Somewhere in Sevenoakes (12 page)

”I'm not sure. Is it because you were a serial cheat on their daughter or because you were happy to have them lay down umpteen deposits on a wedding you never wanted in the first place but didn't have the balls to actually cancel?”

”You're still angry then.”

”I'm not angry Rick, but don't call my phone again. As for 'The Sopranos', I've got the DVD box-set in the new flat I bought. Don't bother calling in to pick it up from my parents' place because I moved out a long time ago.”

”You won't send it then.”

”No.”

Maddy hung up the phone.

It automatically rang again with Rick's number flashing up. She hit the cancel button, then sent a text reiterating she did not want to hear from him ever again. Waiting five minutes she was relieved her phone remained silent. Irrespective of her heavy heart, she felt a little better in herself. Maddy walked back into the office.

”Maddy can I see you,” asked Geoff, beckoning her into his office.

She walked in quietly.

”Is everything okay, Maddison?”

”Rick the Dick,” she replied simply, juggling her phone from one hand to the other.

”Is that who you've been seeing all week? Have you started dating him again?”

Maddy laughed genuinely.

”Absolutely not!”

”Thank God for that,” said Geoff, his expression one of great relief.

”Who's got my Assistant Financial Director in a tizzy then?”

”Some guy.”

”Want to talk about it?”

”Not particularly.”

”Okay, you're dismissed.”

”I'm hoping that's from your office, not the company,” she teased.

She saw a flicker of hesitation in his eyes.

”If ever you need anything Maddy,” trailed Geoff as she left.

Taking her seat, Maddy got lost in her work. It had been nice to have something other than work to look forward to during the week, but at the end of it all, her job was the only secure, safe part of her life. Relationships were too much hard work. She declined to go to the pub for drinks at lunch, hoping this would send out the signal that she wouldn't be drinking after work either. All Maddy wanted was to go home, tend her broken heart and watch sad movies with her two cats.

The majority of employees flooded out the door at 5.30pm on the dot. Maddy waved goodbye, wishing them all a good weekend. Geoff came out of his office, briefcase in hand.

”Don't stay too late Maddy,” he warned.

”I won't.”

He turned to go.

”Geoff,” she called.

He turned back.

”As a man. If you'd been dating someone for a short time and found out they were engaged at one point, would it bother you?”

”How did I find out?” he asked.

”Their ex-fiancé was calling non-stop.”

”Did she lie about the engagement or hide the phone calls?”

Maddy shook her head.

”My pride would be hurt. I might worry that she was still in love with her ex. Then I'd privately chastise myself for being both egotistical and insecure,” replied Geoff thoughtfully.

He walked over and put a hand on her shoulder.

”If I had a girl as good as you, Maddison Bridie, I'd come to my senses and get over it quickly, which he will if he's any kind of man. In all honesty, if he's over-reacted it only means he cares. Give him a chance though. When men hurt they tend to lash out because it's easier than facing their feelings.”

Maddy rose from her seat to hug Geoff.  He was taken aback by the display of affection, but looked as pleased as much to see his favourite employee smiling.

”Go home!” he yelled as he left the office.

Checking the time, Maddy decided to make a last ditch effort to catch her usual train home. Packing up quickly and turning off the computer, she grabbed her handbag, then dashed out of the office. She power-walked to Charing Cross station, nabbing her usual seat. Her nervousness increased as the train departed.

James waited for his train on Platform 3 at London Bridge station. It had been one of the worst days he could remember in a long time. The acquisition of Maddy's company was going ahead, causing him to feel like a complete heel about the whole fiasco. He was anxious and on edge because he felt as though he'd betrayed Maddy, let her down by organising the deal. His clients were thrilled with their potential new acquisition. James would be rewarded bountifully with a quarterly bonus but the knowledge of cold hard cash did nothing to warm his heart.

It wasn't work that rendered the day as awful, but the phone call from his mother. Ringing her for female advice, she'd been furious with his treatment of Maddy. She verbally berated him, reminding James that she and her father had taught him to be respectful and considerate towards women. That he'd shunned Maddy without actually listening to her or relaying his concerns about the ex-fiancé was foolish on his part. His mother scoffed at his complaint that Maddy hadn't told him upfront about her engagement, stating the girl was probably so smitten with him she hadn't been thinking about other men. That she'd welcomed him to check her phone while in the shower demonstrated she was honest with no secrets to hide from him. Even at thirty-two, James' mother could reprimand him till he felt like a sulky teenager. The fact she was right didn't help at all. He'd seen red that morning, hating the idea of Maddy with another man; let alone in love with another man, but even he knew it was absurd to expect her not to have had any previous involvement with men.

After castigating him, she advised he'd need to pull something big out of the bag to make it up with Maddy. The second he saw Maddy on the train, he went straight to her.

”I am so sorry,” he said, crouching down to meet her eyes.

Her eyes filled with tears. He held her face in his hands, wiped away her tears with his thumbs, then kissed her publicly. James was never keen on grand public displays of affection but couldn't help himself. The intensity of the kiss, had them both breathless.

”I was such an idiot and so unkind. Leaving you like that was unforgivable.”

”James, I wasn't keeping anything from you.”

”I know that. You did nothing wrong. You behaved graciously. You always do. I've been all over the place today. I was jealous, I suppose. I don't normally get like that with women. Rather than say I was jealous I acted out. Stupid thing to do and it's not something I like about myself. I try to be a good man and for you I want to be the best. I'm not the possessive type, but you've got under my skin Maddy; wrangled your way into my heart,” his voice dropped in the last sentence.

”Do you want a real laugh?” she asked, as he rose to take his seat opposite.

”Go on.”

”All the calls. He wanted me to post him a DVD box-set that I bought.”

”Which one?”

”The Sopranos.”

”It was a good show.”

”James!”

He laughed.

”I wish you'd had that good humour this morning,” she quipped.

”Ouch. That hurt. Guess I deserved it.”

”That's your wrist slapped. It's finished now. Over and done with. Let's move on.”

”You're too good to me.”

”You can make it up to me in other ways,” she said flirtily.

The journey home was infinitely more pleasing than the morning journey. Maddy saw her stop approaching.

”James. I don't have your number. I only realised this morning I have no way of contacting you at the moment.”

”Of course, of course.”

James' phone started ringing. He studied the caller ID and Maddy saw his face turn serious.

”I have to get this. It's really important.”

As James answered the phone, Maddy watched him reach in his briefcase and tear a piece of paper from a notebook. Her stop was fast approaching. She saw him scribbling his number on the paper. As the train pulled into Orpington station, James sounded as though he was trying to calm the person on the other end of the line.

”I'm sorry,” he mouthed at her.

She took the paper from between his fingers.

”It's okay,” she assured softly.

”Call me” he said silently, shaping his free hand into a phone and putting it to his face; signalling she should phone later.

Maddy waved goodbye, only to see James engrossed in his call, not even noticing her hands flying around like a demented person. She walked into her home to be greeted by her cats. The dishevelled bed linen reminded her how her day began. Pushing the misunderstanding between herself and James to one side, life in general was looking up.

She threw herself on the sofa to watch TV, killing an hour. Having given James a reasonable amount of time to get home, she picked up her phone and went to punch in James' number. His handwriting was similar to a doctor's – barely legible. A few of the numbers were unclear and to make matters worse the phone number he'd given was two digits short.

CHAPTER 7

Maddison didn't know whether to scream or cry when she boarded the train to work on Monday morning. With no contact from James over the weekend, her final expectation had been dashed when she found out he wasn't on her train. She was furious with herself for not having the good sense to take his number earlier in the week when they'd initially met. Had she not been trying so hard to gain back her dignity after James had handed over her tampons that had been crushed underfoot by rushed commuters, she probably would have done the number exchange there and then.

Why hadn't she given him her number on Friday? Her mind returned to the questions and scenarios that had haunted her all weekend. She stormed into the office, only to discover Geoff had beaten her to work. The radio was blaring in his office. It was a kitsch disco track called 'Love Train'. If it wasn't for the fact that she knew he played his radio from his computer, she'd have stomped in there to throw the radio out the window.