Page 17 of Winter Nights at the Bay Bookshop
‘Aw, I’ve missed you, Lars. Are you doing anything now?’
‘No specific plans.’
‘In that case, how about we grab a coffee? Or maybe even lunch? It’ll be good to catch up.’
‘Lunch would be great.’ After a tough week stirring up a whirlpool of mixed emotions, it was so great to see Danika and an hour or so with her would be a welcome distraction and the perfect pick-me-up.
‘Brilliant! Wait here while I do my good deed for the day. Won’t be long.’
9
LARS
Danika suggested The Chocolate Pot on Castle Street and we agreed to meet inside as we’d be travelling in separate cars. I managed to get caught at every light on red so Danika beat me to it and had already secured us a table and was perusing the menu when I arrived.
‘Cat said she bumped into you at the petrol station,’ Danika said after we’d placed our order.
‘Yes, and she said she’d stayed over with Miles. They’re not back together, are they?’
‘I don’t think so, but I’ve given up trying to keep up. Seriously, Lars, I love my sister but keeping track of her love life is exhausting. So, how’s the last few months been for you?’
‘Busy…’
I updated her on Nanna’s move, my refurbishment plans and the completion of my business sale, pausing the conversation briefly when our drinks arrived.
‘So, what’s been going on with you?’ I asked.
She shrugged. ‘Same old. Still managing the practice and batting away the staff moans about the preferential treatment a certain someone gets. Still wishing Cat would take her drama and mess and move back in with our parents. Again, love my sister but she’s exhausting to live with, especially for someone like me.’
‘Someone like you?’ I asked, not sure of her meaning and wondering if I’d missed something.
‘An introvert. People exhaust me. No, that’s not quite right. I’m fine around people as long as it’s not constant. My job’s ideal for it because, although I do have contact with staff and patients, it’s intermittent and I can balance that with being on my own in my office and dealing with the paperwork. By the time we close, my energy’s spent and I just want to come home and switch off, which is impossible when Cat’s around.’
Our food appeared and, both admitting we’d skipped breakfast, we tucked into several eager mouthfuls before resuming our conversation.
‘You always chatted to me when I called for Cat,’ I said. ‘Was that exhausting for you? Be honest.’
Danika laughed. ‘Actually, no. You’re easy company and, even if I’d had a tiring day, I still looked forward to seeing you, which is more than can be said for most of Cat’s other boyfriends. She’s had some who’ve fired a gazillion questions at me and I half expected them to hook me up to a lie detector kit at any moment. There’ve been some who’ve done nothing but talk about themselves, and even some who’ve flirted with me. What’s that all about? But you were just you and it was like having a lovely chinwag with an old friend. And, as I said, I’ve missed it. I even asked Cat for your number, thinking I’d get in touch and see if you fancied a coffee at some point, but she hadn’t kept it. Sorry.’
‘Don’t be. I didn’t keep hers either and I regretted not asking for yours. It’s not easy to meet new friends when you work from home.’
‘Of course! I’ve always worked at the practice so I’m used to having colleagues I see every day. Just as well the universe sent us to Bay View at the same time, determined to reunite two lost friends.’
We smiled at each other across the table and I loved how, without making a big issue of it, we’d established that it was friendship we were interested in and not something romantic. It wasn’t just because the idea of dating Danika after dating her sister didn’t sit comfortably with me. It was more because that spark of attraction wasn’t there. It struck me that Danika had never mentioned any romantic relationships and if we were going to start seeing each other as friends, which it seemed we were, it made sense to raise it now.
‘Are you seeing anyone?’ I asked.
Danika shook her head. ‘I’m not really interested in a relationship. I’ve never met anyone who I’ve wanted to be with for longer than two or three months and I’m not convinced I ever will. I like my life the way it is and I’m not sure I want anyone disrupting that. Does that sound selfish?’
‘Not at all. When you’ve settled into a routine that makes you happy, it’s a huge thing adjusting that for someone else.’ As I said the words, it struck me I could easily have been talking about Mum before she went to Iceland and met Pabbi. But then she had met the right person. Or right for a while. And it further struck me that she could have been talking about me too. I wouldn’t say I was set in my ways but my time with Cat had proved to me that I’d rather be single than with someone who I didn’t see in my long-term future.
‘I’ve never wanted kids,’ Danika added, ‘so I’ve never felt the proverbial clock ticking and I’ve never felt lonely or like I’m missing out on anything. I’ve got a small circle of friends, I’m close to my family, I love my job and my house. The only thing that would make my life better is if Cat grew up and found herself a meaningful relationship instead of this childishI adore bad boysnonsense. If she could find true love and move out, my life would be bliss.’
‘So you do believe in love?’
‘Absolutely. And, don’t get me wrong, I’m not averse to it happening to me. I’d be as shocked as a badger on an electric fence, mind you, but if thatwow!moment ever happens, I won’t run from it. I’m just not bothered if it doesn’t happen. What about you? Searching for the elusive one?’
‘Searching would imply actually doing something about it. Iwouldlike to meet someone who isn’t after me for my money or my ravishing good looks.’ I grinned at Danika and she laughed. ‘I’d like to get married, have kids, get a dog and a cat, but working from home isn’t exactly conducive to meeting anyone and a dating app is?—’
