I opened it without remembering who’d be standing there. My parents’ parcel had thrown me off.
‘Andrew, hi, come in.’
He smiled and stepped inside. Walking straight to the breakfast bar, he sat down. I wasn’t expecting him to stay; I wasn’t even expecting him to be alone actually. I wanted to ask him, where’s Luce? Luce not with you? Don’t you need to get back home to Luce? But I froze.
‘Any chance of a coffee?’ He grinned, flashing his electric eyes at me. There wasn’t any harm in coffee was there? I’d make Sam or Carl a coffee if they popped in.
‘Sure.’ I smiled and proceeded to make coffee.
‘I’m so glad you found my gym card. I must have shoved it in the nappy box with that DVD. Five quid they are to replace! I told them I’d have another look first.’ He let out a small laugh. I carried on making coffee. ‘So, did the antenatal class leave you feeling confident?’ he asked as the kettle boiled.
‘Yes.’ I smiled politely, pouring hot water into two mugs.
‘Good. I thought so, but then again, I’ve no idea how you feel so it’s irrelevant what I think.’
I put down his coffee.
‘Is everything okay?’ he asked.
‘Yes, why wouldn’t it be?’ I sounded snappy when I didn’t intend to. He’d done nothing wrong and I shouldn’t care anyway.
He glanced down at his cup. ‘I don’t know, you just seem . . . different.’
I shrugged. ‘Nope, just the same old Charlotte.’
He eyed me suspiciously and looked like he was about to say something but didn’t. The whole Luce thing was eating me up. I had to mention it. If I told him I was happy for him, that would be okay, wouldn’t it?
‘The other week, when you dropped me off I accidentally glanced at your phone screen. I saw “Luce” was worried about you. I hope you didn’t get in trouble.’
My chest tensed in apprehension.
He looked puzzled for a moment. ‘Luce? No, she was fine.’ He batted a hand in the air. ‘Great coffee by the way.’
Luce must be secure in the knowledge that Andrew was hers and would always come back to her.
‘So, do you live together, you and Luce?’ I dared to ask.
He furrowed his brow. ‘God no, no way.’
It was a silly question. He probably never wanted to live with a different woman to Beth – too many memories I imagined.
‘It would be hard to live with another woman I suppose,’ I said sympathetically.
‘Living with a woman would be okay; it would, however, be hard to live with my mate Chris’s wife!’ He laughed.
His friend’s wife! Suddenly, my chest cracked, freeing the butterflies I’d frozen in tension. It took all my resolve not to giggle.
‘Wait, did you think Luce was my girlfriend?’ he asked.
‘I, er, no, I . . .’ He placed a hand on mine and looked me straight in the eye. Feelings of electricity zipped and zapped about my body.
‘There is just one person I’d even want to go on a date with, never mind live with.’ He smiled and my heart leapt.
‘Oh?’
‘Yes. Someone beautiful, who I can’t help but find excuses to see.’ He held my gaze for a moment. ‘Charlotte?’
I swallowed hard. ‘Yes.’
‘Can I take you out on a date?’
The butterflies were on acid.
‘Yes.’
***
I walked across the park, my stomach filled with cartwheeling butterflies. The early December sun was still warm and the air fresh; it was the perfect day for an indoor picnic. I entered the park’s orangery and could see Andrew sitting on a blanket on the other side of the long room, and I wanted to turn back and check my appearance one last time, though it was safe to say my bump did look big in that. I forced each foot forward until he spotted me and waved, and by that point, there was no turning back.
‘Hello, you,’ he said, smiling once I was close enough. He looked as gorgeous as ever; his dark hair had been trimmed and the strand that used to fall into his eye now skimmed his eyebrow, allowing me to see more of his face. He was wearing a grey round-neck T-shirt and slim-fit black jeans, which I loved. James had only ever sported a suit when working and chinos when he wasn’t. That was the extent of variety he’d displayed.
‘Hello,’ I said, smiling back nervously, taking in the gorgeous spread laid out neatly on the tartan picnic blanket and cushions scattered around. There were little triangular sandwiches, crudités and hummus, and a selection of cakes to satisfy the sweetest tooth.
He reached up and offered a glass of something yellow and fizzy, and I glanced down at him, frowning.
‘It’s Shloer.’ The sun glinted through the glass and reflected off his bright blue eyes and he raised a hand to shade them.
‘In that case, let’s rock and roll!’ I took the glass from him.
‘Is the lady going to sit?’ he asked. I handed my glass back to him and plonked my handbag down on the mat before squatting down and trying to reach the ground with my hand. It was no good; I was stuck. Heat rose up through my cheeks as I tried again with the other hand. Noticing my struggle, Andrew jumped up and came to my aid, wrapping two strong arms around me just above my bump and easing me down onto my bottom.
‘Thanks,’ I said, when I was safely down.
‘God, I didn’t think the seating arrangements through – I’m so sorry, Charlotte, I’m an idiot.’
‘Being hoisted like a wale was not how I imagined the first time being wrapped in your arms would be like.’ I smiled to let him know I was teasing him and he looked down sheepishly before laughing.
‘Are you sure it wasn’t just an excuse? You could’ve just asked for a cuddle, you know. I might’ve even said yes.’
‘I bet you never envisaged yourself on a first date with a ready-to-pop pregnant lady,’ I said, crossing my legs
