Practically Perfect (19 page)

‘Hi, Chloe! I’ve brought your dress back, or should I get it dry-cleaned?’ She had put her phone in the pocket of her jeans, so she would feel it if it rang. She had nearly decided to leave it at home, but then thought that Laura would want to ring and tell her they’d got back safely. The fact that this was unlikely to happen for at least a couple of hours didn’t seem relevant.

Chloe took the bag that Anna was holding out to her. ‘No, it washes like a rag. Now come in, sit down and tell me everything.’

Anna decided not to fob Chloe off with the nice time she’d had with her old college chums. She felt a strong need to talk about Max and if Laura weren’t likely to
worry
herself silly, she’d have told her. Chloe would be just as satisfactory a confidante. Anna allowed a smile to lift the corner of her mouth.

‘Don’t tell me! You met someone!’ said Chloe gleefully.

‘OK then, I won’t tell you.’

Chloe checked automatically for small ears although the sound of fast motorbikes from upstairs should have set her mind at rest. ‘You cow! Now you tell Momma everything, yo’ hear?’

Anna stretched luxuriously. In Chloe’s sunny kitchen, drinking coffee, it seemed perfectly reasonable for Max not to have rung on Sunday. He’d rung to say goodnight on Saturday night, just over an hour after they’d said goodnight. ‘Well, I didn’t mention it before—’

‘Why not?’

‘Because I didn’t know if it would come to anything. In fact, I was sure it wouldn’t.’

‘What “it”?’

‘If you let me get a word in edgeways, I’ll tell you.’

Chloe got down the tin of chocolate biscuits and opened it. ‘Go on. From the beginning.’

‘Well, years ago, when I was at college’ – Anna rummaged in the tin until she found something with a bit of caramel in it – ‘there was a guest lecturer who came to talk to us about being architects. The course we were doing was the first part of the qualification and he was supposed to encourage us to carry on. Anyway, I fell in love with him.’

‘You mean, you had a crush,’ said Chloe, her mouth full of chocolate.

‘No,’ said Anna rather ruefully, ‘it was love. If it had just been a crush I wouldn’t have been still holding a torch for him all these years later, would I?’

‘Oh my goodness, you haven’t?’

‘Yup. We did get together, sort of, at our Grad Ball, but I lost – no, that was what I told him – I destroyed his number and never rang him.’

‘Oh!’

‘The taxi came sooner than we thought and there was only time for him to give me his number. I never got to give him mine. And then I got flu and didn’t phone. When I was a bit better, about three days later, I staggered out for some tomato soup—’

‘Very comforting, tomato soup.’

‘– and I saw him with a woman.’

‘But she could have been anyone!’

‘Of course when my brain came back I realised that. She was probably a colleague or something, but at the time I over-reacted and burnt the bit of cardboard – it was the back of someone’s cigarette packet.’ Anna still had pangs of remorse whenever she saw that particular brand, but she didn’t think Chloe needed to know quite how doolally she’d been. ‘The strange thing is, his mother lives here, in the village.’

‘Really? What’s her name?’

Anna shrugged. ‘Mrs Gordon, I suppose.’

‘Does she live in that big house at the end of the lane? The one that leads on to the common?’

‘I don’t know! She could do.’

‘Well, for your sake, I really hope that’s not her. She’s an old dragon! She shouted at the children because they tricycled – tricycled, mind you, they were still on three wheels – a titchy way into her drive.’

‘Oh … well, I hope that’s not her, then.’ Anna felt faintly irritated by these diversions. She wanted to tell Chloe about her fabulous evening, not be regaled with stories about some woman who might not even be her potential mother-in-law.

‘So go on, then,’ said Chloe.

‘Well, when I heard there was going to be a reunion, and that he was going, I knew I had to go, too.’

‘I did wonder a bit about that. It didn’t seem a very “you” thing to do, getting all dressed up to go to a party in London.’ She sighed. ‘It’s a very me thing, though.’

Anna ignored this. ‘So I went, as you know, in your dress – oh, and the gloves! The gloves were wonderful!’

‘They did look good, I must say. And did you manage your hair?’

‘More or less, the way you did it. I couldn’t do it like Laura did.’

‘Not surprised, it’s quite thick. Anyway, I know what you looked like, so tell me what happened.’

‘Well, we all – all the girls I knew, that is – met up in a hotel where we’d got this cheap deal. One girl, Zara,’ – Anna was hurrying on, trying not to give Chloe time to interrupt – ‘said she really fancied Max Gordon—’

‘Is that his name, then?’

‘Yes.’ Anna paused for a moment. ‘Don’t tell me you know he’s married, that he got married in the local church, and his mother wouldn’t let your boys be page-boys?’

‘No! I don’t know anything about him! What are you on about?’

‘Just being neurotic. Anyway, Zara said she really fancied him, and aimed to get off with him. Zara, I should tell you, is gorgeous, and she’s really bubbly and outgoing. I knew I didn’t have a chance.’

‘But?’

‘But I did have a chance! When he first saw me he murmured, “The one that got away.”’ Anna sighed deeply. ‘I thought I’d die on the spot from sheer … I don’t know: happiness? Desire? Something like that. Then he cut me out from the crowd and took me to a little
table
where we could talk, and he asked me what I did. I told him I was doing up a house and he didn’t believe me – or at least, he didn’t believe I was doing it myself.’ Anna’s smile came dangerously close to a smirk. ‘So I proved it!’

‘How?’

‘I took off a glove! Really slowly, like Audrey Hepburn did in that film.’

‘I don’t think that was Audrey Hepburn. That was in
Gypsy
. It was about a stripper.’

‘Oh well, never mind. But it worked! He took my hand in his and examined it. It was so romantic!’

‘And quite sexy, too,’ said Chloe, grinning. ‘Sort of masterful.’

‘Yes it was. And after that, he took me off to dance and—’

‘Did you kiss?’

Anna shook her head, a little smile tweaking at the corners of her mouth. She sighed with remembered lust. ‘No.’

‘No! And you’ve gone all – unnecessary, my mother would have said.’

‘Well, yes. It was a very – promising – non-kiss.’

‘And he didn’t ask you back to his flat?’ Chloe asked carefully.

‘No. He had a friend staying.’ Anna remembered her frustration.

‘I must say, restraint is very attractive.’

Anna chuckled. ‘And unexpected!’

‘So, would you have gone back with him? If he hadn’t had a friend staying with him?’

Anna could tell that Chloe was trying very hard to sound non-committal, but she couldn’t keep the anxiety out of her voice.

‘He didn’t ask me, but I do have to tell you that if he had, I’d have gone.’

‘Yikes,’ said Chloe.

‘But he didn’t, so you don’t have to look so worried. But what he did do – so sweet – was to ring me when I was in my hotel room, just to say goodnight.’

‘Wow,’ said Chloe slowly. ‘He sounds a real ladies’ man. Let’s have some more coffee. I need something to take away the taste of all that chocolate.’

Anna decided to ignore the remark about Max being a ladies’ man. ‘So do you think he sounds keen?’

‘I should think so!’

‘So why didn’t he ring me yesterday then?’

‘Because he has a life? Have you got his number?’ Chloe asked.

‘Yes, but I wouldn’t use it unless his mother was in a fire and he had to come down and rescue her. Even then I’d ring the fire brigade first.’

‘Much more sensible. But you could ring him, you know. People do.’

Anna shook her head. ‘I really don’t like ringing people I don’t know well.’

‘Oh, come on! Are you a man or a mouse?’

‘Well, neither, actually.’ She stopped for a moment. ‘Oh, and there’s been some bad news.’

‘What?’ Chloe looked anxious. ‘It’s a roller-coaster ride with you, Anna.’

‘It’s Will. He’s been made redundant. It means I’ve got to get the house on the market asap. I must pay them back. Oh, hi, guys!’

Chloe’s boys trooped down the stairs. ‘You’ve been up there a long time,’ Anna said. What have you been doing?’

‘But the house is nowhere near ready!’ Chloe looked more than anxious now.

‘Playing cars,’ said Harry.

‘That sounds fun. Do you want to go and fetch your favourite one so I can see it?’ When Harry had run off, Anna turned back to Chloe, ‘I know. I must really hurry up. I’ll have to get the plans passed and get on with the brickwork and plastering. There’s loads to do.’

As she didn’t appear too disheartened by this Chloe said, ‘Being in love helps everything, doesn’t it?’

Anna nodded. ‘But I will need some help to get the house done. You don’t know any wonderful craftsmen with time on their hands, do you?’

Chloe opened her mouth as if to speak, then, after a second’s pause, she said, ‘Rob does.’

‘Oh? I’ve got to ring him anyway, to see how long it’s going to take his office to look at the plans.’

‘Good. He’ll sort you out. Oh, and, Anna, I’ve just had a brilliant thought! While you’re all gooey and on cloud nine …’

‘Yes,’ said Anna slowly, wondering what her state of bliss was about to let her in for.

‘Well, you know I raise funds for Greyhound Rescue.’

Anna smiled. ‘To my cost – but also my eternal gratitude – I do.’

‘Well, there was a joint fundraising effort with another charity and we sold raffle tickets.’

‘If you’ve sold the tickets, you obviously don’t want me to do that.’ Anna was confused.

‘No,’ cried Chloe, ‘I want you to be the prize!’

‘What?’

‘Well, you and me both. But don’t start to get all het up! We’re labour.’

‘Chloe, this is no time to talk about politics!’ The conversation was getting more mystifying by the second. ‘What on earth have you done?’

‘The prize, or at least one of them, is an afternoon’s work: gardening, cleaning out attics, stuff like that.’

‘Oh.’ Anna wasn’t sure quite how she felt about that. ‘I do think if you were going to offer me as a raffle prize you should have asked me first. I am dreadfully busy, what with the house and—’

‘Honestly, Anna, you’re being so dense! The prize – the whole raffle – was ages ago! The person who won two people to do an afternoon’s work has only just decided what she wants done. And the people who were going to do it have since moved away. We have to stand in. I thought you wouldn’t mind, when I told you that we’ve got to clean out a greenhouse for … guess who?’

‘Chloe! How can I possibly guess! I don’t know anyone round here except for you.’ Then she bit her lip. ‘Oh no – you mean it’s for Max’s mother?’

‘If she’s the woman who lives in that house I told you about.’

‘Well I never! Who’d have thought it?’ She considered for a moment. If they were working outside it would give her a chance to give the formidable Mrs Gordon a look-over without getting close enough to be recognisable. Chloe could do all the talking. ‘Yes, of course I’ll do it,’ she said, realising it wasn’t perhaps her most sensible decision.

‘Is next weekend OK? Mike’ll be home to look after the boys.’

‘Should think so.’ After all, Max, if he contacted her, was unlikely to want to see her during the day.

When Anna got home she found that a bouquet of lilies and roses that was almost too big for her to lift had been delivered while she’d been out. The message read:
To the one who got away, love, M
. Anna had to sit down for
several
minutes before she could do anything useful.

The following morning, still on a cloud of happiness that made her love all the world, even the Dog and Building Police, Anna dialled Rob’s office number and happily listened to ‘Greensleeves’ until she was put through to him.

‘Rob? It’s Anna. With Caroline? You know?’

‘Of course I know.’ Rob sounded mildly amused. ‘What can I do for you?’

‘Well, you can tell me my plans have been passed and I can crack on with them. I have to put the house on the market more or less straightaway.’

There was a pause. ‘Oh. Well, I can’t quite manage that, I’m afraid, but I can tell you that I’ve looked at your plans, and I think, as long as you get a structural engineer to check the joists – they’re often very suspect in houses of that age – they should be OK.’

‘Are you saying I can go ahead? That’s wonderful! Thank you so much,’ Anna gabbled.

‘Hold your horses. I’m afraid I’m not saying quite that. I’m saying when you’ve given me a report from a structural engineer, I’ll submit the plans to the next planning meeting. I’m afraid that’s the best I can do.’

Anna came down off her cloud a few notches. ‘Oh. That sounds time-consuming and very expensive.’

‘It is, but necessary. And surely you’ve got lots to get on with?’

‘Oh yes, loads.’ She fell silent, thinking about just how much she did have to do.

‘Anna, is there anything else I can do for you?’ Rob broke into her thoughts. ‘I know I’m at work, but I can spend a couple of minutes on the phone.’

Anna laughed with relief. ‘That’s terribly kind. I really hate asking people for favours.’

‘You shouldn’t; people like being asked. What is it?’

‘Well, I was going ask you if you knew any good tradesmen. I need a brickie and a plasterer.’

‘I know someone who does both. That do?’

‘That would be perfect! I am quite good at bricklaying,’ she went on, ‘but my plastering is not perfect. This house has to be perfect.’

‘You know you have to use Cotswold stone for the outside wall, don’t you? You can get away with blockwork and plaster on the inside.’

As the previous owners appeared to have sold all the better bits of dressed stone that must have come out of the wall, this was good news. ‘Fine. I’ll do that.’

‘And get in touch with Eric. I don’t know how busy he is at the moment but he’s done work for me and I was very pleased.’

She took down the number he gave her. ‘You’re a star! Thank you so much. If ever there’s anything I can do for you,’ Anna offered, still loving all the world, ‘just say the word.’