Three Amazing Things About You(113)

‘She’s fantastic, so warm and friendly.’ Hallie gave him a sympathetic look. ‘And to think you used to be the popular one. You do realise what’s going to start happening now, don’t you?’

‘You mean all my regular patients are going to abandon me and want to become her regular patients instead? I know.’

‘Think of all the extra free time you’ll have.’ Hallie’s eyes sparkled. ‘You’ll be able to take up golf.’

Luke smiled, because she knew how much he hated the idea of golf; it had been a running joke between them for years. ‘You’re looking well.’

‘Thanks. Feeling well. Still getting used to being out and about without my oxygen. I keep doing this.’ She mimed adjusting a set of nasal specs and tucking the plastic tubing behind her ear.

‘You’re doing brilliantly,’ said Luke. Appearance-wise, the difference was dramatic: the dark shadows beneath her eyes had vanished, her eyes were brighter, her hair shinier. She exuded new-found energy and joie de vivre.

‘I ran 5K on the treadmill at the club yesterday, and swam twenty-five lengths. I’m very smug about it.’ Hallie paused for a second. ‘We passed Christina outside your place yesterday. I thought she might be here tonight. Will she be along later?’

Luke prevaricated; was now the time to say it? ‘No . . . she won’t. Not tonight.’

‘Oh, OK. It’s just that she wanted to watch the Les Mis DVD and I said I’d lend her my copy.’ Hallie unzipped her shoulder bag and rummaged around in its depths. ‘That’s why I brought it along with me. But if I give it to you, you can pass it on to her, can’t you? You can watch it together!’

Looked like he was going to have to say it after all.

‘Actually, not much point giving it to me.’ He shook his head as she finally, with an air of triumph, produced the DVD from her bag. ‘I won’t be seeing Christina for a while . . . well, for quite a while . . . um, probably never, to be honest.’ Oh yes, that was cool, handled like a pro. Well done you.

Hallie was staring at him. ‘What? Why?’

Because she’s tied up and locked away in my attic. Aloud, Luke said, ‘It didn’t work out. We . . . broke up.’

‘Oh no! That’s a real shame. I’m sorry.’

She sounded as if she meant it. He shrugged. ‘It’s OK. I mean, things weren’t great.’

‘Oh right, I didn’t know.’ Her gaze was focused on his face, switching from his eyes to his mouth as if searching for clues. ‘We all thought you two were . . . you know . . .’

Luke wiped a dribble of condensation from the outside of his glass. ‘Yes, well, turns out we weren’t.’

‘Are you upset?’

‘Honestly? No.’

‘That’s all right, then.’ A flicker of a smile. ‘Shame about Daley, though.’

‘I know.’ He nodded. ‘I thought that too.’

‘He loved you.’

As she said it, there was a burst of laughter from a group of people over by the window. For a split second, Luke thought she had said I love you. The logical part of his brain kicked in almost instantly, but the whoosh of adrenalin had already set off around his body. He swallowed and cleared his throat. ‘I’m going to miss him. A lot.’

Hallie did the automatic tucking-the-oxygen-tubing-behind-her-ear gesture, then caught herself and took a swallow of wine instead. ‘Maybe it’s time to get a dog of your own.’

Luke hesitated. This was a possibility that had crossed his mind earlier. ‘That’d be great, but I don’t know if it’d be fair, what with the hours I have to work.’

‘Well, if you ever decide to go for it, I’d be happy to help out with dog-sitting and walks. Ha, listen to me,’ Hallie marvelled, shaking her head. ‘I can’t believe I’m saying that, offering to take a dog for walks. I still can’t get over being able to go for walks myself . . . it’s like a miracle.’

Her eyes were bright, the corners of her mouth lifted. How he longed to touch her face.

‘Thanks, I’ll bear it in mind if—’

‘Oh for God’s sake, can you believe it?’ Bea bounced up to them, huffing with frustration. ‘Ross just called. He’s not able to make it tonight after all. Some stupid client can only view the property at nine o’clock this evening and he wants Ross to show him round.’

Hallie looked sympathetic. ‘That’s a pain. Couldn’t Ross say no, book it for another night?’

‘It’s a three-million-pound Georgian manor house in Winchcombe.’ Bea pulled a face. ‘At that price, the customer calls the shots. Ah well, can’t be helped. Work comes first, I guess.’