She heard the front door slam and exhaled. She was glad the girls hadn’t witnessed their little spat. She and Niall were sniping at each other a lot recently. Hopefully he’d take on board what she’d said about Sue taking more responsibility for Margaret, and things would settle back down again.
Niall did have a point about Jonathan, she admitted grudgingly. She did spend a lot of time with him. Just as well her best friend was gay – Niall might even accuse her of having an affair. But that was the perfect thing about her friendship with Jonathan; there were no issues like that to deal with.
Let her husband cool down over his pint and pub dinner; Jonathan was right about the way she let her family treat her. She was too easy-going and people took advantage of that. He’d be pleased that she’d stood up for herself, finally, and what was even better was the fact that she didn’t care any more if Sue was annoyed with her. She wasn’t going to get an ulcer worrying that the other woman might never talk to her again. That would be a plus, she thought defiantly, amused at her newfound bolshiness. She hoped it would last.
And if she was changing so was Jonathan, she reflected. She was impressed by how he was handling his new relationship. He wasn’t throwing himself in headlong. He wasn’t giving everything and expecting little in return. He was playing it cool and letting Leon do the running. She would give anything to see her much-loved friend with the man of his dreams. Perhaps at last it was going to happen and not before time.
C
HAPTER
T
WENTY
-F
IVE
‘Are you sure I can’t drive you to the airport?’ Hilary offered as she neatly folded a set of plans they had been working on and placed them in the large green folder on her desk.
‘Not at all, Hil. Go home and spend time with the girls. You said you were going to.’ Jonathan scrolled down through his phone for the number of the taxi firm he used. He gave them the address and glanced at his watch. ‘I’ve loads of time before check-in. I’ll have a coffee and a mosey around while I’m waiting for Leon, and get myself in holiday mode.’ He and Leon were going to London for a short post-Easter break that had been arranged on the spur of the moment. He still couldn’t quite believe that it was happening.
‘Are you excited?’ Hilary asked him fondly, delighted that his new relationship was progressing so well.
‘Yeah! And a bit nervous. I really think this is it, Hilary. At long, long last I think I’m going about it the right way, taking things slowly and really enjoying being friends first. We get on very well. We’ve got so much in common. He’s fun to be with and I fancy the pants off him. Tonight’s gonna be the night.’
‘I hope you’re staying somewhere nice.’ Hilary sat back in her chair and stifled a yawn.
‘He wanted us to book a Jurys Inn, but I wanted somewhere a little bit more special, so we’re taking cheap flights, and I’m paying for the hotel. That’s why we’re flying Ryanair,’ he grimaced. ‘Imagine having to stand queuing, and then being told the gate has changed and then that mad gallop to get seats when you’re boarding. Only for love, I tell you, only for lurv!’ he declaimed, throwing his hands wide in a Shakespearean gesture.
Hilary laughed at his theatrics. ‘So where are you staying?’
‘The Franklin.’ He sat down on the edge of her desk. ‘It’s a lovely, quirky, five-star townhouse hotel just off the Brompton Road. I love it. The rooms are fab, all designed very differently to suit their size and shape and orientation. I get great ideas when I’m there. It’s got an honesty bar and a pretty little garden. And Knightsbridge is just a stone’s throw away. Harvey Nicks, Harrods, the V&A across the road – what more could you want? And I just can’t wait to show the Brompton Oratory to Leon, he’ll adore it. You know all that over-the-top High Renaissance Baroque-style architecture, and the stunning murals and paintings. Fabuloussss!!’ Jonathan was giddy with excitement.
‘Sounds amazing. You’re going to have a brilliant time and you deserve it.’ Hilary jumped to her feet and gave him a tight hug.
‘Well it’s only for three days. It was all he could get off, but it’s fine because it’s our first time away together.’
‘London is perfect for a short getaway; I used to love visiting Colette before both of us got married. Haven’t been in ages. I might suggest a trip to Niall sometime.’
‘You should. You could do with a romantic break away. I can’t believe I’m going on a romantic break. I have butterflies in my stomach,’ he confessed.
‘You’ll be grand when you meet up with Leon. Look, here’s your taxi. Have a ball, Harpur!’
‘Will do, Hammond!’ Jonathan gave her a last hug, draped his scarf around his neck, grabbed his case and carry-on bag and sashayed out the door to the waiting taxi. Hilary laughed and waved, delighted that her best friend was so happy and carefree.
Jonathan sat in the back of the taxi and checked to make sure he had his passport, sterling and mobile phone charger in his Italian-leather shoulder bag. Even though he had double-checked everything before he left his apartment he just wanted to make absolutely sure. He had left his passport behind once on a trip to Barcelona and had only discovered it was missing at check-in. He was always extra careful after that expensive little episode.
He couldn’t quite believe that he and Leon were going to London. And, even better, at Leon’s suggestion. They had been out for a drink
