Lola was extremely fond of Pot Noodles and felt as protective as a new mother whenever anyone made fun of them. She said evenly, ‘I like Pot Noodles. They’re brilliant. Chicken and Mushroom’s my favourite.’
Chapter 24
’How are things going with Gabe?’ In order to spare Isabel’s blushes, Doug swiftly changed the subject.
‘Hideous.’ Sally shuddered. ‘Talk about pernickety. He’s so gay, just won’t admit it.’
‘He’s not gay.’ Lola hadn’t yet managed to convince Sally but she kept saying it anyway. ‘If Gabe was gay, he’d be gay. He’s Jack Lemmon, you’re Walter Matthau and you drive him insane, that’s all it is. Some people leave tea bags in the kitchen sink,’ she told Doug, because there were times when you couldn’t help feeling sorry for Gabe. ‘Yesterday your sister left hers on the coffee table.’
Sally shrugged. Not on purpose. Only because I hadn’t realised it was still in my mug.’
Lola had been making her coffee last as long as possible. Finally she was down to the lukewarm grounds.
‘Finished? Good.’ Doug whisked away her cup, clearly keen to see the back of her.
Which – and here was her optimism rushing to the fore again – could mean that her presence was disturbing him in a good way.
‘Could I use your bathroom before I. go?’ It was freezing out there; even Doug couldn’t banish her and her bursting bladder to the vagaries of the great outdoors, surely?
Although he looked as if he’d quite like to.
‘Out in the hall. Second door on the left.’
It was actually a tricky exercise, walking the length of the living room in a natural manner, super-aware of Dougie’s eyes upon her. What was he really thinking? Was he mentally comparing her with Isabel? Come to that, how did she compare with Isabel? Her rival – the rival she hadn’t known existed before now – was a cool sleek blonde with high-maintenance hair and a hint of the ice princess about her. She was probably more classically beautiful but was she as much fun? Pretty was all very well but Lola felt she might have the edge when it came to character. She was the playful spaniel whereas Isabel was more of a pampered feline; Isabel was Grace Kelly while she was Doris Day; Isabel had the kind of high-pitched laugh that could easily start to get on a man’s nerves after a—
‘I said second door on the left.’ Out in the hall Doug’s voice behind Lola made her jump. ‘That’s the second on the right.’
But he was a split second too late; she’d already opened the door and walked into his bedroom.
Bingo!
‘Sorry. I’m always getting my left and right mixed up. Wow, this is nice!’ Taking another step into the room, she drank in the burnt-orange walls, the duvet and pillowcases in bitter chocolate, the polished oak floorboards and mahogany furniture. This was where Doug slept, this was his bed. Lola did her best to picture him in it, except there was one small but vitally important detail missing. She couldn’t see any pyjamas but .. . ‘Do you still sleep naked?’
There, she’d said it.
Doug shook his head. ‘You don’t change, do you?’
Oh well. She shrugged. ‘I like to know these things.’
‘Even though 'these things' aren’t any of your business?’
But he wasn’t sounding entirely pissed off. Encouraged, Lola said innocently, ‘I just wondered if you’d turned into the kind of man who wears stripy cotton pyjamas all buttoned up to the neck, like Kenneth Williams in Carry On Nurse.’
His mouth twitched. ‘Oh yes, that’s me. That’s what I wear.’
‘You don’t.’
‘I definitely do.’
‘You still sleep naked.’ Lola exhaled with relief; now she was able to picture him in his king-sized bed. Even better, ice queen Isabel wasn’t in there with him.
Hmm, ice queens probably had cold feet.
‘OK, you’ve had your snoop around,’ said Doug. ‘Now I’ll show you where the bathroom is.’
She couldn’t help herself; the question was bubbling up. ‘Do you really like her?’
‘Do I really like who?’
‘Isabel.’
As he steered her out of the bedroom and pointed her in the direction of the door opposite, Doug said, ‘Again, not actually any of your business. But if it helps,’ he paused, causing Lola’s heart to expand with hope, ‘then I suppose I’d have to say yes, I do.’
The pause had been deliberate. He knew exactly why she was asking and now he was getting his own back. Recklessly Lola said, ‘Is sleeping with her as much fun as it was with me?’
There, there was that flicker again. God, she loved that flicker behind the eyes.
‘Lola, you’re talking about ten years ago. I don’t even remember what sleeping with you was like.’
Which, if she’d believed him, might have counted as a put-down. Luckily Lola didn’t for a minute.
‘You know what I think? I think I must be having an effect on you if you’re having to say stuff like that.’ There was a warm glow in the pit of her stomach that had nothing to do with needing the loo. With a playful smile Lola said, ‘Because I know you’re lying now I remember every detail of every minute of every time with you, Dougie. And I still will when I’m ninety. Because it was the most important thing in the world to me. It meant everything. And I know you remember it too.’
Another pause. He took a step closer and leaned forward, causing her to suck in her breath .
