also I like your pants.’ He slapped me on the bottom and I felt the sudden urge to kiss him.
Instead I unzipped the cover and pulled out a mustard yellow tea dress, pale pink roses printed on the fabric, one of the dresses I had commented on that day at Grandad’s when we had been clearing out Grandma’s clothes.
‘Oh, he kept on to it,’ I said, holding it up.
‘That’s a pretty dress.’ Luke looked up from the chest of drawers.
‘It was Grandma’s.’ I felt a lump in my throat as I carefully pulled the dress down over my head, wiggling into the sleeves. It fitted perfectly: the waist cinched in a flattering away, the skirt skimmed my hips, the right mid-thigh length.
‘Could you?’ I indicated the back of the dress, twelve carefully sewn buttons leading to a V-neck back.
‘You look hot,’ Luke confirmed, coming over to button up the dress and staring at me in the mirror, his arms circling my waist for a second as he dropped a kiss on my shoulder.
I felt a warmth flood through me as I looked at our reflection. ‘So . . . what’s the surprise?’
Luke pushed me gently away, ‘Nice try. You thought I’d be all blinded by your beauty and reveal all but I’m too clever for you, Lottie Campbell. I am wise to your games . . . and also I need to get dressed too now.’
He turned and stepped into his trousers, before buttoning up a pale blue cotton shirt, rolling the sleeves up to his elbows. I sat at the dressing table applying blusher and eyeshadow, enjoying blending the pinks and browns to complement the dress. It had been ages since I had taken time to do my face and I was enjoying it. With a last flick of mascara I stared back at myself, my cheeks flushed, the shadows under my eyes gone, my hair newly washed, fringe combed.
There was a horn going outside, on and off, over and over, shattering my preening. Luke had disappeared into the living room. Moments later he called my name.
‘Your surprise is here!’
I raced over to join Luke at the window and stared out into the street where I saw Howard in a convertible, tooting repeatedly on his horn.
‘Howard? Howard is my surprise?’
‘Yes,’ Luke said, turning to me with a solemn expression. ‘I thought our relationship wasn’t really going anywhere and you would be happier