You And Me, Always(60)

‘Let's leave her to her date.' Derek was smug as he cast another  ostentatious glance at his watch and pulled a face. ‘Ooh dear. That is,  if he turns up.'

They made their way through to the conservatory bar at the back of the  building, leaving Patsy wreathed in awkwardness. It was like wearing the  opposite of an invisibility cloak. Derek and Andrea might have  disappeared, but the thirty or forty other customers were still here,  casting sly glances in her direction and thinking she deserved to be  stood up.

Because Derek was actually looking perfectly normal this evening, what  with his trendy choppy haircut, nice shirt and well-fitting jeans.

It was hugely tempting to get to her feet and announce, ‘Look, he turned  up for our first date wearing turquoise Lycra leggings, OK? And a  cycling helmet.'

But she couldn't; she just had to sit there and sweat it out. And it was almost 8.15 now. Why wasn't Rick here yet?

Time crawled by in that special slow-motion way it had a habit of  slipping into when you were most desperate for it to move faster. The  doors swung open to admit several more customers, none of them Rick.  Quarter past became twenty past, and Patsy experienced the sinking  feeling of rejection. Five more minutes, then she'd leave. Maybe three  more. She was surrounded by people murmuring to each other, smirking at  the non-arrival of her date. If she were to walk out now, they'd all  burst out laughing and start discussing her utter humiliation and  comeuppance. That would be fun for them, wouldn't it?

OK, one more minute, then she was off. There'd been no text messages  from Rick and no response to the one she'd sent him eight minutes ago.  Enough was enough; even the bar staff were covertly watching her now,  waiting to see what she'd do next. In fact, it was definitely time to-

‘Excuse me. Are you Patsy?'

Patsy swivelled round so fast she almost cricked her neck. But it wasn't  him. She'd seen several photos of Rick, and he was tall and thin with  short dark hair and a scar through his left eyebrow.

‘I'm Patsy.' This one was medium height and broad-shouldered, with  tousled fair hair and blond stubble on his cleft chin. He was wearing a  checked shirt and unfortunate burgundy trousers. ‘Is this about Rick?'

Every eye in the wine bar was upon them; no one was even bothering to pretend not to be eavesdropping.

‘Um  …  yes.' The late arrival looked awkward.

OK, having him hover in front of her table like this was just drawing  even more attention. Patsy pointed and said, ‘Sit down. Is he not  coming?'

Although she already knew the answer.

He cautiously sat opposite her as if suspecting the chair seat were  scattered with upturned drawing pins. ‘I'm sorry. No, he isn't.'





Chapter 46



‘Is it because he's dead?'

A shake of the head. ‘No.'

Right. ‘Is he trapped at the foot of a deep ravine with severe injuries and no way of climbing out?'

‘No.'

‘That's a real shame,' said Patsy. ‘You might like to warn him that he'd  do well to avoid going near the edges of any deep ravines for the next  few weeks.' Just to give Rick the benefit of the doubt, she said, ‘OK,  is he ill?'

Another weary head-shake. ‘He isn't ill. He's just a prize dick.'

Surprise surprise.

‘And you're  …  what? His best friend, his brother?' Another prize dick?                       
       
           



       

‘Neither. I hardly know him. But he's spent the whole afternoon drinking  at the cricket club. His friends kept reminding him he had a date this  evening but he said he couldn't be bothered going. And nobody else  seemed to care; they were just laughing and making jokes about it. To be  honest, that's what they're like. But I thought it couldn't be much fun  for you sitting here on your own wondering what was going on, so I  asked him where the two of you were meant to be meeting up.'

‘Well that was decent of you.' Unlike bloody Rick. ‘Sorry, I don't know  your name. But thanks anyway. Bastard. I mean him, not you  … '

‘I'm Oliver.'

‘Right. Patsy. Oh, you already knew that. Sorry again.' Patsy exhaled  and shook her head, looking down at her hands in order to avoid glancing  around the room. ‘Is everyone staring at me?'

‘No, of course not.' Pause. ‘OK, a bit. Oh God, are you going to cry?'

‘Definitely not.'

‘Well that's good.' He sounded relieved. ‘So  …  um  …  I just came to let you know.'

Poor Oliver; he couldn't wait to get out of here. Patsy nodded. ‘Of  course. Thanks again, I appreciate it. Very kind of-' Oh shit, here came  Derek and Andrea, making their way back out. Just as Oliver began to  get to his feet, Patsy grabbed his hand and hissed, ‘Sit.'

Like he was a really naughty dog.

Startled into obedience, Oliver sat back on his chair a split second  before Derek looked over and said, ‘Well how about that then? Her date  finally turned up. Better late than never, eh?'

Thinking fast, Patsy said, ‘There was an accident on Lansdown Road.'

‘Between a minibus and a Vauxhall Corsa. I was lucky she was still here  waiting for me.' Oliver smiled across at Patsy. ‘Sorry again. I hate  being late.'

‘Well keep an eye on her,' said Derek. ‘And if you give her a lift home  later, mind she doesn't jump out of the car window when you're not  looking.'

Patsy said, ‘Don't worry, I won't be doing that.'

When the door had closed behind Derek and Andrea, Oliver said, ‘How was that? Did I do OK?'

‘More than OK. You were very good.'

He broke into a grin. ‘What was that about the car window?'

Patsy hesitated, then realised she might as well tell him; she had no  more dignity left to lose. ‘He was another internet date. I wasn't  expecting him to turn up on a tandem. He wouldn't stop talking about  bikes so I jumped off the back and let him cycle off without noticing  I'd gone.'

Oliver burst out laughing. ‘Ha, brilliant. Good for you.'

‘Maybe tonight was my payback.' Patsy was rueful, although Rick had  evidently been no great loss. Then she noticed the way Oliver was  looking at her. ‘What?'

‘I kept getting this feeling I'd seen you somewhere before, but I  couldn't place you. Except now you've mentioned the internet dates, I  think I've got it.' He stopped, thought for a moment, then wagged an  index finger in the air. ‘OK, did you go on a date a few weeks ago with a  guy who interrupted every single thing you tried to say?'

Patsy sat back, stunned. ‘You mean James? Are you serious? Do you know him too?'

‘I don't know him at all. I was there. You were having dinner at The Greengage in Nailsworth, right? We were at the next table.'

Patsy covered her mouth. She'd been aware of the couple seated a few  feet away but hadn't paid them any attention. She shook her head. ‘It's  my mission in life to provide entertainment for eavesdroppers.'

‘Sorry, we couldn't help it. Each time you opened your mouth to say  something, he just talked right over you. About his ex-wife, mostly.'

‘He was a nightmare.' Patsy sighed. ‘I can't believe you were there.'

‘Thank goodness your brother had that accident so you had to rush off.' Oliver's mouth twitched.

Patsy nodded. ‘It was good timing.'

He indicated her phone on the table. ‘Have you arranged for someone to call you again this evening?'

‘Well I have, but I'll be back home before it happens. Look, thanks  again for coming to tell me about Rick.' She picked up her handbag and  rummaged for her car keys. ‘OK, time to make a move. Did you drive here  or can I offer you a lift?'

Oliver glanced at her almost empty glass of orange juice. ‘Or  …  I don't  have to leave. We could stay here and have a drink. If you wanted to,  that is. I mean, I'm in no hurry. Although maybe you are. God, sorry, as  if you haven't had a bad enough start to the evening  … '                       
       
           



       

‘Where's your wife?' Patsy's tone was cool. ‘Or your girlfriend? The one you were with at the restaurant the other week.'

He slowly nodded. ‘Oh, her. Were we holding hands, snuggling up together? Kissing?'

‘I didn't really notice. I don't think so.'

‘Well thank goodness for that.' Oliver pulled a face. ‘Because I don't  have a wife or a girlfriend. That was Nadine,' he said. ‘She's my  sister.'



For the next hour, the conversation zigzagged in all directions. When he  asked about her family, Patsy found herself telling him about Dan's  career as a pilot and his lifelong love of flying.