Lucy in the Sky

funny. But above all, he ‘gets’ me. He understands me. And I feel like I could talk to him for hours, weeks, months–God, years …
    Nathan cons: lives on the other side of the bloody world, two years’ younger than me, left school at sixteen, might be getting his act together now with his career but from what Sam and Molly have said in the past, he may very well chuck it in to go travelling again at the drop of a hat. He’s a headstrong, independent guy–why would he even want a long-term girlfriend? Look at what happened with Amy.
    What about James? Pros: we’ve been together for four years now. We have a history together. I remember when we first fell in love and we couldn’t get enough of each other. We lived together practically from day one and now we have our own amazingplace. He has a great job, which bodes well for the future. He’s intelligent, mature, also sexy, and a bloody good kisser. Very good in bed too.
    Hmm, I wonder how good Nathan is in bed. What if we don’t click between the sheets?
    James cons: don’t trust him. Never have.
    Why not? Do I trust Nathan? Yes, I do.
    Does James have anymore cons? He watches a lot of sport. But hey, if I lived in Australia with Nathan he’d be going off surfing at all hours of the day. That could drive me bananas.
    Anyway now I’m just being picky. I dread to think what someone would come up with if they did a pros and cons list about me…
    The upshot, though, is that James does love me. He looks after me and cares for me.
    There’s one clear winner but, I think desolately as I look down at the charm in my hand, it’s not the winner I wanted.

Chapter 24
    ‘You will never guess who I met last night!’ Chloe gasps. It’s Friday morning, four days since we got back from Somerset, and Gemma and I are just getting started on some envelope stuffing because the workie called in sick. Chloe has been for an early morning meeting with a cosmetics client.
    ‘Who?’ I ask, as she dumps her bag and coat and reaches for a stack of envelopes.
    ‘William!’
    ‘Who’s William?’ Gemma chips in.
    Turns out Chloe bumped into James’s colleague at a bar and they got chatting. He’s asked her out on a date tomorrow.
    ‘So, not so shy, after all?’ Chloe says, looking like the cat that got the cream.
    ‘Tell her to watch out,’ James says later.
    ‘Why?’
    ‘He’s a bit of a liar, that one. You should see the things he gets away with.’
    ‘What do you mean?’ I ask with concern, although warningbells are going off in my head because I know the same could be said of James.
    ‘Confidential business stuff. I shouldn’t say. Just make sure she’s careful.’
     
    It’s Saturday and Nathan is taking me to Highgate Cemetery. James wasn’t keen; he might meet Zoe for lunch instead. Which is fine by me. I can’t quite believe I’m having a day alone with Nathan.
    Ally answers the door to me. ‘Come in. Nate’s upstairs.’
    Nate? When did my Nathan become Nate?
    I can hear him playing his guitar behind the closed door. I pause for a moment, then imagine Ally or someone walking by, so I knock. He stops playing abruptly and calls me in.
    ‘Hello, Nate .’ I grin at him cheekily. He grins back and starts to put his guitar down. ‘No, don’t stop playing,’ I plead, but he shakes his head, embarrassed. I sit on the bed and look at him sorrowfully. He laughs. God, he’s sexy, sitting there with his long leg tucked up on the bed, in position from cradling his guitar.
    ‘Is Richard coming today?’ I ask him, hoping he’ll say no.
    ‘Nah, he’s going out with Ally.’ Nathan gives me a knowing look.
    ‘Oh, really ?’ I’m thrilled that his housemates have other plans. ‘Are those two finally on together, then?’
    ‘Yep.’ He laughs. ‘Come on, let’s go.’
    The cemetery is fascinating. Decrepit tombs line stony paths and ivy seems to cling to every surface. We peer through the dank trees and can make out countless gravestones that haven’t been preserved. It’s eerie.
    Nathan’s hand brushes against mine as we climb the steep paths and I have to concentrate on not grabbing hold of it. If Richard and James were here, I’d be okay. But here, now, alone, I’m finding it hard.
    ‘You alright?’ he asks me. ‘You seem quiet.’
    ‘Yeah,’ I murmur, and try to focus on the tour guide’s story about the large stone lion resting atop one of the tombs.
    Afterwards we make our way back up the hill into Highgate with the intention