I pulled a face. ‘Well, yes... but not in a “look at my chest” kind of way. And besides, it’s not a date.’
‘He’s going to a fancy awards ceremony, and he’s asked you to go with him?’
I nodded.
‘Then it’s a date.’
‘No, it’s not,’ I muttered, falling into step behind her. I’d spoken so low she wasn’t meant to have heard, but when she spun on her heel to face me, I knew she had.
‘Why are you scared of admitting that you like this guy?’
‘I’m not scared of anything.’ That was a blatant lie. You only had to see me cowering indoors any time lightning speared the skies to know that.
‘Okay, not scared then. But you certainly seem reluctant to acknowledge the attraction between the two of you.’
‘Because it only came about because of the lightning. It did something to us.’
For a woman who enjoyed walking in the twilight zone as much as Mel, the last thing I’d expected was to hear her scoff of laughter.
‘And that is scientifically proven, is it?’
I felt like a bug on a pin under her uncompromising stare.
‘We’re just not compatible in about a hundred different ways.’
‘Name them.’
‘What? All of them?’
Mel gave an easy shrug. ‘I’ve got all day.’
I blew out a long breath.
‘Well, for a start he’s very family orientated. His daughter means the absolute world to him.’
‘That just sounds like a great big tick in his favour rather than a negative,’ Mel said.
‘It is, or rather it would be if I was the kind of person who’d ever seen themselves as having a kid. But I’ve never been able to visualise myself wanting that kind of life.’
‘Maybe that’s because you’ve never met anyone until now that you could see yourself having a baby with.’
The intensity in Mel’s eyes burnt through my defences. That was her dream, not mine... wasn’t it?
‘And then there’s his work. He’s basically an artist. Or at least that’s what he’d love to be if he could make it pay the bills. Not that there’s anything wrong with that – don’t get me wrong – but the men I’ve always been attracted to were more high-flyer, high-achieving types.’
‘Hmmm...’ said Mel, nodding wisely. ‘And how did that work out for you, by the way?’ I opened my mouth to reply, but she jumped in before I had the chance. ‘In case your faulty memory has lost the details, let me tell you that the answer to that one was “disastrously”.’
‘Rhys isn’t the type of man I would ever have been drawn towards.’
‘Kind, gentle, supportive and last – but definitely not least – incredibly good-looking. Yeah, I can see why you’d have a problem with all of that.’
It was a relief to find ourselves back on the concourse of the busy shopping centre, where further probing conversation that felt more like a cross-examination was impossible.
Having tried almost every chain store and high street outlet, I was still no closer to finding a dress for Rhys’s event. And with only two days left, time was rapidly running out.
‘What do you say we stop for a coffee and then try some of the smaller shops in the side streets?’ Mel suggested.
‘I think most of them are going to be outside my price bracket.’ I pulled a rueful face. ‘But I’m definitely up for a coffee.’ I linkedmy arm with hers, still marvelling that I could. Slowly but surely, we were beginning to mend the relationship I’d very nearly broken.