Knowing Me Knowing You (45 page)

He didn’t reply but leant forward to pick up his drink from the table.

‘
But I know he isn’t a monster.
’

‘
He loves you, he wants you back,
’
Joel finally spoke.

‘
But that isn’t the way; he would know that isn’t the way.
’

‘
Is there a way?
’

‘
I’m going to make another coffee, are you sure you don’t want one?
’
Kate offered, getting to her feet and going into the kitchen.

‘
I’m meeting
Marina
for lunch tomorrow,
’
Joel called.

‘
Oh,
’
Kate answered.

‘
I just thought I would tell you.
’

‘
Well, that’s good; it’s nice to catch up with old friends, especially ones you haven’t seen for ages. Where are you going?
’

‘
Just to ‘Piccolo’s Pizza’.
She loved pizza when we dated,
’
Joel explained.

‘
Oh,
’
Kate replied, a knot forming in her stomach.

‘
You don’t mind do you?
’

‘
No, of course not, don’t be silly,
’
Kate
said.

‘
Good. Well I might go up to bed; it’s been a tiring day,
’
Joel spoke, getting up from the sofa.

‘
Yes, OK.
’

‘
Are you still comfortable with me sharing your bed, because if you’re not I can sleep on the sofa, or go home,
’
Joel asked as he paused at the door to the hallway.

‘
Its fine, I’ve just got some bills to pay on line and then I’ll come up. I mean we’re practically married aren’t we? And it isn’t like we haven’t shared a bed before,
’
Kate joked and then she had to look away.

‘
OK, if you’re sure,
’
Joel replied and he left the room.

As soon as he had gone Kate began to bite her nails. She didn’t want him going to lunch with a blonde supermodel he used to date. Who was this woman? And why had she come to town now?

Her eyes caught on the photo of
Bethan
and Matthew on the dresser. She had loved him so much but he had almost destroyed her. Was there ever going to be a way back from that?

Joel was asleep when she entered the bedroom. His face, chest and arms were still covered in scars from his attack but he looked as hot as ever. She took off her clothes and pulled a nightshirt over her head. She may have shared a bed with him in the romance lodge but it was the first time anyone had been in her bed at home since Matthew. She got in, pulled the covers up around her and turned to face Joel. A multitude of feelings rushed through her as she looked at him. She wanted to touch him but she was afraid to. She desired him more than she had ever desired anyone but it didn’t just stop there, she felt she knew more about him than she had ever known about Matthew. She knew his deepest thoughts, his fears, his hopes and dreams. She reached out to touch his face and his eyes flicked open and he cowered away from her, gasping for breath.

Kate screamed and sat up, pulling the duvet cover to her and clinging to it.

‘
Oh Kate, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,
’
Joel spoke, quickly moving towards her and reaching out to touch her.

‘
No, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you I….,
’
Kate began, tears welling up in her eyes before she could stop them.

‘
It’s OK, it’s my fault.
’

‘
No it isn’t,
’
Kate replied, bursting into a sob.

‘
Hey, come here, don’t cry, what’s wrong?
’
Joel asked, putting his arms around her and bringing her close to him.

‘
I’m terrified, about the final,
’
Kate spoke through her sobs.

‘
What?
The wedding catwalk and the cake decorating?
Come on, we’re going to smash it. Who else will have had someone like Hermione in their corner?
’
Joel asked her.

‘
It isn’t that. I’m scared of it all being over, because when it’s all over I’ll have to start thinking about
other things in my life, things I’ve been putting off because of the stupid contest,
’
Kate explained.

‘
Like the solicitor’s exam?
’

‘
Like you and Matthew and my whole future. I don’t know what I want to do with my life. Sometimes I can see myself being a solicitor and becoming a partner and drowning in money and status and then other days I can see myself tending to chickens and eating baguettes and cheese in a small French village called
Marchette
,
’
Kate told him.

‘
And which one of those situations makes you feel happiest?
’
Joel
enquired
.

‘
Both of them could, in different ways. If I took the exam and made it to partner,
Bethan
and I would never have to worry about money, but it would be hard work and longer hours and more dedication than I’ve been giving to
Randall’s
lately. But with the chickens it would be a simple life; it would be more time with each other, less things but more quality.
’

‘
OK, well, on Saturday night you might be standing on stage in
London
holding a £100,000 cheque. Gut instinct, what would you do with it? Buy into
Randall’s
or buy a French farm with a garden full of poultry?
’

‘
I really don’t know,
’
Kate answered, her voice trembling.

Joel stroked her hair back away from her face and kissed her softly on the lips.

‘
Will you hold me until I fall asleep?
’
Kate asked him, burying her head in his chest.

‘
Come here,
’
he spoke, drawing her into him and enfolding her in his arms.

‘
Oh why won’t this bloody computer do what it’s told?
’
Kate screamed as she punched the keys in front of her, trying to get the system back into life.

‘
There, there, calm down, we need to have you focussed and controlled for the big show tomorrow,
’
Lynn
spoke, putting some letters in Kate’s in-tray.

‘
I can’t keep calm. Joel’s meeting some bimbo for lunch,
’
Kate spoke, looking at her watch.

‘
What? I thought he’d moved in? I was expecting lots of gushing over how wonderful he is to look at over a bowl of cornflakes.
’

‘
He’s only staying temporarily, until he’s better.
’

‘
Recovered from the beating Matthew so obviously organised. I mean it would take four men to get the better of Joel wouldn’t it? I mean he’s six foot and pure muscle isn’t he?
’
Lynn
carried on.

‘
You don’t think that too do you? What is it with everyone? Matthew had nothing to do with it. And we know you watch too much ‘CSI’ and stuff.
’

‘
Have you asked him?
’

‘
I haven’t seen him. I don’t want to see him.
’

‘
Bet you a pricey cocktail at the bar tomorrow night that he did.
’

‘
Lynn
!
’

‘
Sorry, so what’s all this about a bimbo? Who is she?
’

‘
I don’t know
,
someone called
Marina
that he used to go out with when he was with the modelling agency.
’

‘
Ooo
, the agency in charge of finding models for those underwear commercials, yum; he should go back to modelling.
’

‘
Lynn
, he isn’t a piece of meat you know,
’
Kate remarked, not enjoying
Lynn
’s unashamed drooling over Joel.

‘
No, sorry, getting a bit carried away. You were saying, the bimbo.....
’

‘
He’s meeting her for lunch at 1.00pm at ‘Piccolo’s Pizza’.
’

‘
Ooo
, pizza, lucky her, all Darren bought me on our first date was a packet of crisps and a pickled egg.
’

‘
It isn’t a first date, it isn’t any date,
it’s
just two old friends meeting up to catch up.
’

‘
And she’s a model and he’s gorgeous.
’

‘
I need to see her don’t I? I need to see what she looks like,
’
Kate spoke.

‘
Dur
!
No!
We
need to see her, like get your coat because it’s almost 1.00pm,
’
Lynn
said tapping at her watch.

‘
No, I can’t, it’s nothing, she’s just a friend,
’
Kate replied.

‘
Yeah, a friend, who’s blonde and thin and probably has a face full of Botox.
’

‘
We’re not going to make it into town by 1.00pm,
’
Kate said as she hurried to put her coat on.

‘
No and let’s hope they aren’t sat right at the back of the restaurant,
’
Lynn
answered.

‘
This is mad, we shouldn’t be here,
’
Kate spoke as she and
Lynn
approached the pizzeria.

‘
I want to see what she looks like even if you don’t.
’

‘
I’m not sure I do, she’s a model she’s going to be…..
’

‘
Oh my God, they’re in there; they’re sat near the bar. What the Hell is she wearing?
’
Lynn
asked as she pressed her nose up against the window.

‘
Out the way!
Let me see!
’
Kate demanded, pulling at
Lynn
’s arm and looking in through the window herself.

‘
Now that is what I call a spray on dress!
If she didn’t have the figure for it that would be nothing short of desperate.
’

Kate swallowed as she saw Joel sat with a tall, blonde haired woman in her twenties wearing a very short tight red dress. He raised his head and looked over in the direction of the entrance and Kate hurriedly backed away from the window and pulled
Lynn
with her.

‘
Well, now you know what she looks like,
’
Lynn
said.

‘
Yes, I do and I wish I didn’t,
’
Kate responded with a sigh.

‘
It probably is just two friends meeting up over lunch but she was doing that thing the Lady Dragon does when she’s about to leap on her prey.
’

‘
What thing?
’

‘
The licking the top lip thing, haven’t you ever noticed her doing that?
’

‘
Maybe once or twice.
’

‘
When she’s been talking to Joel I bet.
’

‘
Why didn’t he invite me to lunch to meet her?
’
Kate
enquired
, looking back into the window.

‘
Dur
!
Because he used to date
her
and you can’t make your mind up who you want. It’s a Joel day today is it? Because yesterday I was sure you were leaning towards Matthew,
’
Lynn
spoke.