Page 139 of My Year of Saying No
‘Am I interrupting anything?’ Seb asked.
Bearing in mind I was in my pyjamas, that was pretty unlikely. ‘Not a lot. You’re a bit out of your way.’ I concentrated on keeping my tone casual.
‘I came to see you.’
‘Oh.’
Seb shifted his weight. ‘I wasn’t really sure if that would be OK. I didn’t want you to feel I was stalking you or something.’
I rolled my eyes. ‘That’s a bit dramatic.’
He shrugged. ‘You never know how people are going to react sometimes. Anyway. Just so you know, I spoke to Jess and she told me to “get my well-toned arse over to see you asap”, I believe were her words.’
‘That does sound like something Jess would say.’ I was slightly miffed that she hadn’t prewarned me, but then there was every chance I would have taken that opportunity to suddenly find a need to vacate my flat for a while. We’d known each other so long, she would have sussed that within seconds. Also, I’d sent her a quick message yesterday saying that I needed a bit of an unplug over the weekend so not to worry if I didn’t reply to any messages, so even if she had tried, I wouldn’t have seen it anyway. Obviously, the upshot of all that was that I now had a six foot three hunk of gorgeousness standing in my doorway, something for which I had been completely unprepared. Argh! Did he have to be so bloody good looking and smell so damn good! I was doing my best here and the universe was so really not helping. ‘I’m sorry about the meeting. I just can’t lose that time, I’m afraid.’
‘Lottie, I’m not here about the meeting. Right now, I couldn’t care less about that damn meeting. I’m here about you. I care about you.’
‘Oh. Right. Well, I’m fine. As you can see.’
He gave me a patient look which I ignored.
I leant out, giving the corridor a cursory look. ‘No date with Lady Carstairs tonight then?’
He frowned. ‘No. Of course not.’
I rolled my eyes.
‘What was that for?’
A family walked past behind him and the two children gave us both curious stares. I didn’t really know my neighbours. I’d always wanted to live somewhere that had a warm, neighbourly feel to it. This flat wasn’t it, but lately I was realising there were a few things I wanted that may not ever come true. One of them was now standing in front of me, which was a little inconvenient as I was in the throes of doing my best to get over him.
Seb glanced at the family in his peripheral vision. ‘May I come in? Or if you don’t want me in your home, perhaps we could go somewhere a little more private than this hallway.’
I stood back and indicated for him to come in, which he did.
Closing the door behind him and turning back to me, he repeated the question.
‘Please don’t treat me like I’m an idiot, Seb.’
‘I’m not.’
‘Jess saw the photo of you together at some fancy do.’ I shrugged, trying to put as much disinterest into it as possible. Not the easiest when it feels like your shoulders have suddenly become welded to your ears with tension.
‘I met her at the function in order to be introduced to some more possible supporters of the charity.’
‘Right.’
He shifted his weight, tension radiating from him. ‘It’s true, Lottie. I don’t know why you’d think otherwise?’
‘Oh, for god’s sake. Seb, I’m not stupid! It was hardly a secret that she’d set her sights on you and people like that get what they want.’
‘Well, she didn’t get me!’
‘Really?’ I said, unconvinced.
‘Yes. Really,’ he snapped. ‘Where the hell has all this come from?’
‘Seriously?’ I threw my hands up. ‘Maybe it’s come from the fact that one minute at the gala you couldn’t get enough of me and the next moment, your ex walks up and suddenly it’s like I barely exist! And, to top it all, Lady Bloody Carstairs comes up and starts wrapping herself around you and you just stand there, lapping it up!’
