Page 104 of Just Do It
We stood looking out of the window in contented silence for a few moments until I spoke, my eyes still fixed on the garden, the hints of the renewing season of spring poking through.
‘I saw Finn.’
Colette turned so fast I was a little surprised there wasn’t a sonic boom in her wake. ‘What? When?’
‘At the station the other night, after I’d had dinner with Friedrich.’
‘Did he see you too? Did you speak to him?’
‘Yes, he saw me. No, we didn’t speak.’ I let out a sigh. ‘That was the moment Friedrich, unbeknownst to me, thought it would be a good idea to kiss me goodnight. As I wasn’t expecting it, I turned to say goodbye and ended up getting kissed on the lips. It was only then I saw Finn. He was standing at the same platform I was about to go to.’
‘And?’
‘And nothing.’ I shrugged. ‘He saw me, I saw him and he turned away and got on the train.’
I could practically hear my friend’s blood beginning to boil once again. ‘So, let me get this right? You had the chance to speak to the love of your life and, once again, your ex managed to ruin things.’
‘It obviously wasn’t intentional and I think you’re being a little overdramatic calling Finn the love of my life.’
‘Am I?’
‘It doesn’t really matter now, does it? I suspect he’s back in Dubai now being a TV star.’
‘He flew out a couple of days ago apparently.’
‘Just after I saw him then. So there were clearly no plans to stay.’
‘From his perspective, I suppose it looked like there wasn’t any point. Friedrich has the ability to ruin everything, even when he’s not trying. Too bad for him I wasn’t so easily pushed about.’
‘What?’ I turned to face her.
She waved her hand. ‘Oh, you know he didn’t think I was worthy company for you.’
‘That was just his way with everyone.’
‘Quite.’ She looked away.
‘Colette. What is it?’
‘I already told you. It’s nothing you didn’t know already.’
‘And yet I’m getting the feeling I don’t know everything that I should do.’
Colette chewed her lip and studied a print of Paris in the rain that hung on her wall.
‘Right,’ I said, marching over to the kettle. ‘I’m going to make us some tea and you’re going to tell me exactly what you’ve been hiding all these years.’
She let out a laugh, half nerves, half relief. ‘What is it with you English and tea?’
‘It’s the rules. Just go with it for now, OK?’
She nodded and took a seat at the table before looking back at me. ‘OK.’
Three cups of tea later, I sat back.
‘Why did you never tell me any of this? That he’d spoken to you like that, or made you feel that way? I’d have gone mad.’
‘Because I know you’d have done just that. You seemed…’ She waited, considering her words. ‘I’m not going to say happybecause I’ve never truly believed that, but at least contented. And Friedrich is clever in all manner of ways. I didn’t want to risk him twisting things and ruining our friendship for good. So I kept things to myself but I refused to step back entirely.’
