Page 52 of The Last Train Home
‘Same. I’m moving house.’ I feel I need to wow her with some actual news. ‘Putney.’
‘F-a-n-c-y.’ She draws the word out.
‘It’s going to take sodding ages to get to work, though.’
She laughs.
‘Are you still in Docklands?’ I ask.
‘Technically. Although I pass back and forth to Sean’s in Highgate quite a lot.’
‘Highgate. Nice.’
‘Yeah, it’s pretty.’
The conversation has stalled. ‘Were you going somewhere? Can I walk with you?’ Now that I’ve finally seen her, I know the timer will reset and it’ll be months before it happens again.
‘Gianni’s for lunch.’
‘OK.’ I turn and walk back towards the café with her. She looks a bit startled at my abrupt about-turn in the street.
‘Do you normally grab lunch here?’ I ask, because something has dawned on me.
‘Yeah, when I’m feeling flush. I think their prices are creeping up.’
‘They are. Do you normally eat at this time?’
‘I guess,’ she says, looking at her watch. ‘I don’t really take a lunch hour any more, so I cram it in when I can.’
‘Hmm,’ I say out loud.
‘Hmm, what?’
‘I just wondered if you emerge from your office so late because you’re avoiding me.’
She stops outside Gianni’s. ‘Why would I do that?’
‘I don’t know.’
She looks at me. ‘It’s not all about you, Tom.’
Ouch!‘I know.’
She enters the café and I follow, despite the put-down. She orders a salad and Gianni whizzes round assembling it with tongs. I continue munching my panini.
‘I need your address,’ I say between mouthfuls.
‘Why?’
‘So I can send you a wedding invite. You got the “Save the Date” email thing I sent you?’
‘Yeah. I hope I can come. I’ll text you my address when I know it.’
‘When you know it?’
‘I’m moving,’ she says.
‘You’ve been in Highgate for all of five minutes and decided it’s not for you?’ I quip.
