Lucy in the Sky

men?’
    ‘Actually,’ he replies, ‘I do know a couple of guys from work.’
    ‘I hope you’re not talking about Hector and Terence,’ I say, sternly.
    He laughs. ‘No, they’re not good enough for you.’ He grins at Chloe and she blushes.
    Looks like Charming James has come out to play.
    ‘Set me up on a double date, then.’ She smiles.
    Soon afterwards, Gemma and the others appear back up the hill, followed by the Frisbee brigade.
    ‘We were thinking we might wander down to the zoo a little later. Want to come?’ she asks.
    I look over at James. ‘Probably not. We went last year, didn’t we, hon?’
    ‘Hey,’ Martin says, ‘did you hear about the escaping monkeys last summer?’
    I look up at him sharply.
    ‘That’s right.’ Gemma laughs. ‘Squirrel monkeys. One of them–I think her name might’ve been Betty–was roaming around Regent’s Park for ages!’
    ‘See, Lucy?’ James says smugly. ‘I told you.’
    ‘Yeah, okay.’ I smile, graciously allowing him to revel in his victory. ‘Sorry.’
    The following Monday at work I realise that Chloe is serious about this double-date malarkey.
    ‘Honestly, Chloe, this is a bad idea. James’s colleagues are all tossers.’
    ‘They can’t be that bad, Lucy, if he’s friends with them.’
    ‘No, they are. They’re all twats.’
    ‘Oh.’ She sounds dejected. I feel mean. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt. Maybe I’d have a better time going out with them if I had a friend of mine with me. I say this to her and her face immediately lights up.
    ‘When shall we go?’ she asks.
    ‘Next Friday?’
    ‘Yeah, that would work.’
    ‘Nice!’ Gemma chips in. ‘Cancelling our weekly drinks? What a bloody cheek!’
    I didn’t realise she was listening. ‘Sorry, Gem, do you want to come too?’
    ‘Nah, it’s alright. I’ve been meaning to gatecrash Martin’s Friday-night work drinks for some time so I’ll probably do that.’
    Next Friday, Chloe and I nip off to the toilets at six o’clock to start getting ready.
    We catch a cab to the City, where James’s offices are, and the closer we get, the more suits we see.
    ‘Are you sure you want to date a “suit”?’ I ask Chloe, smiling.
    ‘Well, you do and he’s a bit of alright.’ She checks her reflection in her compact mirror, before snapping it shut. ‘Anyway all I’m interested in is what the guy looks like out of the bloody thing.’
    We arrive at the bar to find it heaving with City boys and girls. Chloe and I make our way through the throng, keeping an eye out for my sandy-haired boyfriend and his wanker mates.
    I spot Jeremy first.
    ‘Lucy!’ He waves at me.
    ‘Ooh, who’s he?’ Chloe asks as we weave our way towards him.
    ‘Why, you don’t fancy him, do you?’ I look back at her in surprise. ‘He’s a right idiot.’
    She laughs. ‘I don’t mind him.’
    Oh dear. I’d better lighten up if this is the way it’s going to go.
    Jeremy engulfs me in a hug and plants a wet kiss on my face with his big red lips.
    ‘Hi.’ He beams at Chloe. I introduce them.
    ‘Hello,’ Chloe says chirpily, and Jeremy gives her a kiss too, before going off to order us vodka cranberries at the bar.
    James is sitting with a group of City slickers round a booth table. He stands up immediately and squeezes past his pals to greet us. I recognise a couple of the guys from the Spanish holiday, and Zoe, who nods a curt hello and gives Chloe the once-over. She’s glowing, and has obviously been topping up her tan in the park since she arrived back. That or she’s a fan of spray-ons…She looks infuriatingly good, in any case. Edward, Susannah and Lila aren’t here, though, and hmm, let me think. Nope. I don’t miss their company at all.
    ‘Hello.’ James kisses me on the lips, followed by a kiss on the cheek for Chloe. He’s taken off his suit jacket, removed his tie and unbuttoned his shirt a touch. He looks good, and I can just make out his smooth, toned chest.
    ‘So, who’s who?’ Chloe shouts above the music.
    ‘Right,’ James shouts back, glancing furtively at his mates around the table. ‘Don’t make it too obvious you’re looking at them…That tall, lanky one on the end is Hector. Stop, you’re being too obvious!’ He prods her arm. Chloe turns her head quickly. ‘The chubby one next to him is Terence—’
    ‘They’re the ones you want to avoid,’ I interrupt, loudly.
    ‘Yeah, don’t worry about that.’ Chloe laughs. ‘They’re safe with me. Not my type.’