open and walked over to the bed. Dan’s bed was a double and he was laying on his side on the right-hand edge of the mattress.
She stood and watched him sleep for ten minutes and then laid down next to him, her body mirroring his.
Very gently she leant over and stroked his cheek.
Chapter Thirteen
Thursday Lunchtime
It was raining quite hard as Dan waited outside the town hall. He sheltered under his umbrella whilst struggling with guilt. Was it really right to wait for one girl, real and vital, whilst thinking of another, whatever the circumstances.
She hadn’t been around that morning, Tess wasn’t. Nor had she left any sign of her presence, nor made him a coffee. Dan had felt rather deflated. Now he was filled with doubts; was his day going to get better or worse? Why exactly was he doing this?
Jen was late. Dan wasn’t surprised by this but she wasn’t too long, appearing out of the staff entrance, struggling to put an umbrella up.
‘Sorry!’ she said, ‘I couldn’t get away. Forgive?’ She looked appealingly at him. ‘Nothing’s gone right for us two has it? Oh it’s all my fault. Should we give it up right now?’
Dan found himself warming to her, despite knowing he probably shouldn’t.
‘Hey,’ he said, ‘Come on, cheer up! This is just lunch, no expectations, right?’
She smiled.
She is pretty, he thought.
‘Where do fancy going?’ he said.
‘I’ll let you decide this time,’ she said, closing her umbrella and stepping under his, linking her arms through his, ‘I’m in your hands.’
The rain pattered harder on the umbrella, jumping off the well-worn pavement.
‘How about somewhere close?’ he said.
‘Good plan!’
They settled on a bar serving tapas just off the square. When they got in the door a couple of young men in business suits waved at Jenny but, although she waved back, she steered Dan away from them and towards a table at the back of the bar.
‘Let’s make it just us today?’ she said, ‘I was awful on Monday night, wasn’t I?’
‘No you weren’t. You’re fine, really.’
‘No I’m not. Hannah had a word with me.’
‘Yeah she’s good at that,’ sympathised Dan, ‘Honestly there was no need, you were just having a good time.’
‘You’re very sweet but you really can be honest with me you know. To be honest I’m surprised you’re talking to me at all.’
‘You’re just a popular girl that’s all,’ said Dan, picking up the menu.
‘Too popular for my own good, that’s what you’re saying aren’t you?’
Dan didn’t reply.
‘I’ll take that as a yes then.’
Dan looked up. Jenny was looking crestfallen. ‘Hey no, sorry, I was just reading the menu.’
‘Yeah, right!’ she said. ‘Don’t worry, Dan, I know myself only too well. I try too hard to be popular, to be everyone’s best friend and the girl every guy wants to be with – once,’ she added slightly bitterly.
The waiter arrived, his notebook open and ready.
‘What would you like to drink?’ he said, glad of the distraction.
‘Just sparkling water, please.’
‘Make that two bottles please, and I think we need a few more minutes for the order,’ he looked questioningly towards Jen who nodded, her lips pursed.
Dan waited for the waiter to get out of earshot then asked: ‘Why do you need to try so hard?’
Jenny shrugged.
‘It’s a bit silly,’ she said.
‘Go on.’
‘Promise you won’t laugh?’
‘Of course not.’
She waited a second, took a deep breath and then said; ‘I’m scared.’
‘Scared? What of?’
‘Being alone. Of people not liking me, not liking the way I am.’
Dan was genuinely surprised. ‘But you’re lovely. You’re great fun. There’s nothing wrong with the way you are.’
Jenny sat back, her eyes fixed on Dan’s face. ‘Fun maybe, but answer me this, and do it honestly,’ she said, ‘Would you want to spend a lot of time with me?’
Dan hesitated, and he knew as soon as he did that he had answered her question and that there was nothing he could say now that would tell her anything different.
Jenny was nodding, ‘See?’ she said, ‘Thanks for at least being honest.’
‘Oh Jen, no, don’t be like that, I didn’t mean it,’ he took her hands and squeezed them in his.
‘It’s OK, I know what I am. I’m just a girl for fun and that’s all, not one to be serious with. I’m the blonde bimbo, the girl whose chest is bigger than her IQ, a good shag, a fire-and-forget girl.’
‘Oh Jen that’s not true.’
‘It is true, I know it is. And what makes it so sad is that I’m shit-scared of losing even that. Isn’t that