Page 12 of Love, Accidentally

‘Love you too.’

* * *

I don’t normally see Mike in the morning if I’m working a day shift at the weekend, as I’m usually out of the flat by seven so that I have plenty of time to get to the hospital and change before I start work. Mike has been known to fall out of bed less than thirty minutes before he’s due to be at his desk, but I’m not a last-minute merchant and the idea of starting the day without a long, hot shower is unthinkable.

I’m therefore a little surprised to see his bedroom door open as I’m waiting for the toaster to spit out my breakfast, but the mystery is soon solved when a woman appears, wearing one of Mike’s T-shirts and, from what I can see, not much else.

‘Good morning,’ I say brightly. I’m so used to seeing strange women coming out of Mike’s room that I can treat it as an entirely normal occurrence.

‘Hi,’ she says without a hint of embarrassment. ‘Mike is still asleep, but I’m an early riser so I thought I’d come and make a cup of coffee. I’m Sarah, by the way.’

‘Tilly,’ I tell her as I grab the toast and start spreading butter on it. ‘Short for Matilda. I’m Mike’s flatmate.’

‘I know.’ She smiles. ‘He told me all about you.’

‘None of it’s true, I assure you. Would you like a hand with the coffee machine? It’s a typical man gadget, so there’s a bit of a trick to it.’

‘Are you sure you have time? You look like you’re in a hurry.’

‘It’s fine. The traffic is always quieter on a Saturday,’ I tell her as I put water into the back of the machine and turn it on, before opening the cupboard where Mike keeps his coffee pods. ‘What would you like?’

‘Just a normal coffee with milk, please.’

I smile. ‘The one thing this machine isn’t really capable of doing. OK, we’ll do two shots of espresso and top it up with hot water. How does that sound?’

‘Perfect. Do you mind me asking how long you and Mike have lived together?’

‘Around six years. Why?’

‘Just curious. He’s a great guy, so I was just wondering why you hadn’t snapped him up.’

Bless her naivety, I think as I smile. ‘I love him, but purely as a friend. How long have you known him?’

‘I work in the oncology department. I’ve bumped into him a few times and we’ve been out for drinks once or twice. Last night was the first time… you know. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t treading on your toes or anything.’

‘That’s very kind of you, but there’s nothing between Mike and me, and there never will be. In the best possible way, you’re welcome to him.’

‘Thanks.’ She looks relieved. ‘I don’t normally stay over with a man so early in a relationship, but I’ve got a really good feeling about him, do you know what I mean? He’s kind, funny and, unlike most men, actually listens when I speak.’

I feel slightly sorry for her as I hand over her coffee.

‘He is a good man,’ I agree. ‘Not without his faults, but his heart is in the right place.’ Even as I say the words, I kind of despise myself a little for not telling her the truth, that he’s a terrible womaniser and she’s just the latest in a long line of notches on his bedpost. However, as I remind myself every time this happens, Mike’s love life is nothing to do with me. I can’t even remember the last time I had to visit the oncology department, so I’m unlikely to have to face any of the fallout when he invariably tells her that things are moving too fast, or whatever line he’ll use to gently push her aside later today.

‘Right, I’d better go,’ I tell her as she settles herself on the sofa with her coffee, tucking her legs up underneath her. ‘I’ll see you again soon, yeah?’

‘I’d like that,’ she replies. ‘It was nice to meet you, Tilly.’

‘Likewise.’

I feel such a fraud as I gently close the front door behind me. I know for sure that I’ll never see her again. I do love Mike, but not this side of him. One thing is for certain: if Luke thinks I’m going to be an easy conquest like one of Mike’s, he’s going to have another think coming.

6

It’s Sunday morning and I’m feeling out of sorts as I get ready to visit my parents. Although they’re not married to each other any more, I know they’ll both be there, along with their respective not-so-new spouses. Tash will be here in half an hour or so to give me a lift to the housing estate in Paddock Wood where we grew up. Neither Tash’s imminent arrival nor the visit to Mum and Dad are the source of my disquiet, though. Despite taking my number and seeming keen, I haven’t heard a peep out of Luke. He seems to have a knack for letting me get all the way to the stage where I decide I can’t be bothered with him before popping up again, and I can’t help feeling slightly played.

The problem is that he hasn’ttechnicallydone anything wrong. He never promised me that he’d text within a certain time frame; it was just my expectation that he would. The rational part of me says that I don’t have anything invested where he’s concerned so I should just let it play out, see what happens and not stress about it. After all, he’s just a guy and, although I am very attracted to him, that doesn’t mean it has to go anywhere. However, the irrational part of me keeps checking my phone and silently screaming, ‘Text me, you bastard!’ The irony of the fact that this is probably the common experience for most of Mike’s exes is not lost on me.

‘All right?’ Tash asks when I open the door to let her in. ‘Greg’s downstairs in the car keeping Damien from theOmenfilms entertained, so I hope you’re ready. Goodness knows what carnage might ensue from those two being left unsupervised for too long.’

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