Page 4 of For Love or Money
‘A chubby chaser!’ He laughed.
Lesley started walking again and he ran a little to catch up.
‘No, I’m not a chubby chaser.’
‘And yet here you are chasing me.’
‘I just wanted to get a chance to talk to you, get to know you better.’
‘Why?’
‘Why? Well, wasn’t that the point of this evening? I thought you seemed nice ... interesting, you know, and bright. And I liked the look of you.’ He shrugged. ‘You know, the usual.’
‘No woman wants to be with a chubby chaser, Al – not even chubby women. I mean, they don’t want that to be thereasonsomeone’s with them, you know?’
‘I promise you I’m not a chubby chaser. Besides, you’re not even chubby. You’re—’
‘If you say curvy, I might have to hurt you.’
‘I wasn’t going to say curvy. I would never say curvy.’
‘What were you going to say, then? And it better not be cuddly – that’s even worse.’
He looked at her warily. ‘How do you feel about statuesque?’
‘That means built like a brick shithouse, doesn’t it?’
‘No!’ He frowned. ‘It means built like a Greek goddess – the sort of woman who inspires sculptors to carve them in marble.’
‘Oh.’ She didn’t want to smile, but her lips were curling annoyingly. ‘I suppose that’s all right.’
‘So, what do you say?’ he asked, stopping as they came to the corner of the road. ‘Fancy a drink?’
‘Well, I’m a bit tired, Al. Maybe some other time.’ She gave him a polite smile and turned to the left, thinking they were parting ways. But he quickly fell into step beside her again.
‘Are you still here? I already told you I’m not going out with you.’
‘Still, I thought I could walk you home at least.’
‘Walk me home? Is it nineteen-fifty all of a sudden and nobody told me?’
‘I’m a gentleman. There aren’t many of us left. You should snap me up while stocks last. Avoid disappointment.’
‘I’ll take my chances.’
‘Look, I’m going this way anyway. But I’ll walk on the opposite side of the road, if you’d prefer.’
‘No, it’s fine.’
‘Good. Because this isn’t actually the shortest route home for me. I only came this way as an excuse to talk to you,’ he admitted cheerfully.
When they got to Lesley’s house, she stopped at the gate. ‘Well, this is me. Thanks for walking me home.’
Al’s gaze flicked to the house. ‘Are you sure you don’t want to invite me in?’ he asked with a winning smile.
Lesley sighed. ‘Look, you’re a really nice guy, Al, and you’re very good-looking and everything.’
‘Thanks.’
