Page 67 of Fix Them Up
‘A caramel latte, please,’ I asked, smiling at the woman who looked like she was going to combust in front of our eyes.
‘I’ll bring it over.’
‘Thanks, Casey,’ Lydia said, moving us out of the line and through the cafe to find somewhere to sit near the window. Outside, two ladies in swimming caps were doing laps, more steam rising from the heated pool with each movement of their arms.
‘Dad told me you moved in with Liam. I said hire him, Kat.’ Lydia snorted a laugh, ‘Not shack up with him.’
‘I didn’t shack up with him!’
‘That’s how Dad made it sound. How didthathappen?’ She arched a blonde eyebrow. ‘You didn’t seem all that friendly at the club.’
‘Liam said I had to move out. I didn’t want to, but I had no choice.’ I decided to leave out that I camped in the garden. I could do without that strike to my ego. ‘Liam came by the house and offered me a place in his annexe.’
Lydia grinned. ‘Bet you loved that.’ Lydia’s smile dropped. ‘You know we’re here to help, Kat. Me, Mum, Dad. I mean, half of the club, too. You just need to ask.’
I squirmed. I’d never been good at accepting help.
Apply yourself, Katherine.
I inhaled a shaky breath. ‘I’ll get better at asking for help.’
‘Good egg,’ Lydia said, squeezing my hand, ‘because Mum is driving me mad. She’s chomping at the bit to help. Don’t be surprised if you come by one day and she’s painting your front room magnolia.’
I knew Lydia was joking, but I internally flinched at the mention of the colour magnolia. Like any millennial, that colour was etched into my brain.
I frowned. ‘She never mentioned anything.’
‘After Dad brought those plans to the club and upset you, Mum said we were banned from meddling.’
‘Caramel latte and black coffee,’ Casey said, holding two cups and saucers.
‘Perfect, thank you,’ Lydia said, moving her phone out of the way. Casey placed the cups down and aimed one more smile at Lydia before leaving.
‘Lyd,’ I said, lowering my voice.
Her blue eyes lifted to mine, eyebrows raised. ‘What?’
‘Are we gonna talk about how that woman has the biggest crush on you, maybe ever?’ I raised an eyebrow.
Lydia’s cup clattered down onto the saucer, her eyes darting across the room to find Casey.
‘No. She doesn’t.’
I nodded vehemently. ‘Yes, she does.’
‘She’s being nice. I don’t even know if she’s into girls.’
‘She made that guy’ – I pointed to the teenager at the till who was going through an unfortunate goatee phase – ‘swap with her so she could bring these coffees over here herself.’
‘She’s just being nice.’
‘Look at her face when she looks at you. You’re delusional if you don’t see it.’
Lydia bit her lip, ‘I can tell when guys are interested, but it’s so hard to tell with women. I can’t tell if they are just being nice.’
‘The blight of the bisexual.’
Lydia’s eyes widened in mock-horror, ‘It’s just a phase, Kat. I’ll get over it.’
