Miss Wrong and Mr Right(104)

‘You’re welcome…’ I said. There was an awkward silence. ‘So, are you back in London permanently?’ I asked.

‘I don’t know. I’m weighing up my options…’ he said. ‘You must have seen that Tuppence quit the show.’

‘Yes, sorry about that. What’s with all those adverts for iced tea and deodorant now running on the big screen?’

‘I signed a year’s lease on The Big O, and it was the only way I could pay the rent,’ said Jamie. ‘Although, ironically, I make more money showing adverts for iced tea and deodorant than I would if I put on a show.’

‘And what’s Tuppence up to?’ I asked.

‘She’s finishing filming her reality show, and she’s incorporated her alopecia into a new burlesque act. Now the final thing she takes off is her wig. She gets a guy up from the audience to polish her head with a lace handkerchief. She’s a survivor.’

‘That’s not quite the word I’d use for her,’ I said. There was a pause. He stared at me for a moment and then smiled.

‘What?’ I asked. ‘Have I got something on my face?’

‘No, I just realised something,’ he said. ‘You’re thirty-five.’

‘Gee thanks…’

‘No, you look beautiful,’ he added. ‘It suits you.’

‘You don’t look bad yourself,’ I said.

We stared at each other.

‘Do you remember that day, our wedding that never was?’

‘How could I forget?’

‘I asked you when you might be ready to marry me, and you told me it wouldn’t be until you were at least thirty-five…’

‘That seemed like a hell of a long time in the future,’ I said.

Jamie nodded.

‘And yet, here we are.’

‘I should have said forty-five,’ I added, only half joking. ‘Anyway, Jamie, I was a different person back then. And you said wedding or nothing. It was kind of an extreme ultimatum.’

‘You’re right, it was,’ he said. We paused again.

‘This still feels all messed up,’ I said. He hesitated and then put his hand out.

‘Then let’s start again,’ he said. ‘From the beginning. Hi, I’m Jamie Dawson.’

I looked at his hand for a moment and then took it in mine.

‘Hello, I’m Natalie Love.’

‘Pleased to meet you Natalie,’ he said. Just then Sharon came bustling past.

‘Jamie! I’m so glad you made it. What are you doing Nat, keeping him out on the doorstep? Come in, we’re in the living room, about to cut the pavlova,’ she said, and bustled off back down the corridor.

‘So where do we start, getting to know each other?’ I asked. He leant in and gave me a kiss. His lips were warm and firm and I felt a jolt of desire in my stomach. He slowly pulled away and smiled.

‘That’s a bit forward, for someone you’ve only just met,’ I smiled.

‘I’m almost thirty-six, time is ticking,’ he replied.

‘Well, you’d better come in then,’ I said.

Jamie grinned and stepped inside to join the party, and I closed the door behind us.