Page 16 of A Family Affair
She owned her own home and the lease on the café; ran a solid enterprise with cash-flow to spare so on paper Honey McCarthy was a sure bet. Actually,propositionsounded better. He doubted she would need much persuasion.
All he needed to do now was get back inside and see if she’d agree to going for a drink with him, maybe a bite to eat. He’d been about to explain what he did for a living when a large group of walkers turned up, so Honey had to get back to work. She’d insisted he remained in his seat and over the next hour or so had refilled his coffee while he occupied himself on his phone or read magazines from the bookshelf.
Then the cavalry arrived in the form of the AA man, and Levi had spent the past fifty-five minutes chatting with him while his car was fixed.
Honey had popped out and asked if they’d like a warm drink, which AA man accepted. Levi was so full of caffeine he reckoned he’d be able to run all the way back to Manchester, so declined. When she returned with hot chocolate, Honey told Levi she’d be working late in the café so to let themselves in, if they needed the loo or anything. He’d taken this as a welcome hint.
Levi had seen Lizzy and the chef, who he knew was called Gospel, leave. And noticed Honey turn the sign on the door to closed, giving him a little wave as she did do. He returned it with a smile.
‘Here you go, mate. You keep that for your records and remember what I said, about checking the oil now and then. You were lucky the engine didn’t seize up. Those flashing warning lights on the dash are there for a reason.’
AA man gave Levi a cheeky wink as he passed over the paperwork. ‘Say thanks to your girlfriend for the brew. You take care now.’ And with that he headed back to his yellow van.
‘Thanks mate, and she’s … Okay, I will. You take care too.’ Folding the sheet of paper and stuffing it in his pocket, Levi headed straight for the café where he found the door open but Honey nowhere to be seen.
The bell announced his arrival and then a voice, ‘Won’t be a min,’ and true to her word, after a bit of pacing and hovering, Levi was greeted by a huge smile and Honey. Wearing her coat. Levi’s heart dropped. Maybe she wasn’t interested in what he had to say after all, and she was just being polite earlier.
He’d soon find out when she booted him onto the street and locked up and that would be the end of that.
Stop being a quitter. Ask her out. Just do something you big wimp.
Honey beat him to it. ‘Is it all fixed?’
‘Yep, all sorted. My fault mainly. I’m not very mechanically minded.’Is that it? The best you can do.
‘Oh good. Now, you wanted to tell me something… about an idea? D’you fancy going to the pub? There’s a nice one on the corner and we can talk there. I’ve been here since seven and as much as I love the place, I could do with a change of scenery. No pressure if you have to get off.’ Honey had hooked her rucksack over her shoulders and waited for his answer.
It was a no-brainer.
They sat not quite opposite one another. More side by side but not touching. A circular table made a sturdy chaperone, although now and then their knees knocked together. This brief contact made Levi go ‘all of a doo-da’ as his granny Iris would say.
Sometimes, he wished that he was as confident in his personal life as he was professionally. It was always the same. When he was talking money, he didn’t feel self-conscious or worry about making a fool of himself. He knew his job inside out. He enjoyed it too.
When it came to conversing with the opposite sex – and by that he didn’t mean the lady on the till at Tesco, or the female members of his family; he meant dates, or anyone he found attractive or who showed the faintest glimmer of interest in him – he became a dithering wreck. Struck dumb and devoid of personality. Like he had regressed into his teenage self but with slightly better clothes, no spots and minus the braces.
No wonder the new‘for when I get lucky’ duvet set he’d bought well over a year ago was still in its packaging in the airing cupboard of his flat. The only reason he’d got this far, to a half pint of lager shandy (which looked so wimpy) and a glass of red wine (large), was because Honey was a chatterbox. All he had to do was ask a question and boom, she was off. Like a whippet out of the starting gate, and that suited him just fine.
She was currently telling him all about tomorrow’s special; Lancashire Hot Pot, which apparently was a favourite with her customers, but Gospel hated it. He said it lacked soul and colour, which was why once a week he got to make whatever he wanted. That Friday they were serving Jamaican beef patties. You could tell that Honey respected Gospel’s culinary skills and appreciated his input. Levi had also gleaned that Gospel was Leeds born and bred but stayed true to his roots and had the potential to be a great and innovative chef. It was also clear that Honey adored him, which left Levi feeling pathetically jealous.
She was currently describing the patties, which was good because at least they’d moved away from St Gospel the Great. ‘They go down really well, and we always sell out. You should try them. Now, it’s your turn to talk because I’m rabbiting on as usual so I will sit here nice and quiet and drink my wine. It’s lovely by the way. Good choice.’
Caught in Honey’s gaze Levi had one of those moments from school where it was his turn to read something out loud in assembly. He could even feel the kid behind nudging him in the back.
Get on with it!
‘Oh right, me… well. I didn’t choose the wine, by the way, the guy behind the bar did. I’m more of a real ale drinker but I’m glad you like it.’ Deciding his strengths lay in asking questions Levi went with, ‘You were going to tell me about the charity that’s close to your heart.’
And she was off.
CHAPTER14
Honey was opening a packet of crisps as she spoke and began eating them like she’d never been fed, and Levi found her unconscious enjoyment and lack of self-consciousness endearing.
‘Well, it’s all down to my best friend, Ziggy. She’s a nurse at the general. A&E to be precise, but that’s not really got anything to do with it. I just thought I’d tell you because I’m well proud of what she does. She might come down later. This is her parents’ pub. I texted to say I was here.’
Honey took a breath, ate a handful of crisps and Levi took a drink, trying hard to focus and keep track.
‘We’ve been best friends since year seven when we met at secondary school. I’d been a bit of a loner up till then and meeting Ziggy was the best thing that ever happened to me. She’s totally bonkers and brought me out of myself. I bet you can’t imagine that I was once shy.’
