The Piano Man Project Page 0,36

of the situation, as well as the pitfalls. She had a brother, a brand-new family member who’d been waiting in the wings her whole life, had she only known. If nothing else, Mimi was helplessly nosey; the tip of an iceberg had nosed its way into her life and she’d need to know more, despite herself. Honey watched her pick up her cup of tea and bustle away to make a start on the newest donation bags, talking to herself as she went. Wrapping an arm around Lucille’s stiff shoulders, Honey gave her a little squeeze.

‘She’ll come around. Give her time,’ Honey said, rubbing Lucille’s forest green velvet-clad arm.

‘I do hope so, Honey dear, we’re none of us getting any younger. Carpe diem, as they say.’

‘Very true.’ The hot tea warmed Honey’s throat as she considered the simple Latin phrase. She might not have a long-lost brother, but there was still much in her life that she needed to seize. Perhaps she could start by trying to be less churlish about Nell and Tash’s attempts to fix her up, enter into the spirit of the piano man mission a little more. Maybe, just maybe, they’d send someone her way who could kiss like Hal. It was, after all, a physical reaction. It would be a blessed relief to feel that level of attraction for someone who wouldn’t give Dr Jekyll a run for his money in the split-personality stakes. He’d seemed fine when he’d been in her flat, and then back to business as usual again when she’d tried to take him dinner as a thank you for teaching her how to cook it.

But then what did Honey know about him, really? She hadn’t asked him any questions about his life before he’d moved into the house, because he closed down any conversation that veered even close to personal territory. She’d sat outside his door and poured her heart out. He knew her dress size, her best friends’ names, her shampoo preferences, and her romantic history. He even knew more about her underwear choices than most people, yet her knowledge of him was minimal to say the least. Maybe her friendship with Hal, if it could be termed a friendship, was something else she needed to seize, or at least take more control of. It was completely on his terms at the moment, which wasn’t really a friendship at all, when she came to think of it. Honey drained her teacup and resolved not to be so needy where Hal was concerned from here on in. If he wanted her friendship, he could come and get it.

Lucille and Mimi circled each other like boxers in the ring for most of the morning, until something happened at lunchtime that forced them to lay down their arms and join together against their common enemy.

Christopher.

He bounded into the shop, scanned the empty place for customers and then flicked the ‘open’ sign over to ‘closed’ and dropped the bolt.

‘Hey, we don’t close for lunch,’ Honey said, crossing to turn the sign back and finding Christopher blocking her path. Outside, she saw Nell jog up the path, and then lean forward to squint between the various posters on the door to check if there was anyone inside when she found it locked.

‘You do today. Staff meeting.’ Christopher looked at his watch for dramatic effect, straightening it on his skinny wrist. ‘Thirteen hundred hours in the dining room. Paid staff only, remember,’ he added, curling his lip at Mimi and Lucille. ‘You two take an afternoon nap or something.’

Honey watched him spin around and leave, imagining herself bouncing the sellotape in her hand off the back of his head as she crossed to let Nell in.

‘Take a nap,’ Mimi muttered, with murder in her eyes. ‘I’ll give him take a nap … Honey, dear. Waylay him at his precious meeting for as long as you can,’ she said, heading for the lingerie bin at the back of the shop. ‘Lucille, fetch your handbag. We’ve got work to do.’

Nell deposited a black bag on the floor beside the counter and gave Honey a quick peck on the cheek as she gestured towards the bin liner.

‘A few bits Ava has outgrown, and I’ve had a wardrobe clear out.’ She twirled a curl of her dark hair around her fingers, and it struck Honey how unusual it was to see her with it down. Glancing down quickly, she could see a couple of Nell’s demure ivory work blouses lying