said Ben, coming to the rescue.
‘Yes,’ Charlie agreed. ‘Six o’clock sharp.’
‘Well you can’t be in Brighton and Cambridge for breakfast, can you?’ said Willow with a laugh.
‘No, no, you’re right. Which is why I’m having a breakfast meeting at six o’clock in Brighton and then a working lunch with the client in Cambridge. He shifts location faster than a speeding ticket.’
Charlie forced himself to laugh.
‘The guy’s an utter nightmare.’
‘I see,’ said Willow.
She didn’t really see at all. She stepped over one of Ben’s suitcases and set her handbag down on the hall table.
‘Well surely you have time for dinner before you go?’
‘Sadly not.’
Charlie was desperate to get out the door before Kev started calling his mobile. The last thing he needed was demands to know why he wasn’t yet at The Beagle and Bugle. He was already running later than he would have liked.
‘The client hinted at…’
He racked his brain for an appropriate answer.
‘A supper meeting,’ said Ben helpfully.
‘That’s it!’ said Charlie, offering up a silent prayer of thanks for Ben being quicker off the mark than he was right now.
He couldn’t cope with all these lies. He needed to scarper before any more whoppers were told. Despite Willow looking baffled, she wasn’t challenging anything that had been said. If she did, Charlie would just have to blame Drummond for everything.
‘And now I really do need to dash.’
He gave Willow a perfunctory peck on the cheek. Turning, he tripped over a pile of Ben’s stuff, then stumbled out. As the door slammed behind him, there was a moment’s awkward silence between Willow and Ben. They’d never been alone together before. Without the glue of either Anna or Charlie, neither was quite sure what to say to the other.
‘Sorry about all this,’ said Ben.
He gestured at all his gear filling the hallway.
‘And I’m sorry about you and Anna,’ said Willow.
‘These things happen,’ Ben shrugged.
‘If you don’t mind me saying’ – Willow ventured – ‘you don’t seem terribly upset.’
Ben decided to come clean.
‘I’m not. To be honest, the whole thing is just a massive relief.’
‘Oh.’
Willow was heartened to know she wouldn’t be listening to Ben working his way through the vast box of tissues she’d discreetly placed by the spare bed.
‘And… is Anna upset?’
‘I’m not sure. If anything, she’s simply dismissive. I think she wishes I was more like her. You know, feisty. Someone who joins in with the crockery throwing, instead of ducking. She told me I have all the passion of a pensioner at a rave.’
‘Right.’
She didn’t really know what to say. Anna was the chalk to Willow’s cheese. She had nothing against Ben’s ex-girlfriend, but Anna wasn’t the sort to call up for a cosy natter. In fact, Willow couldn’t imagine Anna pouring her heart out to anyone. Unlike Emma, Willow’s best friend. Indeed, Willow couldn’t wait to ring and offload to her. That’s what besties were for. Willow knew Emma would totally sympathise at Willow’s current predicament, from hearing about jackbooting Jean to domineering Drummond. And as for Ben… Willow could almost hear Emma gasping “Noooo” at being landed with Charlie’s best mate.
Feeling a smidgen happier, Willow decided she’d make the best of things with Ben for now.
‘I guess I’d better make a start on some dinner while you put your belongings away.’
‘Sure.’
Ben returned Willow’s smile but struggled to look her in the eye. He was bloody annoyed with Charlie. He’d been dragged into being an accomplice for Charlie over whatsername. Kev. Huh! What woman was called Kev?
Not for the first time did Ben realise just how trusting Willow was. Anna would have shone lights in his eyes to get to the truth. She’d always been able to sniff out a porky-pie.
He picked up one of his cases, then abruptly put it down again.
‘Do you want me to help you prepare dinner? I’m very domesticated. Anna trained me well,’ he said with a deprecating laugh.
Ben didn’t add that he’d nearly always been the one to prep their evening meal. As far as Anna was concerned, her job was far more exhausting than Ben’s, which was reason enough for him to do the cooking. And the clearing up. And anything else she’d ordered him to do. Thank goodness he’d extricated himself. That was partly why he’d reluctantly agreed to go along with whatever Charlie was up to right now… because Ben knew Charlie was desperate to disentangle himself from a woman who was sticking like Velcro and wouldn’t take no for an answer.
At some point he was going to